Two Weeks Left to Apply for YSA's New Youth Stop Hunger Innovation Grants

November 21, 2024 | Volume 31, No. 47 | Published Weekly Since 1994

We know that experiences with hunger are unique to each person, but we also know that common factors like food waste, climate change, and poverty (including low wages, lack of affordable housing, racism and discrimination, and education and healthcare) contribute to the wider issue of hunger. Ending hunger long-term typically involves change - changes in the way people think, changes in the way people act, or changes in policies and processes.

To encourage youth to devise and implement programs that work towards these types of long-term changes, we’re partnering with the Sodexo Stop Hunger Foundation to launch the new Youth Stop Hunger Innovation Grant! Twelve $2,500 grants will be awarded to cohorts of youth in the United States between the ages of 5 and 25 years old who are looking to fight hunger in their community by addressing its root causes, while also engaging other youth in volunteerism.

Some key details:

Groups comprised of 2 to 5 youth (all between 5 and 25 years old; all based in the US) who will be the primary program planners may apply.
Applicants will need to propose a service program that will fight hunger by addressing a root cause of hunger in their community and/or take a current project to the next level. Projects must be implemented in the applicants’ community.
For this award, we are seeking new ideas and/or actions that may already be in place. While you may not be able to reach your end goal in the next 3 months, we want to hear how you would start, sustain, and grow this idea.
Applicants must include plans for continuation, replication, expansion, and/or sustaining of their program. We will not consider proposals for single, one-off projects such as a food drive or one-time meal preparation event.

Note: Our long-running Sodexo Stop Hunger Foundation Youth Grants program that awards grants up to $500 for Global Youth Service Day projects will also return for another year, with that application opening in mid-December after this application closes!

Learn More & Apply by December 8 at YSA.org/Sodexo

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NEWS FROM THE FIELD

Family Volunteer Day - Nov. 23

Family Volunteer Day is this Saturday! It's a wonderful opportunity to spend quality time with your loved ones while making a positive impact on your community. Volunteering together strengthens family bonds and teaches valuable life lessons. Check out the Family Volunteer Day page for inspiration and ideas, and share your family friendly volunteer projects on Points of Light Engage!

#GivingTuesdaySpark - Dec. 3

Led by a squad of young do-gooders aged 6-21 from all over the world, GivingTuesdaySpark is a global movement that's inspiring kids to take action around the causes they care about most on GivingTuesday and every day. Participating in GivingTuesdaySpark is easy. There are countless ways to make a difference and help transform lives at home and around the world.

Making Change Across the USA

Blankies 4 My Buddies Foundation (B4MB), a youth-led nonprofit, is inviting youth across the country to join Making Change Across the USA. This initiative aims to unite people in compassion and giving by encouraging participants nationwide to make blankets on Giving Tuesday (December 3) and donate them locally, spreading warmth, hope, and care.

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Organize a One Warm Coat Drive

National nonprofit One Warm Coat provides free coats to children and adults in need while promoting volunteerism and environmental sustainability. Clubs, churches, neighborhoods, schools, service organizations, and sports teams are encouraged to host Coat Drives. Here's how the Coat Drive Program works:

You pick the dates and register to hold a coat drive.
You collect coats and financial donations.
You deliver the coats to a local nonprofit organization. (They will distribute them to people in need!)

Find tips for organizing a successful coat drive and get started sharing warmth!

GRANTS & AWARDS

NEA Big Read Grants - Deadline: January 30 (LOI Due January 23)

The NEA Big Read is a grant of up to $20,000 to help bring communities together around the shared activity of reading and discussing the same book. In addition to funding for purchasing the books themselves, each grant recipient is provided with resources to help them succeed.

Time for Change Youth Challenge 2024 - Deadline: January 30

This challenge is a chance for young people nationwide to share their bold ideas, connect with other innovative kids, and tackle problems that matter to them. Students in grades K-12 who attend First Book-eligible schools (any Title I-eligible, Tribal, or Military Base school) are invited to enter. Final prizes awarded in K-5th, 6th-7th, and 8th-12th grade categories include 15 $1,000 grants and 2 Grand Prize $5,000 grants.

STORIES OF SERVICE

Everyday Young Hero: Ella Burbige

In 2023, Ella Burbige (17 | Rockville Centre, New York) founded the nonprofit The Heart and Sole Foundation after a friend suffered a sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) on the basketball court. Thankfully, the facility had access to an AED and was able to save her friend’s life, but this isn’t the case for all young people. 1 in 300 youth have an undetected heart abnormality, making sudden cardiac arrest among the leading causes of death for adolescents, especially young athletes. Having an AED on hand can boost survival rates of SCA to 60%, but over 30 million AEDs are still needed in community facilities across the US.

The Heart and Sole Foundation—with the support of local doctors, nurses, and physicians—provides electrocardiogram (EKG) screenings to young athletes and AEDs to community facilities to detect and protect against unknown heart abnormalities before it’s too late. Through social media, the organization’s website, and her town newspaper, Ella also spreads awareness of the importance of early screenings. Since its founding, Ella’s nonprofit has screened over 200 athletes and raised over $7,000 to donate four AEDs throughout the community. She has raised awareness through village board meetings, the DECA business competition (competing internationally!), and an iHeart Radio interview that reached over 3 million listeners.

Ella is currently creating a 5-year plan for The Heart and Sole foundation that includes collaborating with universities to promote HeartSafe campuses, EKG screenings for college athletes, and accessibility to AEDs. She hopes that one day, all states will mandate the use of EKG testing for athletes to detect underlying cardiac abnormalities prior to athletic participation.

RESOURCES & TRAININGS

YSA + ASU Course Overview: Designing and Implementing a Service-Learning Experience

Want to bring an engaging professional development opportunity to your teachers that provides meaningful advancement and translates to student success? Watch this walkthrough of YSA's Designing & Implementing a Service-Learning Experience online course developed in collaboration with Arizona State University’s Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College and learn how you can bring this training to your K-12 school or afterschool program.

8 Steps to Establishing a Thriving Youth Advisory Council

Amplifying youth voice is crucial for building strong, inclusive communities and organizations. Starting a Youth Advisory Council (YAC) provides a powerful platform for engaging young people and ensuring their perspectives shape your organization's policies and priorities. As you get started, focus on these 8 steps to help you create an experience that benefits and supports both youth and your organization!