Reno County youth award $5,000 in grants

07 Mar Reno County youth award $5,000 in grants

HUTCHINSON – The Youth Philanthropy Council of Hutchinson Community Foundation awarded $5,000 in grants to seven organizations at a ceremony Sunday at the Hutchinson Art Center.

Led by students from across Reno County, the Youth Philanthropy Council is a grantmaking program designed to involve area students in philanthropy: the practice of giving money, time and talents to help make life better for other people. The group began meeting in November to discuss local issues of concern to youth, learn about grantmaking and award grants to youth-serving organizations.

The grants were awarded from the Richard W. Dillon Memorial Fund, established by the Dillon family to honor Dick Dillon for his extensive philanthropic work in the community.

The 13 members of the 2022-2023 council are Andrew Auxier, Caleb Penrose and Claudia Taylor, Buhler High School; Karly Combs, Fairfield High School; Lee Harper, Haven High School; Ellie Foos, Jaylee Harvey, Kaydence Hines and Mahleah Marshall-Guest, Hutchinson High School; Copper Collins and Sophi England, Pretty Prairie High School; Anthony Clennan and Tanner Weathers, Trinity Catholic High School.

The following awards were given:

Big Brothers Big Sisters Serving Reno County, $500: The grant will help provide snacks for the organization’s new Community Space where Bigs and Littles can meet.

Boys & Girls Clubs of Hutchinson, $600: Funds will help update the club’s teen-run Snack Shop with equipment to add smoothies and other drinks to the menu.

Buhler Public Library, $590: Money from this grant will help expand the library’s junior nonfiction and young-adult graphic novel collection.

Hutch in Harmony, $630: The organization will use the grant to print coloring books for its Black and Brown Leaders Coloring Book Series, a collaborative project with USD 308. The project aims to help youth identify and relate to local leaders, who will be the coloring subjects in the books.

Hutchinson Composite Mountain Bike Team, $760: Funds will help provide a canopy tent shelter and portable bike rack for the growing youth cycling team to use on race weekends.

Hutchinson NAACP Youth Group, $1,000: Money from this grant will help support the necessary seed and livestock feed for the group’s youth-run community garden, which teaches members about urban farming and access to healthy foods. The group will then donate the food grown.

USD 310 Fairfield, $920: The grant will purchase creative play equipment to enhance children’s gross motor skills during indoor play on inclement weather days at the only licensed state day care in the school district’s territory.

Hutchinson Community Foundation’s mission is to inspire philanthropy, collaboration and innovative leadership to strengthen Reno County communities. Since 1989, the foundation has granted more than $92 million.