Young adults ages 18 to 24 have until October 15 to compete for a $30,000 grant from the Heartland Coca-Cola Bottling Company for a project to encourage youth empowerment in St. Louis online or live on campuses across the country this fall
Youth are invited to summarize their idea in 300 words or less and include up to two photos or videos (optional) about themselves. One change maker from St. Louis will receive a $30,000 grant to translate vision into action
The initiative, Dear Future St. Louis, is a part of the national Dear Future Challenge, an initiative by The Coca-Cola Company USA to encourage people to join in locally based efforts to renew and strengthen communities across America.
“Through the Dear Future St. Louis challenge, we hope to encourage young adults to become community leaders through their ideas and actions, and inspire others in the community to help St. Louis thrive in the future,” said Travis Sarich, general manager, St. Louis at Heartland Coca-Cola Bottling Company. “Dear Future St. Louis is an effort to engage the energy and passion of young people to take a leadership role in helping to solve the issues in our community.”
Empowering youth is an important issue for The Coca-Cola Company. According to a recent study, less than a quarter of young adults ages 18-24 are active in community service. Through the Dear Future St. Louis challenge, Heartland Coca-Cola Bottling Company hopes to encourage more St. Louis youth to take an active role in their community and help shape the future of St. Louis through their ideas and actions.
Dear Future Challenge is inspired by the decades-long Coca-Cola Scholars program, where the Coca-Cola Company USA encourages America’s youth to help lead and renew their communities. In the program’s 30th anniversary, The Coca-Cola Company is partnering with Scholars to invite their peers to participate in Dear Future Challenges across America. St. Louis is one of 15 cities around the country where young people can sign up and propose their ideas to address an issue that’s impacting their community.
To participate in the Dear Future St. Louis challenge, young adults ages 18 to 24 can submit their ideas. After the program closes in mid-October, all of the submissions will be evaluated and an award of $30,000 will be made to one change making idea. The change maker behind the winning ideas will be paired with local partners – Coca-Cola Scholars, local NGOs – who will mentor them and help them turn their vision into reality. Details on the program and submission can be found by visiting www.coke.com/dearfuturecommunity.
