Teens and young adults ages 14-22 still have time to apply for a Promoting Peace in Ferguson grant sponsored by Volunteen Nation and Whole Foods Market-Galleria. Volunteen Nation is a locally-based national nonprofit organization, which funds youth-led service-oriented projects and connects youth with volunteer opportunities. The deadline to apply for one of 20 grants worth up to $250 has been extended to January 31, 2015. All youth applicants are required to have a sponsoring school or nonprofit organization and are asked to document their experience.
“We have received hundreds of great ideas from youth throughout the St. Louis area,” said Simone Bernstein, president and co-founder of Volunteen Nation.
Like the one pitched by applicant Joey Silver, a senior at Francis Howell Central High School in St. Charles and a Volunteen Nation ambassador. Silver and his friends came up with the idea to host “Meet a Cop” events at preschools in Ferguson.
Silver’s father is a former St. Louis County police officer and his aunt is a speech therapist in the Ferguson-Florissant School District. Silver says police officers have come under “scrutiny” following the death of Michael Brown, Jr. at the hands of former Ferguson police officer Darren Wilson. He hopes his project will foster positive relations between youth and police.
Regardless of where he lives, Silver said he cares about Ferguson and that he was raised to help others.
“It’s still my community,” he said. “It’s a way to help the community as a whole.”
Other submitted project ideas include a peace garden and high school voter registration drives for students on the verge of turning 18.
Volunteen Nation’s mission is to inspire more young people to see themselves as positive change-makers and make an impact in the world. Bernstein said the nonprofit has been involved with several projects in Ferguson following Brown’s death on Aug. 9.
On one service day, volunteers with brooms and trash bags in hand cleaned up debris alongside the streets in Ferguson. And while the Ferguson-Florissant School District was closed due to continued unrest, volunteers completed educational and art projects with students at the Ferguson Public Library. It was through these service projects, Bernstein said she became acquainted with youth wanting to make a difference in their communities, but lacking the funds to do so.
The application process opened in August, with Whole Foods coming aboard in September. The partnership made it possible to fund additional grants.
During that first week, the nonprofit received more than 300 applications, she said. A group of young people are weeding through grant applications and will select recipients based upon project ideas that will make the most impact.
For more information, contact Simone Bernstein at info@volunteennation.org or call (314) 467-TEEN (8336). To complete an application, click here http://goo.gl/txreoU.
Follow this reporter on Twitter: @BridjesONeil
