We are pleased to announce the recipients of their latest Youth Leadership Council’s (YLC) grant round. Thanks to the enduring legacy of Helen Jewett’s generous bequest and YVCF’s commitment to matching these funds, the YLC selects and the Foundation awards $100,000 annually to local organizations dedicated to empowering communities and creating lasting positive impact.

Helen Jewett's bequest of $1.25 million to the Yakima Valley Community Foundation planted the seeds for the Youth Leadership Council, which was created to nurture the next generation of community leaders, comprised of local high school students. Each year, this endowment provides $50,000 for these young philanthropists to allocate in grants. Recognizing the transformative potential of this initiative, YVCF matches this gift, effectively doubling the resources available for local community projects. Since the launch of the YLC, more than half a million dollars has been granted to local nonprofit organizations.

This year, five organizations have been selected as YLC grant recipients, each receiving $20,000 to support their critical programs and services:

1. Explore Your Wild – $20,000

Explore Your Wild will utilize the grant to fund a free after-school program at the Selah Civic Center, providing educational and mentoring opportunities for local youth. Running from September to June, the program will serve up to 30 students daily, focusing on academic support, life skills, environmental education through a community garden, physical activities, and arts. The majority of the funds will be used for staffing, maintaining a low student-to-teacher ratio to ensure personalized attention and guidance.

2. Heartlinks – $20,000

Heartlinks provides hospice and palliative care, alongside grief support services in Yakima and Benton counties. Through this grant, they will strengthen their Blooming Hearts Children's Grief Program, "Corazones Floreando," which provides individual counseling, group support sessions, and culturally relevant resources for children and families coping with loss. The grant will enhance access to mental and behavioral health services, bridging gaps in childhood grief support, and promoting community resilience.

3. Triumph Treatment Services – $20,000

Triumph Treatment Services will implement Peer Recovery Support Services at off-site locations like Camp Hope Yakima and downtown areas frequented by homeless individuals. The funds will support the hiring of full-time and

half-time Certified Peer Support Specialists to provide on-the-ground education, resource connections, and case management, helping individuals struggling with substance use and mental health issues.

4. UNA – $20,000

Unidos Nueva Alianza (UNA) Foundation will use the grant to provide monthly community clinics and workshops aimed at promoting workplace safety and worker rights among immigrant, migrant, and refugee communities. These clinics will help with Labor & Industries-related issues, health enrollment, and more. By empowering workers to understand their rights and providing them with the resources they need, UNA aims to foster a sense of security and accountability within these vulnerable communities.

5. YAMA (Yakima Music en Acción) – $20,000

YAMA will expand its daily after-school music and leadership programming, benefiting young people in the Garfield Elementary School area. The grant will enable YAMA to increase programming days, reintroduce individual mentoring, and restart the Assistant Teacher program, which provides older students with opportunities to teach and mentor younger peers, fostering leadership and social connections through music.

The Yakima Valley Community Foundation is proud to support these organizations as they work tirelessly to improve the lives of individuals and families in the Yakima Valley. The Foundation with its Youth Leadership Council remains committed to Helen Jewett's vision of nurturing empathy, leadership, and community engagement among our youth.

Click to learn more about the amazing Youth Leadership Council! For questions regarding this grant announcement, please contact Lindsay Boswell at (509) 457-7616 ext. 7, or email lindsayb@yakimavalleycf.org.