Philanthropy is a learned behavior, and it is never too late to teach the next generation about giving! According to Women Give 2013, a study from the Women’s Philanthropy Institute at the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy, talking to children about charitable giving has a greater impact on children’s giving than role-modeling alone. Children who have talks about giving are 20 percent more likely to give to charity than children who are not given an opportunity to have discussions on giving.
The Branch County Community Foundation’s Youth Advisory Council (YAC) has been busy in October and November presenting to 5th-grade classrooms in the district with their “Introduction to Philanthropy”. The pilot presentations started in the 2021-2022 school year, with YAC members attending individual 5th grade classrooms and presenting on what philanthropy is, and how students can get involved in giving back. The unique part of the presentation is YAC allows the students to choose a non-profit to receive a grant from YAC in honor of the classroom. For the 2023-2024 school year YAC was able to speak with all fifth-grade students at Coldwater Lakeland Elementary, Bronson Ryan Elementary, and Union City’s Middle School!
Since the start of the presentations, YAC has presented its “Introduction to Philanthropy” to every public school in Branch County and Colon.
If you’re interested in having YAC present to your fifth-grade classroom, please reach out to BCCF and we can talk more! YAC is the Community Foundation’s youth philanthropy program. The group consists of adult mentors and young people aged 12-21 from Branch County and Colon, Michigan. Together, they address local youth needs, assist in fund development activities, and direct grantmaking toward youth programs. YAC is dedicated to improving our communities by involving youth in the visioning and decision-making process and giving them a voice to shape the future. YAC is open to youth ages 12-21 who attend Bronson, Coldwater, Colon, Pansophia, St. Charles, or Union City Schools.