News

YOUTH SERVICE AMERICA SELECTS 75 DISNEYHAND MINNIE GRANT AWARD RECIPIENTS

$37,500 Given in Support of National Youth Service Day Projects


WASHINGTON (March 23, 2005) - Seventy-five socially conscious youth, teachers and organizations were selected from more than 400 applicants as recipients of a $500 DisneyHand Minnie Grant. Each grant is awarded to individuals based on their desire to facilitate community service projects around both National and Global Youth Service Day 2005 (April 15-17). The grants are funded by Disney and awarded by Youth Service America (YSA).

The goal of the Minnie Grant is to inspire today's youth, ages 5 to 14, to work with their families, schools, friends and communities to solve relevant social problems rather than just treat them (i.e.: start a recycling program rather than just pick up litter). Each applicant must have participated in Youth Service Day 2004 and completed the commensurate evaluation.

"Young Americans are volunteering today more than any other generation in history," said Steve Culbertson, president and chief executive officer of YSA. "Youth Service America and Disney are heartened by their participation and through the DisneyHand Minnie Grant want to encourage them to further solve today's relevant issues through participation and leadership."

"The DisneyHand Minnie Grant is a great way to provide today's youth with resources to make a positive difference in their communities," said Jody Dreyer, senior vice president, Disney Worldwide Outreach. "We are looking forward to seeing the results of each recipient's efforts and how each will make a positive impact on the future."

Projects planned by award recipients include making positive strides in everything from literacy and the environment to animal welfare, hunger, military family support and child/domestic abuse. Specific examples include:
  • Fifth grade teachers Craig Yager and Lise Blumenthal of the Whittier International School in Boulder, Colorado, will engage 55 fifth grade students in a service-learning project designed to educate the community regarding immigration. Students will interview immigrants about their reasons for coming to the U.S. and how they have integrated and contributed to the community. The students will showcase the interviews and accompanying videos/photos on local television and at the public library.

  • The School Board of Broward County, Florida, and the 160 ninth graders who participate in a year round school for at-risk youth, will partner with Children's Services Council and the Internal Revenue Service for to create a campaign around the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC). The marketing campaign will include developing banners to educate their community.

  • Approximately 2,500 participants from the Sioux Trails Girl Scouts (STGS) will organize and promote a local battery recycling drive. In addition, the STGS will write letters to elected officials urging their support of environmental issues, particularly for the creation of a permanent toxic waste dump and recycling site that is currently proposed by the Iowa Department of Natural Resources.

  • In Houston, Texas, approximately 20 local school children will team up with Children's Legacy Services help prevent domestic violence. The children will create their own 'clothesline project' to display in the Family Law Center foyer. The project will allow young survivors to express themselves through art while also teaching the community about the impact of domestic violence.

Twenty-five additional grants will support international service projects in celebration of Global Youth Service Day, held concurrently with National Youth Service Day in more than 120 countries. For a comprehensive listing of the winners for National Youth Service Day projects, please go to: http://www.ysa.org/news_event/2005/press_release.cfm?pr=021205n_a

About National Youth Service Day
National Youth Service Day is coordinated by Youth Service America, in association with the National Youth Leadership Council and in partnership with PARADE Magazine. In addition to thousands of projects led by youth, schools, community and faith-based groups, 50 organizations across the country serve as Lead Agencies for National Youth Service Day. The Lead Agencies are local, regional, or statewide liaisons for National Youth Service Day, promoting projects and celebrations, coordinating volunteer recruitment, local media outreach and hands-on participation by elected officials.

National Youth Service Day Tool Kits, Service-Learning Curriculum Guides, posters, grants, and more are available for youth, parents, and teachers at the Youth Service America website at: www.YSA.org/nysd. Participating in this event will teach youth how to create a financial budget, plan an event, design materials, fundraise, and take leadership roles.

State Farm Companies Foundation is the Presenting Sponsor for NYSD. Other sponsors include the Bubel/Aiken Foundation, DisneyHand, U.S. Department of Justice, Verizon, AT&T, Motorola, and Bridgestone. Youth Service America is joined by a consortium that includes 115 of the nation's largest nonprofit and youth development organizations, including the March of Dimes, U.S. Department of Justice (Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention), YMCA, Camp Fire USA, National Education Association (NEA), the U.S. Conference of Mayors and many more.

About Youth Service America
Youth Service America is a national nonprofit resource center that partners with thousands of other organizations committed to growing the youth service movement. Youth Service America's programs and services increase the effectiveness, sustainability, and scale of the youth service and service-learning fields on a local, national, and global level. In addition to National Youth Service Day and Global Youth Service Day, happening April 15-17, 2005, YSA also hosts SERVEnet (www.SERVEnet.org), providing the largest database of volunteer opportunities in America. For more information about grant opportunities for National Youth Service Day, please visit www.YSA.org.