The Brandywine Health Foundation’s Coatesville Area Youth Philanthropy Program (CAYPP) recently held its Grants Award Ceremony at Citadel’s offices in Thorndale.

Seventeen Coatesville area youth between the ages of 14 and 18 met during the fall and winter to learn how philanthropy works and research and discuss a myriad of possible philanthropic goals to improve their community before deciding to fund programs that address preventing youth suicide.

CAYPP offers teens the opportunity to learn about the world of philanthropy through leadership training, mentoring, coaching, diversity components, roundtable question-and-answer discussions with philanthropists, group sessions, and team-building in a safe and trusting environment.

“We are honored to partner with Citadel and their entire team, and this program would not be possible without them,” said Vanessa Briggs, President and CEO of the Brandywine Health Foundation. “CAYPP is one of the foundation’s signature programs that provides teens living in the Coatesville Area School District with a powerful opportunity to learn more about the needs of their community, how to make a difference, experience diversity and teamwork through collaboration, and to become actual philanthropists. We look forward to launching our fifth class later this fall and congratulate the 2018-2019 class for participating in this rigorous program and strategically and thoughtfully selecting its 2019 grant recipients.”

The CAYPP members selected two organizations to receive grants totaling $15,000.

Child Guidance Resource Centers (CGRC) received a $10,000 grant to support the use of preventative healthcare services to address mental health conversations before they affect emotions and impact someone’s behavior. CGRC recognizes that many teens struggle with anxiety, depression, grief, and low self-esteem and its goal is to help tackle this. CGRC will provide groups of youth, mainly 12-16, with a safe environment to share their thoughts and connect with their peers.

Minding Your Mind (MYM) received a $5,000 grant. MYM’s mission is to reduce the stigma and destructive behaviors associated with mental health issues and to promote help-seeking behavior in youth through education. Its suicide prevention programs are aimed at teachers, parents, caregivers, and administrators. The proposed outcomes and solutions of this program is for participants to better understand stigma and identify action steps to reduce stigma.

Citadel, the Marshall Reynolds Foundation, and Genuardi Family Foundation generously support the Coatesville Area Youth Philanthropy Program. CAYPP not only distributes grant dollars to pressing community issues, but inspires youth to be philanthropists, explore careers in the nonprofit sector, and develop their leadership skills.

For information on CAYPP, contact Kimberly Daye Hardy, Strategy Officer, at 610-380-9080 x 107 or kdayehardy@brandywinefoundation.org.

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