The United Way of Greater Greensboro and The Community Foundation of Greensboro are teaming up to develop a philanthropy program for teenagers. They are asking teenagers to give away money. This is a new idea for our area but has proven successful and beneficial in other parts of the country. Giving the power of philanthropy to young people allows teenagers to become valuable contributors to the community now, as well as teaching them essential leadership skills for the future, Cretsinger explains.
Youth philanthropy demonstrates the benefits of empowering teenagers to solve community problems.
The program challenges youth to identify, address, and seek solutions to community needs through a comprehensive grant making process. A youth board of 20-25 teenagers recruited from high schools and community organizations will be responsible for allocation of funds to support projects addressing community needs. The youth will have a major role in establishing guidelines, reviewing proposals, and awarding grants from a dedicated fund. Both organizations understand the importance of philanthropy and its role in the community. This project will teach the values of philanthropy to the next generation and how it impacts their lives.