In Youth We Trust (IYWT), the youth philanthropy program of the Community Foundation of Northern Illinois, has announced the recipients of the Fall 2021 IYWT Adult/Nonprofit Grants cycle. Seven organizations were awarded up to $5,000 each for a total of $19,500. This is the second time IYWT has awarded grants for proposals written by adults/nonprofit organizations, to benefit programs and projects that support youth in northern Illinois.

The seven organizations and projects which were awarded are as follows:

• Farmworker and Landscaper Advocacy Project (FLAP) | $3,000 | Technology, Vaccination and Workers’ Rights Education for Latinx Youth
• Northern Illinois Food Bank | $451 | Backpack Program
• Pegasus Special Riders | $2,000 | Program Expansion for Pegasus
• Regional Access and Mobilization Project (RAMP) | $1,250 | RAMP’s Project SEARCH
• Rock House Kids | $3,399 | Crisis Prevention Intervention (CPI) Trainer Certificate Renewal
• Rockford Area Habitat for Humanity | $5,000 | Students Building Homes
• Winnebago County CASA | $4,400 | Retain Advocates, Renew Hope

Learn more about each of these projects below.

“The In Youth We Trust Council is excited to again offer two distinct grant cycles, which makes the impact on issues facing youth in our community that much greater,” said Adalia Yeung, a senior at Rockford Lutheran High School and current IYWT Council President. “It’s an honor for Council members to review proposals from so many incredible organizations and be able to award these grants which will directly support our peers across the region.”

In Youth We Trust Council is made up of high-school-aged youth from across Northern Illinois. The program engages young people in community service and philanthropy. IYWT gives the council members resources and opportunities to help solve problems affecting their peers and their quality of life. This year the IYWT Grant Programs will distribute up to $40,000 in two grant cycles for youth-benefiting projects in the region. IYWT Council Members set grant policy, review youth-inspired service project proposals, and recommend proposals for funding to CFNIL's Board of Directors. Since its inception in 1994 In Youth We Trust has awarded more than $500,000 for youth-led projects.

Fall 2021 IYWT Adult/Nonprofit Grant Recipient Project Descriptions:

Technology, Cash Assistance, Vaccination, and Workers’ Rights Education for Latinx Youth | $3,000 | Farmworker and Landscaper Advocacy Project (FLAP)

FLAP will improve the health, wellness, and educational stability of youth from low-income Latinx immigrant families in Boone, Ogle, Stephenson, and Winnebago Counties by distrubitung technology, cash assistance to avoid evictions, vaccination, and workers’ rights education for youth Latinx immigrant families.

Backpack Program | $451 | Northern Illinois Food Bank

Northern Illinois Food Bank is committed to increasing food access for 18,000 children in Boone, Ogle, Stephenson, and Winnebago Counties who are facing food insecurity. The Backpack Program provides groceries to children by collaborating with 40 school and youth sites that offer a safe, convenient location for families to receive assistance. Children gain access to consistent, healthy weekend meals so they can focus on their education rather than worrying if they will have enough to eat. 

Program Expansion for Pegasus | $2,000 | Pegasus Special Riders
This grant will allow Pegasus to recruit more volunteers and include more riders in their riding program.

RAMP’s Project SEARCH | $1,250 | Regional Access and Mobilization Project (RAMP)

Project SEARCH is an internship program for students with disabilities. Funds will be used to purchase supplies for this program.

Crisis Prevention Intervention (CPI) Trainer Certificate Renewal | $3,399 | Rock House Kids

Rock House Kids Executive Director Dee Lacny is a certified Crisis Prevention Intervention (CPI) Trainer. CPI is nonviolent crisis intervention training designed to teach best practices for managing difficult situations and disruptive behaviors. Trainees learn how to identify at-risk individuals and use nonverbal and verbal techniques to defuse hostile behavior. This grant will allow Dee to renew her certification and continue to provide this essential training for staff and volunteers. 

Students Building Homes | $5,000 | Rockford Area Habitat for Humanity

This grant will cover the cost of one roof for the home being built by East High School students during the 2022-2023 academic year. East students will begin construction on the home in August of 2022 as part of their advanced construction trades coursework. By allowing Rockford Public School students to build a home with Habitat, RAHFH is able to serve the housing needs of an additional family while providing students invaluable hands-on, career-prep experience.

Retain Advocates, Renew Hope | $4,400 | Winnebago County CASA

CASA volunteers are sacrificial people who serve the abused and neglected children in our community. Current CASA serves over 350 children but still have over 1,000 children (and counting) waiting for an advocate. These funds will allow CASA to implement a new “case-coach-supervisor-advocate” strategy designed to help retain current advocates, the number one way to increase the number of children served.