The Project Recruitment Committee has recently approved two local projects:  Sunnyside Community Garden and Food Forest (SCGFF) and CHARM, Inc. Neighborhood Block Party school supply drive.

• SCGFF serves neighborhoods in West Bloomington that are in a food desert and seeks to provide fresh, organic produce to low-income families and to teach children and adults through gardening, harvesting, and potentially marketing food grown at the SCGFF through sustainable practices.
• The CHARM, Inc. Neighborhood Block Party is hoping to provide school supplies for 300 to 400 Bloomington-Normal students.

We are delighted to see how the efforts of the Youth Global Citizen's program is coming full circle, with prior participants now taking an active role in community non-profit work. 

In lieu of hosting the YGC program this summer, YGC alum have been given the opportunity to be part of a virtual project experience in partnership with three non-profit organizations in the local community. FBT has been thrilled by the response from our alum, and are in the final stages of securing our project partners.

We expect to kick these projects off in the coming weeks, and are looking forward to the great work each project team will accomplish over the next few months.

Stay tuned for more next month as we introduce the project teams and non-profit partners in more detail!

YICU GOES VIRTUAL!

While COVID 19 and major cultural issues create uncertainty for our country, there is no doubt that recognition of the many contributions our youth make to our community, county, country and world is needed more than ever.
 
This year we have invited last year’s winners and participants in the program to be part of the planning for our event. We are still moving ahead with planning for something – we are not sure quite yet what that will be or what it will look like. A subcommittee is meeting to generate ideas of how we can reach youth, nominators and sponsors to offer a special program for our nominees. We have eight youth on the committee and four new “adult” members.
 
The group did discuss whether or not we wanted to continue the program this year, since we could not meet at a face-to-face event. The belief  is that we cannot afford to skip a year and lose the momentum that has been built over the past five years. Our students recognize that while COVID has presented some challenges, their work continues. Our YICU Vision 2020 Team is filled with empathetic and determined leaders.
 
The website is now updated with this year’s application and nominations are now accepted. Since we are doing this virtually, we will be able to push back the event with no worries of changing the venue. Next week we will meet to outline some more details and change the deadline.
 
We continue to need the FBT Board’s support of the program, by nominating youth as well as teams, mentors and advocates for consideration for the recognition. We will also need your assistance in fund raising in order to raise the $250 grant for the recipients’ non-profits.
 
We hope you will be pleased and excited that the group is moving forward!