The In Youth We Trust (IYWT) Council has completed its second of two grant cycles for the 2024-2025 school year and selected six organizations for awards totaling $21,691.73. IYWT, the youth philanthropy program of the Community Foundation of Northern Illinois, has been inspiring volunteerism, grantmaking, and community service since 1994. 

The IYWT Council, a group of high school-aged students from Boone, Ogle, Stephenson, and Winnebago Counties, manages two grant cycles each year, each with the goal of supporting youth-serving programs in Northern Illinois. One cycle welcomes youth-written proposals for youth-led projects, with the other welcoming adult/nonprofit-written applications. All proposals are read and scored, and awards are recommended by the IYWT Council members. 

This spring, the IYWT Adult/Nonprofit cycle will award just shy of $22,000 to six organizations:

Boone-Winnebago Regional Office of Education, $2,500 for “Eagles Closet: Essential for Success”: Summit Academy supports grades 6-12+ in Boone and Winnebago counties, offering a regional alternative education. This grant will strengthen Eagles Closet, providing clothing, cold-weather gear, and hygiene products to help students feel confident and ready to learn. Efforts include expanding inventory, maintaining supplies, and launching a student-designed t-shirt initiative. Eagles Closet reduces financial stress, improves attendance, and fosters school pride. 

Northern Illinois Food Bank, $2,500 for “Backpack Program”: The backpack program collaborates with 38 schools in three counties. NIFB anticipates distributing 390 food-filled backpacks each week to children to take home over the weekend.

Northwest Community Center, $4,991.73 for “Summer Camp Breakfast Program”: To provide a healthy breakfast for the youth and teach them the fundamentals of nutritional breakfast foods during nine weeks of summer programming. Providing this program will ensure that youth start their day with the fuel needed to be successful throughout the program, as well as in life, staying healthy.

Northwestern Illinois Community Action Agency, $5,000 for “Early Head Start Infant Room Equipment”: This funding will support essential equipment for the Infant Room in the Early Head Start (EHS) program, which helps create safe, engaging learning environments for infants 0-15 months of age. With 28 children on the EHS waiting list, expanding access to affordable childcare and early education is crucial to strengthening families and communities.

Rockford BMX Club Inc, $4,900 for “STEM Camp Pilot Program”: Using BMX as a tool, they will offer an exciting summer camp to provide academic enrichment, connect classroom skills to real world engineering, and engage youth in physical fitness, fostering healthy habits of mind and body, and introducing young people to both potential career pathways and a dynamic and challenging sport.

United Way of Northwest Illinois, $1,800 for “Girls Who Rock PEARLS”: Girls Who Rock PEARLS is a program dedicated to educating young women about violence prevention through topics such as positivity, empowerment, awareness, respect, leadership, and success through activities, games, discussions, and stories. The goal is to help develop strong female leaders with the knowledge to combat ideologies glorifying community violence.

The IYWT Council will host an In Youth We Trust Grant Reception on Thursday, May 8, at 6:00 p.m. at Midway Village Museum (6799 Guilford Road, Rockford) to celebrate this year's grantmaking with recipients, their supporters, and CFNIL staff and volunteers. You are warmly invited to attend!