Poughkeepsie… Dutchess County Executive William R. Steinhaus is pleased to announce 22 mini-grants totaling $19,500 have been awarded to a variety of youth programs throughout the county.  Nearly 5000 youth throughout Dutchess County will be reached through the funded programs.

County Executive Steinhaus said, “These grants offer our partners, local community organizations the opportunity to provide youth empowerment and show youth that they are valued by the community.  The grant activities offer unique hands-on learning for the youth directly involved in order to benefit others.”

Each of the agencies awarded a 2007 mini grant has developed program activities to foster growth in every aspect of a youth’s life by implementing the Developmental Assets.  The 40 Developmental Assets are concrete, common sense, positive experiences and qualities essential to raising successful young people. These assets have the power during critical adolescent years to influence choices young people make and help them become caring, responsible adults. 

The following programs have been awarded 2007 Mini Grants:

• Green Teen “Food from Here” program     $1000
  Cornell Cooperative Extension Dutchess County
  
  
• "RAPP" Youth Group program      $1000
  Cornell Cooperative Extension Dutchess County
  
  
• 4-H Youth Development 
  “Breakfree Wilderness Youth Leadership” program     $1000
  Cornell Cooperative Extension Dutchess County
  
  
• 4-H Youth Development "Youth Led Horse Camp” program   $1000
  Cornell Cooperative Extension Dutchess County
  
  
• "Global Girls" program       $750
  Girl Scouts of Dutchess County
  
  
• "Yes We Can" program       $750
  Girl Scouts of Dutchess County
  
  
• SADD (Students Against Destructive Decisions)     
  Annual Conference program      $1000
  Council on Addiction Prevention and Education of Dutchess County (CAPE)
  
  
• Teen Photo Essay: Diversity in Our Community    $1000
  LaGrange Association Library
  
  
• Peer Mediation program       $1000  
  Todd Middle School
  
  
• Youth Leaders for Creative Summer Arts Camp     $500
  Beacon Community Center, Inc.
  
  
• Multicultural Awareness Week       $1000
  Rainbow’s End Child Development Center, Inc.
  
  
• Youth Community Service Collaboration program    $750
  Ramapo for Children, Inc.
  
  
• Getting to Know You program      $1000
  Friends of the Poughkeepsie Public Library District
  
  
• Eco Art program        $1000
  Dutchess County YMCA
  
  
• Cultural “Lock In” program      $1000
  Dutchess County YMCA
  
  
• NE to NO – North East to New Orleans program    $1000
  Northeast Community Council Inc.
  
  
• Summer Theater program       $500
  Northeast-Millerton Library
  
  
• Youth Study Tour to South Africa 2007 program     $1000
  Children’s Media Project
  
  
• Haven River Youth Advisory Board (YAB)      $1000
  Hudson River Housing
  
  
• My Sister, Myself – Reflections of Teen Sisterhood    $1000
  Mill Street Loft
  
  
• 2007 Youth Asset Training for Secondary Schools     $1000
  John Jay High School
  
  
• 2007 Youth Asset Training for Secondary Schools     $1000
  Roy C. Ketcham High School
  

According to Dutchess County Youth Bureau Executive Director Will Sanchez,  “The programs receiving funding offer an enormous amount of learning opportunities resulting in bridging intrinsic motivation and values for meaningful life learning experiences to youth”.

The 2007 mini grant allocations were conducted by the Children’s Service Council (CSC) Youth Asset Team and assisted by four members of the Dutchess County Youth Council.    The Children’s Service Council was created in 1998 by County Executive Steinhaus to create a single conversation among the county's agencies, organizations and community leaders about the needs of, and provide services for, the county's children, youth, and families. 

More detailed information about each of the grants is available under the: "Youth Bureau” on the County’s web page: https://www.dutchessny.gov/.