Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation

Grants Awarded to Local Youth for International Community Service

May 10, 2011

SHEFFIELD, MA—Mali, Peru, Ghana, and China are among the countries where local youth will perform community services this summer, thanks to grants from the Alice and Richard Henriquez Fund/Youth World Awareness Program, a fund of Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation. Eight high school students and four nonprofit organizations received grants totaling $12,987 from the program, which supports travel and humanitarian work in foreign countries by young people ages 14-22.

Grants were awarded to:

Annalena Barrett, Housatonic, MA: To participate in The Enkosini Eco Experience in South Africa where volunteers work with the local land and wildlife.

Karen Hunt, Hudson, NY: To volunteer at the Drifting Angels Orphanage in the Volta Region of Ghana.

Peter Moon, Lakeville, CT: To work with towns and villages in Latin America on health and education related project to improve their communities.

Hallie Novak, Richmond, MA: To volunteer in an orphanage in Hangzhou, China, organized by Red Thread Tours & Services.

Danika Padilla, Great Barrington, MA: To volunteer in a sustainable community development in Guatemala.

Rebecca Palmer, Falls Village, CT: To continue her work with Project Muso Ladamunen (Project for the Empowered Woman) in Mali.

Christopher Stern, Litchfield, CT: To participate in a construction project and cultural immersion program in Peru.

Church Outreach to Youth Project, Inc., North Adams, MA: To aid student teams participating in the Haiti Plunge Program, which builds infrastructure and helps to create job opportunities for Haitians in Haiti’s Central Plateau.

“I am so grateful to the Henriquez Fund for helping me on my way to Africa,” said Annalena Barrett. “I can't wait to work with the other volunteers that are coming from around the world and to help out on a nature reserve that fights to protect African wildlife and lands. I could not have done it without this assistance!”

A committee of local residents reviews the grant applications based on the potential impact of the experience on the applicant, the ability of the applicant to carry out the project, and the likelihood of the project to have a positive impact on the community served. The next deadline for The Alice and Richard Henriquez Fund/Youth World Awareness Program grant application is February 1, 2012. Applications are available online.

Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation builds stronger communities and improves the quality of life for all residents of northwest Litchfield County, CT; Berkshire County, MA; and Columbia County and northeast Dutchess County, NY, acting as an agent for positive change in the region. Since 1987, Berkshire Taconic has managed a growing collection of charitable funds created by individuals, families and businesses. Each year, the foundation distributes over $7 million through grants and scholarships for programs in the arts and education, health and human services and environmental protection, helping thousands of donors achieve their philanthropic goals and hundreds of nonprofits carry on their good work. Berkshire Taconic is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit public charity.

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