Mile High Magazine 10/06/2024 YouthRoots

Guest:  Sheila Van DeGraaph Executive Director

YouthRoots provides opportunities for youth to build their voice and leadership skills while engaging in real-world impact through philanthropy.  The programs give the youth a unique opportunity to give back to their communities.  One of their programs is called Youth Scan, one of the biggest problem the youth are sharing with us is the mental health, they don't know how to handle it and they're asking adults to help them.  Other problems the youth are recognizing is racial injustice, the economic inequality, social injustices, as well as gun violence.  Another program they offer is Youth Camp Project, there is a 90-minute session that is anonymous, and they share the issues they're facing unique to their environment, unique to their where they are in school, in their house and they are also sharing in the solutions.  They also have the Grant Making Program; it is a three step process.  They first need to identify the community needs, they then need to fundraise and after they raise the money, they grant funds to non-profits.  Since the program started, they have raised $1,000,000 given 100 grants to 162 nonprofit organization.  They work with the schools, and they work with youth from 13-24 and the programs are free to the youth.   

www.youthroot.org    

Mile High Magazine takes a look at the issues and people shaping Colorado. Presented by the public affairs department of Bonneville Denver.