Baylor Selected for The Allstate Foundation Youth Service Stimulus Grant
Grant supports programs prioritizing local community development & thriving through student interests, efforts
Contact: Lori Fogleman, 254-709-5959
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Baylor University has received a $30,000 grant from The Allstate Foundation in collaboration with the Center for Expanding Leadership & Opportunity (CELO) to support youth-led, youth-driven community service among students. This grant is part of The Allstate Foundation’s national efforts to transform how organizations engage, equip and prepare youth to participate in community service.
“The Allstate Foundation supports organizations like Baylor University which play an indispensable role in reinforcing the significance of youth-led service and equipping young people with the vital tools needed to serve their communities,” said Greg Weatherford II, Youth Empowerment Program Officer for The Allstate Foundation. “We hope Baylor’s efforts continue to inspire more youth to serve and accelerate positive change where they live and beyond.”
“Baylor aspires to graduate students with a vision not only to understand what is good, but to do good in their communities and beyond,” said Kimberly Black, Ed.D., director for Student Leadership Development and Strategic Initiatives in the Division of Student Life at Baylor. “Our students already receive a world class leadership education experience, and this grant opens an opportunity for students to engage their learning firsthand; to better understand who they are as leaders, what they value and how they can support one another in contributing toward the flourishing of communities.”
Youth-led, youth-driven service
Funding for Baylor University is part of the “A Return to Service” initiative designed to catalyze change while positioning youth-led, youth-driven service as essential for improving communities. Funding at the University will be used to distribute microgrants to student organizations sponsoring community development and engagement programs, such as National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC)/Unified Greek Council (UGC) and the Baylor Community Garden.
NPHC and UGC organizations are using microgrants to support youth-driven service and community engagement opportunities, such as Kappa Delta Chi Sorority Inc. collaborating with a local high school to host a spring dance for students promoting academic success standards. Remaining funds will support community summer programs and college readiness programs that also will expand relationships between NPHC and UGC members and youth in Waco.
The community garden received grant support this spring to begin collaborating with the World Hunger Relief Institute in Waco, which included hosting workshops for the Baylor and Waco community, where people have come together to learn and grow.
“The Baylor Community Garden has harvested over 70 pounds of produce to donate to Baylor’s student food pantry, and we have had more than 600 students, faculty and staff join us to serve and learn together in the garden this year,” said Morgan Garner, a senior professional writing and rhetoric major and student manager of the Baylor Community Garden. “None of this would have been possible without this additional funding, and I’m so unbelievably grateful for everyone who has put in the work to make this happen.”
Human flourishing
Additionally, part of the funding is set aside for Student Government leaders to award in support of other youth-focused organizations and leadership initiatives as part of an allocation fund.
The Allstate Foundation’s support allows Baylor University to further its institutional mission of educating men and women for worldwide leadership and service by furthering student learning related to human flourishing, leadership and ethics, a key initiative within the University’s Illuminate strategic plan. These new funds will directly support programs that prioritize local community development and thriving as spearheaded through student interests and efforts.
ABOUT BAYLOR UNIVERSITY
Baylor University is a private Christian University and a nationally ranked Research 1 institution. The University provides a vibrant campus community for more than 20,000 students by blending interdisciplinary research with an international reputation for educational excellence and a faculty commitment to teaching and scholarship. Chartered in 1845 by the Republic of Texas through the efforts of Baptist pioneers, Baylor is the oldest continually operating University in Texas. Located in Waco, Baylor welcomes students from all 50 states and more than 100 countries to study a broad range of degrees among its 12 nationally recognized academic divisions.
ABOUT THE CENTER FOR EXPANDING LEADERSHIP & OPPORTUNITY (CELO)
CELO envisions a world where high-quality opportunities are distributed as equally as the abundance of talent in our communities, and every young person can develop the essential capacities to navigate an increasingly complex world, reach their potential, and contribute to their communities. We accomplish this by integrating the science of learning and cutting-edge research with program innovation and community co-creation of learning solutions. Learn more about CELO.
ABOUT THE ALLSTATE FOUNDATION
The Allstate Foundation empowers people and communities so they can thrive. Established in 1952, The Foundation takes bold actions and inspires people to act by empowering youth to serve and improve communities, working to close the racial wage gap, and disrupting the cycle of relationship abuse. The Foundation also supports nonprofit leaders through the Nonprofit Leadership Center.