The Juneau Community Foundation got a bump in its efforts to help low-income children in Juneau, courtesy of First Bank.
The bank recently awarded a $5,000 community development grant to the JCF, which matches a donation from the Friends of Zach Gordon and the Foundation’s Youth Fund to support the Youth Equity Project. The project aims to get children from low-income families to participate in activities and camps that build confidence and teach life skills.
According to a JCF press release, more than 1,400 Juneau students live in poverty and 28 percent of Juneau students are eligible for free and reduced-price lunch.
The program’s short-term goal is to raise an additional $50,000 for a 3-year pilot phase. The long-term goal is to build a $2 million endowment that will provide $100,000 every year.
This is the first year that the Youth Equity Project has been in existence, according to the release, with the help of individuals, First Bank and Friends of the Zach Gordon Youth Center. People can contact Jamie Waste at 523-5450 or Jamie@juneaucf.org if they are interested in learning more.
