A cornucopia of green for 2012

Vancouver Foundation today announced the recipients of the first round of Generation Green Grants for 2012. Six projects will benefit from grants totalling $37,460.

June 27 , 2012 — Vancouver Foundation today announced the recipients of the first round of Generation Green Grants for 2012. Six projects will benefit from grants totalling $37,460.

One of those grants will help Henderson Elementary double the size of their Spirit Garden.

“You get to see a side of the children you don’t normally see,” says Marguerite Leahy, a Grade One teacher at Henderson Elementary. “Some kids really struggle in the classroom. But you get them out there with a shovel — get them out there growing things — and they become gentler, and they notice things. They’re quite different people in a hands-on setting.”

Funded by the City of Vancouver and Vancouver Foundation, Generation Green Grants are part of the Greenest City Fund — a four-year, two million dollar fund that supports community-led green projects in Vancouver. Generation Green grants are designed by youth for youth. The grants invite young people to come up with their best ideas on how to make their neighbourhood greener, and help make Vancouver the greenest city in the world by 2020.

While all ideas are welcome, a special focus for 2012 Generation Green Grants is sustainable food. Eleven applications for the first round of grants were reviewed by Vancouver Foundation’s Youth Philanthropy Council (YPC), a jury of young people. Six projects were chosen.

Here are the projects that received a Generation Green Grant in the first round:

Still Creek Stewardship ($10,000)

Renfrew Ravine is the only ravine in Vancouver with a creek running through it. This mentorship project will teach Windermere Secondary students to become leaders of habitat restoration in this delicate ecosystem.

Dream Green Peer Mentoring Program ($3,700)

This peer mentoring program will pass on the knowledge gained by “BioCYCLE” — a cycling, composting and gardening project that received a Generation Green award in 2011.

Greening Henderson ($1,260)

Another continuation of a Generation Green project from 2011. This project will increase the size of the Henderson Spirit Garden, and double the number of students who can grow organic food and learn about healthy eating and waste management.

Lord Kitchener Outdoor Classroom ($10,000)

Researched and designed by students, this project will transform part of the school grounds into a food garden and natural play area. This space will provide hands-on learning about sustainability and the natural food cycle.

Community Nursery ($9,500)

The Environmental Youth Alliance will train high school students and low-income residents in horticulture and food gardening. Their goal is to raise and give away 7,000 plants, and train more than 700 people in small space food and ecological gardening practices.

Windermere Organic Garden ($3,000)

Students at Windermere Secondary are expanding their already thriving organic garden. In addition to the goals of gardening education, relationship building, and community engagement, the students want to produce enough food to sell to the school cafeteria.

Generation Green participants have a year to complete their project. The deadline for applications for the second round of Generation Green Grants is September 14, 2012.

For more information on criteria and how to apply for a Generation Green grant, go to the YPC website at www.vancouverfoundation.ca/grants/greenest-city-generation-green-grants

The Greenest City Fund is a four-year, two million dollar fund that supports community-led green projects in Vancouver. Funded by the City of Vancouver and Vancouver Foundation, the Greenest City Fund comprises three granting programs: Generation Green Grants, which fund youth-led projects; Neighbourhood Small Grants, which fund projects created by Vancouver residents that benefit their neighbourhood; and Community Grants, which fund Vancouver projects led by community-based charitable organizations. The goal of the Greenest City Fund is to help make Vancouver the greenest city in the world by 2020. 

Youth Philanthropy Council is a volunteer advisory committee of Vancouver Foundation. We mix knowledge, networks and philanthropy (the giving of time, talent and money). Our goals are to ensure youth play a meaningful role in creating Vancouver hoods, schools and communities that are better places and spaces for youth.

Vancouver Foundation helps build more vibrant and resilient communities in BC. We do this by harnessing the gifts of energy, ideas, time, and money of caring citizens to make meaningful and lasting impacts. We are Canada’s largest community foundation and we’ve been investing in communities since 1943.

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