By Youth For Youth (BYFY) Awards $25,630 to Local Youth Programs
High school leaders review and identify grants that will benefit youth-led organizations and youth programs
Madison, WI (April 30, 2024) – The By Youth for Youth (BYFY) committee, a collaborative program through the Dane County Youth Commission, United Way of Dane County, the City of Madison Community Development Division and UW-Extension Dane County’s Positive Youth Development Institute, awarded $25,630 to 11 local youth programs and projects.
BYFY’s funding priorities for 2024 were focused on addressing mental and physical health, immigration, sexual violence, poverty (including food insecurity and homelessness) and climate change.
“By Youth For Youth gives the next generation of community leaders an opportunity to make real impact at a young age,” says Renee Moe, President & CEO of United Way of Dane County. “These inspiring teens are learning how to collaborate, communicate effectively and accelerate results, all in order to help more people and change more lives. We are proud to convene Dane County’s up and coming thought leaders.”
“We are honored to provide funding to By Youth For Youth each year,” shares Joe Parisi, Dane County Executive. “This program provides Dane County high school students the experience of allocating tangible funds that positively impact youth county-wide. It’s a unique and wonderful experience for youth interested in making a difference in their communities.”
Funding highlights:
Rooted, Inc. & Badger Rock Neighborhood Center: Rooted connects farms and youth education programs to promote equitable access to land and fresh food. Rooted’s Badger Rock Urban Farm supports healthy food access to surrounding neighborhoods and offers year-round programs to Badger Rock Middle School students. Funding for an Aquaponics system combines fish and plants to extend the harvest throughout the year, produce is used for cooking classes and sold at low costs.
Horizon High School: Horizon High School supports students in recovery from substance use disorders and mental health issues. This program would create an in-school food pantry, urban garden and nutrition education programs to help students experiencing food insecurity. Program efforts include promoting healthy food choices and physical activity. Avicenna Society of Madison: This project funds the online, independent English tutoring costs for Afghan refugee students through verified sites such as Preply, TeacherOn and Afghan Youth Empowerment Camps. As Afghan refugee students, the specific needs are: receiving support from tutors who speak Pashto and Dari, tutors who can be reached without driving/transportation required, tutors who can meet at specific times of the day to accommodate the time they spend at school/work/taking care of their families, tutors who can work with special needs/disabled youth and tutors who are women.
Full List of Funded Organizations and Programs:
• Horizon High School – Reduce Poverty & Enhance Food Security; Mental Health Program
• East High School – Food Equity Club Rooted/Badger Rock Neighborhood Center – Rooted in Aquaponics
• Elver Park Neighborhood Center – Summertime Teaching Minds & Feeding Mouths
• Middleton High School – Green Team Garden Club
• Dual Language Immersion/La Follette High School – Storytelling: Migrant Scholars for a Better Future
• On Paper – Scholarships for Documented Dreamers
• Bayview Foundation – Bayview Lunch Club
• Avicenna Society of Madison – Afghan Refugee Housing Support; Afghan Refugee Students: independent English Study
2023-2024 BYFY Committee Members:
Laila Ahmed, Madison West High School
Jana Alhuniti, Madison Memorial High School
Jada Braaksma, Madison Memorial High School
Sophia Downs, Cambridge High School
Emily Gomez, Belleville High School
Emma Granquist, Cambridge High School
Lola Hernandez, Madison Memorial High School
Reya Khatri, Middleton High School
Aliza Kruger, Sun Prairie West High School
Kelly Lor, Madison West High School
Ruitan Luo, Sun Prairie East High School
Olivia Morsbach, Edgewood High School
Uriel Nikiema, Edgewood High School
Naomi Shah, Middleton High School
Kamilah Solache, Madison West High School
Abby Stringer, Waunakee Community High School
Adriana Villagomez, Madison LaFollette High School
Yesenia Villagomez, Madison LaFollette High School
Faith Waefler, Belleville High School
The BYFY program is currently reaching out to alumni who can share about their experience in the program in its 30 years of developing youth leadership! If you are a BYFY alumni, please consider filling out our survey at this link.
We’re grateful to Madison Civics Club for an ongoing endowment gift in support of BYFY and youth leadership.
For media inquiries and/or to schedule an interview, please contact Ashley Manthei, Director of Communications, United Way of Dane County at (608) 416-0401 or Ashley.manthei@uwdc.org.
About By Youth For Youth:
By Youth For Youth (BYFY) is a volunteer committee of Dane County high school students that make investment decisions for youth-led programming and initiatives in Dane County. BYFY members identify critical issues impacting youth in Dane County, establish funding priorities, review grant proposals, and recommend funding from County and City grants to support projects developed and implemented by youth to serve youth. Three sponsors provide the funding for BYFY projects: United Way of Dane County, Dane County Youth Commission and the City of Madison Community Development Division. United Way of Dane County is the fiscal agent for both City and County funds. University of Madison-Wisconsin Extension provides administrative and programmatic oversight in partnership with the City of Madison and United Way of Dane County.
About United Way of Dane County
For more than 100 years, United Way of Dane County has led in mobilizing the community to address our toughest issues and spark lasting, generational change. With a mission to unite the community to achieve measurable results that change lives, we are committed to being a catalyst for inclusion and systemic change – working collaboratively with local nonprofits, businesses, community leaders, donors and volunteers to solve big-picture issues no one person or organization can address alone. Together, we are The Power of Many. Working for All. And we invite every Dane County resident to be a part of the change we all wish to see. Visit www.unitedwaydanecounty.org to learn more.