The Community Foundation of the Virgin Islands (CFVI) has awarded $100,000 in grants from the Popular VI Community Fund to 10 organizations focusing on youth education, economic empowerment, and environmental projects. Nine nonprofits in the U.S. Virgin Islands and one in the British Virgin Islands each received $10,000 grants.
Highlights of the funded projects include:
- DJ’s Training Facility: Expanding afterschool program with aquaponics and special education.
- Friends of Virgin Islands National Park: Supporting School Kids in the Park (SKIP) program.
- Good Hope Country Day School: Funding Ocean Explorers program for 6th-graders.
- Lemonade (BVI) Limited: Supporting neurodiverse needs in youth special education.
- Lutheran Social Services: Creating on-site craft shop for adolescent girls.
- My Brother’s Workshop: Providing vocational training and mentoring services.
- Nana Baby Children’s Home: Developing a therapeutic garden for children.
- St. Croix Swimming Association: Offering free swim lessons through Every Child a Swimmer program.
- Urban Strategies: Supporting Urban Scholars Reading Club for grades 1-6.
- YTEENS VI Inc.: Funding afterschool program for computer coding, graphic design, and leadership training.
The Popular VI Community Fund, established in 2022 with an initial $100,000 donation from Popular Inc., aims to support youth education, economic empowerment, and environmental projects in the Virgin Islands.
“The purpose of the fund is to support the philanthropic interests of Popular and its employees in the U.S. and British Virgin Islands, specifically to enhance services from nonprofit organizations that are focused on youth education and economic empowerment, such as vocational training and employment support, or environmental projects,” said Oran Roebuck, Senior Vice President and Division Manager of Popular’s Virgin Islands Region.
The fund receives donations directly from Popular employees in the Virgin Islands region who choose to contribute voluntarily through payroll deductions. Employee volunteers also serve as grant reviewers. CFVI supports Popular’s grant-making by hosting informational sessions for employees, providing information on grant opportunities, sharing financial reports and grantee successes and challenges, and exploring volunteer opportunities.
CFVI President Dee Baecher-Brown praised the initiative, stating: “We appreciate Popular for their leadership in serving as a model for other businesses interested in community involvement. The field-of-interest fund is ideal for companies like Popular due to its flexibility and broad charitable options. Popular invites their employees to participate, and CFVI manages the administration without charging fees, thanks to our network of Angel donors.”
This partnership between CFVI and Popular Inc. underscores a strong commitment to community development and youth empowerment in the Virgin Islands region.
Organizations interested in learning more about establishing a fund at CFVI can email Sonia Barnes-Moorhead, Vice President of Development and Capacity Building, at soniabm@cfvi.net.
