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CFVI Supports Youth Programs and Virtual Learning During COVID-19 Pandemic

St. Croix student J’Neelah Daniel received a laptop through the Project Promise VI grant from CFVI to enrich her remote learning experience.

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic over the course of the past five months, the Community Foundation of the Virgin Islands has provided more than $110,000 in grants to support youth programs and virtual learning in the U.S. Virgin Islands.

The first round of funding, a series of rapid response mini-grants of approximately $1,000 each for youth programs, provided $22,950 to 21 nonprofit organizations throughout the territory. Grantees used the funds for equipment and technology to facilitate remote enrichment experiences, program tuition scholarships and personal protective equipment.

“The grants were designed to address critical one-time needs associated with programs, projects and initiatives serving children and youth in the territory, with priority given to programs serving children from homes with financial challenges,” said CFVI Vice President and Director of Grants and Programs Anna Wheatley Scarbriel.

Project Promise VI, an organization dedicated to improving the lives of at-risk youth on St. Croix, used its grant to purchase laptops for remote learning. Friends of Virgin Islands National Park on St. John used the funds to support its School Kids in the Park program. The St. Thomas Swimming Association provided scholarships for 34 children to attend a free swim lesson. Below is a full list of mini-grant recipients:

All Saints Cathedral School

Boy Scouts of America – USVI

Caribbean Centers for Boys & Girls of the Virgin Islands, Inc.

Coral Reef Academy

Dollar fo’ Dollar Culture & History Committee Inc.

Eddie Ortiz Annual Three Kings Tradition Inc.

Friends of Virgin Islands National Park

Leap and Learn Academy

Marine Vocational Program

My Brother’s Workshop

Nana Baby Children’s Home

Project Promise

SEAT Innovation and Entrepreneurship Center

St. Croix Alumnae Chapter of Delta, Sigma Theta Inc.

St. Thomas Reformed Church

St. Thomas Swimming Association

The Forum, Inc.

The University of the Virgin Islands

Tshwane After School and Intervention Program

Virgin Islands Children’s Museum

Women’s Coalition of St. Croix

The second round of funding focused on supportive programming to address the challenges faced by many families with children enrolled in schools with distance learning requirements. Nearly $80,000 in grants were awarded to eight different organizations.

“The purpose is to encourage and bolster initiatives that increase educational equity and opportunity,” said Scarbriel. “Specifically, we wanted to provide eligible entities with resources needed to safely and effectively support students who may otherwise not be able to complete required learning activities, with a focus on serving students of lower-income families, essential workers and other families experiencing COVID-related challenges.”

Scarbriel added that many of the organizations used the funding to support in-person tutoring programs to assist students in grades kindergarten through 12th grade with adjusting to virtual learning techniques and with understanding and completing homework.

Boys & Girls Clubs of St. Thomas/St. John Inc.

Coral Bay Community Council

Education Connections VI Inc. (via Veteran’s Resource Group)

Frederick Evangelical Lutheran Church

Methodist Training and Outreach Center

St. Thomas Reformed Church

The Homeschool Collective (via Ascension Livity)

Women’s Coalition of St. Croix

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