Dover and Sherborn Students Serve on Local Nonprofit Board

October 21, 2020 (Natick, MA) – The Foundation for MetroWest, the only community foundation serving the MetroWest region of Greater Boston, today announced 32 students will represent MetroWest on its Youth in Philanthropy (YIP) Junior Board. Of these, two students represent the towns of Dover and Sherborn. YIP has grown to become the largest youth philanthropy education program in the country and has been offered by the Foundation for more than 20 years to middle and high school students across MetroWest. The students will serve on the student-run board, which functions like a nonprofit board and supports the work of the Foundation and the YIP program, during the 2020-2021 school year.

“Joining the YIP Junior Board enables me to learn about the needs in our community and how to address them,” said Jane Caffrey, junior at Dover Sherborn High School. “Last year, YIP gave me the opportunity to meet lots of new friends from surrounding towns, while also working together to improve our community.”

“The events of this year have highlighted just how important it is for young people to engage in problem solving and philanthropy,” said Ryan Bendremer, a junior at Dover Sherborn High School. “Joining the YIP Junior Board will empower me to develop tools to become an effective leader, as well as help scale the Foundation’s fundraising and recruiting efforts. I’m excited to collaborate with other enthusiastic philanthropists who share the desire to make a positive impact on our communities.”

Once students apply and are accepted to the Junior Board, they immediately delve into assessing and addressing the needs of their community: writing grants, volunteering, and visiting local organizations across MetroWest. Junior Board members have the opportunity to create change by promoting and supporting youth philanthropy education while providing unique leadership opportunities within their communities. They learn not only the ins and outs of how nonprofits operate, but also crucial skills like teamwork, budgeting, and project management that they can carry beyond the program and into their community and future careers.

Caffrey will serve on the YIP Junior Board’s Recruitment committee. Bendremer will serve on the Events committee.

The Junior Board is also crowdfunding for the Foundation’s most ambitious annual fund campaign yet: ONEmetrowest, which celebrates 25 years of service to the MetroWest region. Though the region is comprised of a multitude of towns and cities, we are stronger when we come together as one. For more on ONEmetrowest and information on how to donate, please visit www.foundationmw.org/onemetrowest-campaign.

About Foundation for MetroWest

Established in 1995, the Foundation for MetroWest is the only community foundation serving the cities and towns in the region, encompassing 700,000 residents from Westborough to Waltham and Acton to Walpole. The Foundation promotes philanthropy across the area, helps donors maximize the impact of their local giving, serves as a resource for local nonprofits and enhances the quality of life for all our residents. The Foundation is supported by a wide range of businesses, individuals, community groups and other philanthropic organizations. Since inception, the Foundation has granted $23 million to its nonprofit partners and currently stewards more than $26 million in charitable assets for current needs and future impact. To learn more, please visit http://www.foundationmw.org/ or call 508-647-2260.

About Youth in Philanthropy

The Foundation for MetroWest’s Youth in Philanthropy (YIP) program is a 15 or 17-week experiential leadership development program designed to empower and educate local youth to become our community’s next generation of philanthropists. Operating 14 programs across MetroWest September through May, YIP is one of the largest and longest-running youth philanthropy programs in the country. Since 1997, YIP has empowered hundreds of youth to invest over $1 million to support youth-serving nonprofits in our region. YIP helps students gain the knowledge, confidence, and skills to take on leadership roles and pursue a lifelong passion for giving back.