CHIMACUM — Students will help select the organizations that receive Morrison Grant money.
“This will encourage kids to develop an interest in philanthropy,” said Carla Caldwell, the executive director of the Jefferson County Community Foundation that is administering the annual grant.
“It’s important to involve them in the decision-making process and to give them an understanding of the granting process and how that works with nonprofits.”
Caldwell said one of the foundation’s long-term goals is to provide more opportunities for young people in Jefferson County to become involved in “engaged philanthropy.”
The Morrison Grant is named for philanthropist Edgar Morrison, who made a bequest to the Tacoma Community Foundation with the stipulation that an annual amount be used to benefit Port Hadlock, according to Earll Murman, foundation board member.
This year’s grant will be between $8,000 and $10,000, Caldwell said.
Murman said he expected the students to select the organizations that will best serve the community rather than the ones they like the best.
“If you give people the opportunity, they will make good decisions,” he said.
“This is a grant to benefit youth so the students from Port Hadlock are the ones who best know what is needed.”
There are seven potential grant recipients: the Jefferson County Library, the Jefferson Teen Center, Girl Scouts of Western Washington, Jumping Mouse Children’s Center, East Jefferson Little League, Jefferson Mental Health Services and the Puget Sound Voyaging Society/Community Boat Project.
Each will make a short presentation to a group of 15 students and two JCCF board members at a private meeting at 1:30 p.m. Thursday in the Chimacum High School Library, 91 West Valley Road.
The presentations are each five minutes long, with three minutes allowed for questioning.
The students were selected to represent a cross section of the school population, Caldwell said.
After the presentations, the students will meet privately to select the top three contestants, passing these recommendations to the foundation board that will make the final selection from that list.
For more information, go to www.jccfgives.org, email debbier@jccgives.org or call 360-385-1729.
________
Jefferson County Editor Charlie Bermant can be reached at 360-385-2335 or cbermant@peninsuladailynews.com.
