United Way Youth Council awarded checks to Hope Harbour and SafeHouse at the Youth Council Celebration Thursday night at Columbus Hospice. Hope Harbour’s Homeless Prevention program received $2,500 and SafeHouse’s Outpatient Substance Abuse program received $500.
 
Local high schools choose students to participate in the United Way Youth Council, which is currently in its sixth year. Youth Council completes service projects and conducts fundraisers to support local nonprofit agencies.
 
Youth Council members evaluate programs that apply for funding in a way that is similar to United Way’s Community Investment process. After the agencies apply for funding for their program(s), the students review applications, hear presentations from agencies, and carefully evaluate each program to decide which programs will receive funding.
 
This year, the Youth Council decided to focus on Basic Needs, a United Way Core Priority Area, and invest in programs that focused on preventing homelessness and assisting with employment barriers. The students held fundraisers throughout the school year to raise funds, and spent more than 385 hours on this project.
 
“The United Way Youth Council members commit to a yearlong process of volunteering, education, fundraising and community involvement,” said Scott Ferguson, President & CEO of United Way of the Chattahoochee Valley. “They are a terrific group of young adults who really know and understand what it means to give back,” he added.
 
At the celebration, students received certificates for their participation in Youth Council.