Further strengthening their partnership, the United Way, with assistance from Wichita State University, secured a Youth Service America (YSA) grant. The $15,000 grant will fund service and leadership opportunities for youth in the area.
The award was based on an application submitted and written by Jadie Chauncey, a community impact intern for United Way of the Plains, who is currently enrolled at Wichita State. Other students who contributed key parts of the application were Ngoc Vuong and Jordy Mosqueda, WSU students with Safe Streets Wichita, as well as Wichita Public School students Truc Dao and Yuki To.
Pete Najera, United Way of the Plains CEO and president, congratulated Chauncey on the grant award. “United Way of the Plains is committed to investing in our youth. We loved working with other community organizations to form this partnership and win this prestigious grant at the national level to benefit our region through the leadership of the next generation. The award also demonstrates the powerful impact of our partnership with Wichita State University and other educational institutions.”
- Three entities will each receive $5,000 from the YSA grant award: United Way of the Plains, Wichita Public Schools, and Safe Streets Wichita
- The initiative’s success will be measured by changes in the volunteering hours and/or rates through a service tracking system used by Wichita Public Schools
- A 12-month timeline for high school and university students to collaborate and contribute service hours will be developed this fall for special events, including 9/11 Day of Service, Martin Luther King Day of Service and Global Youth Service Day. Wichita is one of only five U.S. cities where the grant was awarded