Water 1st International
In 2020, Water 1st International received a 3 year grant for Demand Driven Water Sanitation and Hygiene Services for the urban poor of Khulna, Bangladesh. The established partnership is an effective program that provides access to water and toilets while engaging community members in intensive hygiene education and civic organization. Since its inception, 160,000 people have secured access to clean water and a quality toilet. Specifically, the partnership was expanded in 2014 to include Khulna, the 3rd largest city in Bangladesh. NYF will continue supporting this successful program through a grant from 2020-2023 with the objective of reaching over 5,000 people. Thru this unique loan-based approach, beneficiaries repay the full cost of a water system and in-home toilet construction over a two-year period. The repaid loan money is then reinvested in the project communities helping facilitate construction of additional water systems and toilets for others.
Ponheary Ly Foundation
Ponheary Ly Foundation sought a grant for a Feeding Program for 250 students in southern Sri Lanka. The program seeks to address the malnutrition of pre-schooled aged children in the highly impoverished rural areas of southwest Sri Lanka. Every month these students, who are often children of cinnamon and rice farmers, receive food bundles that make up for the “lost wages” a family might accrue for sending the child to school rather than having them work on the family farm. The program acts as an incentive to keep the children in school while also supplying them with much needed nutrition.
NYF COVID-19 Emergency Food Relief Grant helped PLF get up and running for distribution and deliveries of protein sources and hygiene supplies to families and students impacted by school closings due to the COVID-19 crisis.
Pencils of Promise
Continued support to Pencils of Promise for creating safe and healthy learning environments for students in Laos. This extensive grant directly impacts 5,587 children and includes implementing WASH programs across 41 schools, the construction of a new primary school in Luang Prabang Province as well as building 8 new bathrooms and handwashing stations outfitted with the necessary supplies. Throughout the school year, government appointed WASH representatives hold workshops to educate both students and teachers on the importance of good hygiene habits. Furthermore, through POP’s Teacher Support (TS) program, structured workshops allow teachers to receive one-on-one coaching sessions throughout the year where teachers are observed in the school setting and in turn provided helpful and constructive feedback in lesson planning. To assist the teachers, POP also provides tools that allow for digital learning along with social, emotional learning experiences.
Little Bit Therapeutic Riding Inc.
NYF continues to support the sponsorship of two horses associated with the Little Bit Therapeutic Riding Center Program where participants experience Equine-Assisted Therapy (physical, occupational, and speech-language therapy along with adaptive riding and Equine-Facilitated Psychotherapy). The goal of this program is to utilize all of the unique qualities of the horses to affect positive change in the lives of children and adults with disabilities as well as individuals with mental and emotional challenges so that they all may live their best lives.
Unstoppable Foundation
Unstoppable Foundation was issued a 3-year grant (2020-2023) to provide a sustainable water solution to the community of Chepkebit, Kenya. With a project scope of approximately 2000 individuals, this grant will include the overall construction and implementation of the community and school water system for Chepkebit. The construction of latrines will be supplemented with educational programming for students along with water and sanitation workshops in which the entire community will be encouraged to participate.
Bellingham Food Bank
NYF continues to support Lummi Nation Produce Program through the Bellingham Food Bank with an annual grant. The Lummi Nation Produce Program is the empowerment of Lummi Nation organizations to purchase locally grown produce. BFB support of Lummi Nation Food Bank and Lummi Health Clinic continues a partnership of help and guidance to build a system of purchasing, receiving, and distributing fresh produce. The target population of this program are food insecure members of Lummi Nation, which according to the most recent census figures is the lowest income tract in Whatcom County, WA. Nearly one third of Lummi children live below the poverty line and over 71% of students at Lummi Nation school qualify for the free and reduced breakfast/ lunch program.
NYF continues support of the Food Bank Fresh Program at BFB. Food Bank Fresh is all about commitment to bringing healthy options to food bank households while utilizing the goods from regional family farms which make up a critical part of the local food systems. By making pre-season contracts with Whatcom County and Skagit County farms, the Food Bank Fresh program guarantees fresh and organic produce for BFB clients.
Children of Vinh Son Orphanages
NYF 2020 grant will provide much needed food, milk, supplies and necessities to improve the lives and health of 700 children who reside in six orphanages in Kontum, Vietnam. Besides their unbounded passion to help the children, what makes CVSO so unique is that they are a 100% volunteer-based organization who pay for their own travel, lodging, and meal expenses to visit Vietnam twice a year. They are generous supporters and friends, fluent in the Vietnamese language with strong community ties and reliable contacts within the region.
Hawaii Foodbank
Brought about by renewed interest in the work of Hawaii Foodbank and the issues surrounding food insecurity highlighted by COVID-19, NYF is helping to pioneer a Farm to Foodbank program with Hawaii Foodbank. This grant will allow for the purchase of fresh, culturally relevant produce through farms associated with the Hawaii Farm Bureau. In building relationships with local growers, Hawaii Foodbank secures, and purchases harvested yet unsold produce. This crucial partnership allows for local produce such as ulu, taro, daikon and green bananas to become readily available for direct distribution to those in need.
The NYF grant allows for Hawaii Foodbank to serve more than 2500 households per month, focusing on providing those struggling with higher poverty, unemployment, and over-crowded living conditions access to healthy and nutritious produce that is familiar to them. Hawaii Foodbank expects to distribute more than 20 million pounds of food this year due to the pandemic, undoubtedly expanding upon the 1 in 8 Hawaiians that the organization already supports. This grant is particularly impactful because it not only assists with getting food to those most in need but also supports local community-driven food production which has been greatly impacted by the economic shutdown. The end goal is to have fresh fruits and vegetables represent 33% of all pounds of food distributed by Hawaii Foodbank in 2021.
Free Range Health
In 2020, a partnership between Free Range Health and NYF resulted in a grant to enhance telemedicine services for seniors. Accelerated by the pandemic, the use of online portals and telemedicine has become more prevalent and increasingly important to keep patients engaged and healthy. Supporting Free Range Health with this grant affords mobile community acupuncture clinics the tools needed to stay relevant during the pandemic. A first of its kind grant from NYF, the developed software created from the funding will help bring high quality, low-cost services to struggling senior communities within Snohomish County, Washington.
Free Range Health provides access to low-cost mobile integrative health services such as acupuncture, herbal remedies, and B-12 shots to underserved communities. Forced to switch to telehealth services due to the pandemic and nature of their target population, the grant for Free Range Health will enable them to be successfully positioned to continue their work with greater ease once pandemic restrictions are lifted. The end goal of bringing affordable and ultimately free health care and treatments for seniors is closer to being realized thanks to the work of Free Range Health.