Colombo, Sri Lanka – Emerge Global is among 21 youth-led programs in 15 countries selected by Starbucks and the International Youth Foundation (IYF) to receive $10,000 in support through the Starbucks Youth Action Grants program, a key component of the Starbucks™ Shared Planet™ commitment to communities. Emerge Global will use the $10,000 grant to expand its work to a new home of 20 girls who have been removed from their homes by Sri Lanka’s court system due to abuse or high risk of abuse. Emerge Global’s expansion will equip these persevering girls with skills and resources for their futures, using a comprehensive curriculum that emphasizes leadership, life skills, and business knowledge, while simultaneously generating a financial foundation for each program participant through the creation of unique jewelry.
The grantees were chosen through a competition established by IYF and Starbucks in 2008 in order to makes grants available to young leaders who have completed IYF’s YouthActionNet® fellowship program. YouthActionNet® seeks to develop a new generation of socially conscious global citizens who create positive change in their communities, their countries, and the world. The size of grants awarded through the program range from US$5,000-$10,000. A committee comprised of IYF staff and Starbucks partners (employees) selected the final grant recipients.
To learn more about the StarbucksTM Shared PlanetTM Youth Action Grants program and the planned activities of all 21 grant recipients, visit www.youthactionnet.org.
About the International Youth Foundation (IYF) The International Youth Foundation (IYF) invests in the extraordinary potential of young people. Founded in 1990, IYF builds and maintains a worldwide community of businesses, governments, and civil-society organizations committed to empowering youth to be healthy, productive, and engaged citizens. IYF programs are catalysts of change that help young people obtain a quality education, gain employability skills, make healthy choices, and improve their communities. To learn more, visit: www.iyfnet.org.
About the Starbucks Youth Action Grants Program The Starbucks Youth Action Grants program helps young people realize their natural potential to reinvent their local communities. The program is the primary vehicle through which the Starbucks Foundation invests in communities globally as part of the Starbucks™ Shared Planet™ commitment to communities where the company does business. Since launching the Fund in 2007, more than $1.5 million has been invested in programs around the world. The Fund is integral to the company achieving its goal by 2015 of engaging 50,000 young social entrepreneurs to innovate and take action and, in turn, to inspire 100,000 additional individuals to take action in their communities. For more information, please visit www.starbucksfoundation.com/sef.