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The Northern New York Community Foundations board of directors approved $10,000 in grants Tuesday, based on recommendations from its Youth Philanthropy Council members.
Students from Watertown High School, which make up the council, recommended grants ranging from $500 to $2,000 to a total of nine organizations.
A call to Youth Philanthropy Council President Meghan LHuillier seeking comment was not returned Tuesday.
The largest grant, $2,000, was awarded to the Childrens Home of Jefferson County to establish a revolving emergency fund for the special needs of foster-care providers in St. Lawrence County.
Childrens Home Administration Services Director Barbara J. Peck said the fund will be self-sustaining since the agency will receive reimbursement from either the St. Lawrence County Department of Social Services or from foster-care providers, depending on the items purchased.
Kids arrive on peoples doorstep at a moments notice, sometimes with just the clothes on their back, Mrs. Peck said.
The fund will help cover reimbursable items such as a day-care deposit, clothes or furniture or other necessities.
The cost of other items, such as car seats, school pictures, field trips or a prom dress, for example, are not reimbursable by DSS, so a foster-care provider could borrow money from the emergency fund and pay the money back at a later time.
Save the River Executive Director D. Lee Willbanks said his agencys $1,000 grant will publish a local authors childrens book, which will be used within area school curricula.
The book will be used with the Clayton agencys In the Schools program, which allows teachers to incorporate lessons about the St. Lawrence River into the classroom.
Other Youth Philanthropy Council-recommended grants approved Tuesday:
■ $1,700 to New Day Childrens Center, Watertown, for the purchase of two bench glider rockers for its infant room.
■ $1,600 to Family Counseling Service, Watertown, to revitalize its childrens play therapy room.
■ $1,000 to Maddies Mark Foundation, Guilderland, to help provide children facing illness with their best day ever.
■ $1,000 to the United Service Organizations, Fort Drum, to help refurbish the soldier/family center and purchase needed supplies.
■ $600 to the Frederic Remington Art Museum, Ogdensburg, to provide four after-school art classes.
■ $600 to Hearts for Youth, Alexandria Bay, for the purchase of new equipment for its youth center.
■ $500 to the Victims Assistance Center of Jefferson County, Watertown, to provide food, clothing and other items.