May 25, 2002 – Thanks to increased funding, the 2002 mini-grant program of the Community Foundation of the Virgin Islands is the most extensive ever — 58 awards totaling $35,000, the foundation announced on Friday.
The awards, ranging from $300 to $1,000, went to not-for-profit organizations, schools and individuals "working to improve the lives of children and families in the territory," CFVI stated in a release.
A $15,000 donation from the Prosser ICC Foundation allowed the Community Foundation to increase the size of individual grants and to fund additional programs, the release said. Since 1997, CFVI has awarded more than $135,000 in mini-grants.
Teachers and administrators in the territory's public schools submitted 22 of the proposals that were funded this year. Alfredo Andrews Elementary School on St. Croix was the top grantee, receiving eight mini-grants totaling $4,680.
Volunteers provide services to children and families in many of the after-school and summer programs that are supported by the mini-grants. "It is encouraging to see the dedication of so many volunteers in our community who are reaching out to help young people," Ricardo J. Charaf, CFVI board chair, said. "We also celebrate all those teachers who are going above and beyond in their work with students."
CFVI was established in 1990 with an endowment of $500,000. Its assets today total nearly $2 million. For additional information about the organization, visit the Community Foundation of the V.I. web site or e-mail to CFVI.
By island, the 2002 grantees and their contact persons are:
St. Thomas:
Bertha C. Boschulte Middle School — $1,000 to implement a comprehensive art program. (Phebe Schwartz).
Bovoni Resident Council — $500 for Gardening Club (Idita Matthew).
Catholic Charities of the Virgin Islands — $1,000 for art supplies and field trip expenses for a summer camp enrichment program (Gritell C. Thompson, John Rivers).
Charlotte Amalie High School — $1,000 for production of Glimpses Magazine (Irose Payne-Chalon).
Charlotte Amalie High School — $1,000 for Future Business Leaders of America Institute (Cecelia M. Walters-Smith).
Charlotte Amalie High School — $500 for junior varsity volleyball team uniforms (Arthur Solomon).
CAHS Autobody and Fender Repair Class — $500 for tools (Charles Jones).
CAHS Special Education — $850 for a classroom entrepreneurial project (Vivian DeWindt).
Coral World — $500 for the Sea Stars children's program (Donna Nemeth).
Delta Sigma Theta Sorority — $500 for supplies for young women's Betty Shabazz Academy (Jestina Hurst).
Divine Life Heritage Enrichment Center — $400 for the Langston Hughes Library Literacy Program (Jabrina Frazer).
Downstreet People After-School Program — $500 for field trips and community activities (Peya Howard).
Family Life Center at UVI — $500 for after-school Taekwon-Do program (Carmen Rogers-Green).
Fighting Dragons Taekwondo Club — $500 for Taekwondo (Keith Edwards).
Friends of the St. Thomas Public Libraries — $500 for the Children's Reading Program (Carol Lotz).
Hand Puppet Program — $750 for children's storytelling with hand puppets (Dorothy A. Hassfeld).
Ivanna Eudora Kean High School Deaf Class — $650 for participation at the Deaf Enrichment Camp (Sarah Hancock).
Junior Rescue Inc. — $500 to support the Junior Rescue Squad (Franklin O'Marrow, Dianna Castro).
Kingdom Life International Christian Center — $500 for after-school program (Marcia Estrada).
Kirwan Terrace Resident Council — $500 for youth steel orchestra instruments (Alma E. Brooks).
The Knolls at Contant Resident Council — $500 for a computer literacy program (Sharon Isaac).
Lutheran Church of the Reformation — $500 for the Helping Our Pupils Excel (HOPE) program (Merle E. Charles).
Marine Kids Korps — $780 for aquatic programs for youth (Michele Downs).
Methodist Training and Outreach Center — $800 for after-school tutorial and summer enrichment programs (Louise O. Petersen).
Michelle Motel Long-Term Care — $300 for a volunteer photography workshop (Cynthia Cox).
New Image Foundation — $500 for the Youth Excel Training Program (Cynthia Jerry).
The Rock Collective — $500 for sound equipment for young artists (Tiphanie Yanique Galiber).
St. Andrew's Episcopal Church — $1,000 for after-school preparation for the PSAT (Ambrose Gumbs).
St. Thomas Youth Soccer Asociation — $500 for a math and science tutorial program (Tanya Ward Benjamin).
Teenagers Bible Club Inc. — $750 for an after-school program (Zeathea E. Armstrong).
V.I. Junior Firefighters Corps — $750 for youth training in fire prevention and safety (Darryl A. George Sr.). Virgin Islands Game Fishing Club — $500 for refreshments, prizes and T-shirts for a free youth fishing tournament (Harry Clinton).
Virgin Islands Resource Center for the Disabled — $750 for student-based enterprise (Carolyn Smith).
St. Croix:
Alfredo Andrews Elementary School — $900 to purchase a laptop storage cart (Tami Jan).
Alfredo Andrews Elementary School — $800 to produce an electronic yearbook (Sandra Howell).
Alfredo Andrews Elementary School — $580 for the Robotics Club (Kathleen Donahue and Tami Jan).
Alfredo Andrews Elementary School — $500 for primary art program supplies (Valencia Andrews).
Alfredo Andrews Elementary School — $500 for art supplies (Elena Herbert).
Alfredo Andrews Elementary School — $500 for the annual science fair (Tami Jan).
Alfredo Andrews Elementary School — $500 for software and supplies for original music composition (Helen Griffin).
Alfredo Andrews Elementary School — $400 for the Books for the Best Friends program (Helen Griffin, S. Labeau, S. Howell).
Arawak Camp Program — $500 for an after-school band program (Beatrice York).
Artstage Inc. — $500 to purchase wood, paint and other materials for workshops in set construction and costume design (Shawna K. Richards).
Central High School — $500 for an after-school dance program (Lisa M. Lenhardt).
Charles H. Emanuel School — $750 for the Keeping Our Roots Alive! project (Maria Aurora Stiles).
Education Complex High School — $940 for the Magnet Pride Mathematics and Science Program (Virginia Anderson).
Education Complex High School — $500 for Marine Biology class teaching resources and visual aids (Awilda Rivas).
Evelyn M. Williams Elementary School — $500 for the Learning Through the Salt Water Aquarium program (Stefanie Crosier).
Good Hope School — $500 for transportation to an arts exhibit (Petra Matthew).
Juanita Gardine Elementary School — $500 for Brownie and Girl Scout troop uniforms (Barbara V. James).
Positive Connection Alternative High School, Westside & Co. — $500 for the Custom Woods Entrepreneurship Program (Bernard Jones).
St. Croix Sankofa — $500 for percussion instruments and fabric for summer workshops in African dance and drumming (Linda Lacy and Celesine Durant).
St. Croix Junior Bowlers Inc.– $750 for youth bowling tournaments (Veronica Coates).
William's Delight Villas Tenant Council — $500 for youth baseball team equipment (Daphne Edwards).
St. John:
Carabana Ensemble Theater Company — $500 for the Readers Are Leaders program (Clarence Cuthbertson).
Friends of the Elaine L. Sprauve Library — $600 for youth summer field trips to St. Thomas and St. Croix (Carol McGuinness).
John's Folly Learning Institute — $500 for the Aquarium Hands-On Program (Beulah Dalmida Smith, Crystal Fortwangler).
St. John Community Foundation — $500 for a GED/tutorial remedial program for George H. Simmons Terrace (Alecia M. Wells).

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