By Youth For Youth awards over $36K to local youth programs, projects  

Site Staff,

The By Youth For Youth (BYFY) committee, a collaborative program through the Dane County Youth Commission, United Way of Dane County, the city of Madison Community Development Division, and UW-Extension Dane County’s Institute of Positive Youth Development, awarded $36,447 to 13 local youth programs and projects, according to a press release.  

BYFY’s funding priorities for 2023 were focused on mental and physical health, school programming and student support, youth experiencing poverty, youth experiencing food insecurity, youth experiencing homelessness, climate change, STEM, and immigration.  

Funding highlights include: 

  • $5,000 going toward the Badger Rock urban farm and youth garden educational chicken coop program; 
  • $3,000 to help provide low-income BIPOC and LGTBQ+ youth gender-specific spaces and activities to discuss youth issues as well as build community with their peers; and 
  • $3,000 that supports funding an Afghan cuisine startup restaurant to address poverty, food insecurity, and employment opportunities for Afghan refugee youth in the Dane County area. 

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