(Dorchester, MA) Money is such a vital currency in order to live especially for youth. It sets standards economically to what they’re obligated to. Being able to get money for things that they want to do to improve their community is more than a step to doing their youthful civic duties, but it sets the tone to how the next generation will be involved.

To celebrate the selected youth-led projects, the 4th Annual Mini Grant Ceremony will be held at the Boston Globe on Thursday, March 20, 2008 from 6pm-8pm located at 135 Morrissey Boulevard. The selected recipients to get funded from the Dorchester Youth Council are as the following: The Food Project (Build-a-Garden), The ATLAS program (Bully Stoppers), Close to Home (Acting Out Against Teen Violence Dating), The Teen Center (Teen Magazine and Pool Mural), and the Grover Cleveland Middle School Leadership Council (Peace Week).

Over the past four years, the Dorchester Youth Council has disseminated over $35,000 in the community to fund youth-initiated projects to make a difference. It has acted as a next step to help the youth of today be agents of active change in specific areas of concern to them like violence, domestic abuse and how media affects the lives of minority youth. Through this philanthropic initiative, it has increased a greater awareness and a growing desire for youth engagement in the Dorchester community.

The Dorchester Youth Council is a youth engagement leadership program that serves youth between the ages of 12 and 17, who work together to better the Dorchester community through community service learning practices. The Dorchester Youth Council is coordinated through a partnership between Social Capital Inc. (SCI) and DotWell. The Boston Globe Foundation, Lenny Zakim Fund, Massachusetts Service Alliance, Boston Scientific and Sovereign Bank provide major funding.

For more information about the event or the Dorchester Youth Council, please contact Grace Ejiwale, Youth Program Coordinator at Gejiwale@scidorchester.org or (617) 822 8297. Make sure you check out www.mydorchester.org to find out the Dorchester Youth Council’s upcoming events.