The Youth Philanthropy Council (YPC) of the Northern New York Community Foundation recently awarded more than $3,800 in grants to three St. Lawrence County non-profit organizations in support of specific community programs and projects.

The grants include:

• Massena Meals on Wheels, $1,800 to upgrade and update kitchen equipment and the entrance to its facility, improving efficiency for the organization, which serves serving approximately 100 home-bound clients each day.

• The Community Lunch Program for Kids, Norwood, $1,000, to support distributions to help feed children during the summer months and outside of regular school days. This lunch program provides meals to children in need residing in the Norwood, Norfolk and Raymondville communities.

• Frederic Remington Art Museum, $1,000 to purchase easels and art supplies to expand their hands-on art studio that allows people of all ages to experience the joy of creating art.

Each year, the YPC reviews funding requests from agencies in the tri-county area with projects or initiatives that positively impact the quality of life in Jefferson, Lewis or St. Lawrence counties. In addition to researching and recommending grants, the YPC also discusses a variety of topics, including nonprofit sustainability, donor stewardship, community investment and leadership.

The youth council received and reviewed 20 grant requests during the program year and shared their recommendations to the Board of Directors of the Community Foundation. The Foundation has coordinated the program for seven years with councils awarding just over 80 grants to charitable organizations totaling $125,740 in the tri-county area. Youth Philanthropy Council is made possible through the generosity of Watertown Savings Bank, Renzi Foodservice Charitable Foundation, RBC Wealth Management, and annual donors to the Friends of the Community Foundation Community Betterment Fund.