The Lauren Dunne Astley Memorial Fund is pleased to announce the recipients of its fourth annual mini-grant program to fund dynamic projects promoting the three arenas of its mission: Effective Teen Relationships & Violence Prevention, the Arts, and Community Service.
In Lauren’s spirit and memory, small grants have recently been awarded to individuals and groups with dynamic project ideas in the above areas.
A total of 11 project proposals were awarded mini-grants:
- A video production project “Empowered Girl Leaders Building Healthy Relationships” for teen girls living in public housing, part of a 10-week workshop series developed by a collaboration of community-based organizations in Brookline.
- Support for The Second Step’s Youth and Prevention Programs working with youth survivors providing tools to change the directions of their lives.
- A new program in Webster, MA for 30 high school students (trained in Mentors in Violence Prevention) to teach 8thgraders about healthy relationships.
- Student outreach and a Peace Walk sponsored by The Lawrence High School Game Change Social Justice Club.
- PRIDE Achievement program aimed at supporting at-risk 9th grade students at Metheun High School.
- Co-sponsorship of an exciting, high-energy Collaborative String Performance by Barrage 8 including daytime clinics for Wayland and Weston students and an evening performance.
- Bobby Mendes Peace Legacy Back-to-School BBQ bringing neighbors together to build community and to promote peace and forgiveness in Upham’s Corner.
- Girls’ LEAP Summer Teen Mentor Program providing leadership training, empowerment and self-defense programs for at-risk teenage girls in Greater Boston.
- Production of Opera del West, a fully-staged opera presented in the intimate setting of The Center for Arts in Natick.
- In support of the creation of intergenerational connections through The Golden Tones’ collaboration with area high school chorus singers.
- Seed money for the training of student leaders as part of the Wake Forest University Leadership Summit on Sexual Misconduct Prevention and Education.
