DOSOMETHING.ORG & BIC HONOR AMAZING YOUNG ACTIVISTS
Eleven Outstanding Young People Named DoSomething.org and BIC ‘BIC 4 GOOD’ Grant Winners to Further Their Community Action Efforts
New York, NY (AUG 4, 2010) – DoSomething.org and BIC today announced the winners of their ‘BIC 4 GOOD’ Grants, which encouraged young people nationwide to submit their community action projects, programs, or organizations exhibiting a large impact, proven sustainability, and measurable success. The grants will help fund the winners’ efforts to continue to make a significant impact in their communities.
Young people from all over the U.S. and Canada submitted their projects between May 1st and June 15th. Ten outstanding projects or organizations were selected to receive $2,000 BIC 4 GOOD Grants, with one exceptional Grand Prize winner selected to receive $5,000.
“We share BIC’s enthusiasm for passionate and creative young people, and were so excited to partner with them to grow the efforts of young world-changers,” said Aria Finger, Chief Operating Officer at DoSomething.org, “We were impressed by so many outstanding applicants and couldn’t be prouder of the winning projects and programs!”
“We are excited to have had the opportunity to work with DoSomething.org and support people who clearly exhibit fantastic vision to make a difference within their communities,” said Jamie Kistner, Senior Brand Manager—Shavers, BIC Consumer Products USA. “The winners of the ‘BIC 4 Good’ grants are truly inspiring, and demonstrate through their efforts to people of all ages that if you believe strongly enough in a cause, you can make a difference.”
BIC 4 GOOD Grant winners were selected based on proven self-determination, uniqueness, and community-oriented & measurable impact. The winning projects are listed below.
BIC 4 GOOD GRANT WINNERS
Grand Prize $5,000 Winner
Elizabeth McCracken, 16
Step Up Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH
Elizabeth will be helping Step Up Cincinnati host hundreds of students in city wide community action. The goal for this year's program is to have 1,000 students participate in at least five hours of community service. Her grant money will be used to increase the size of Step Up Cincinnati to include all area high schools for the largest (and growing) youth service event in the city!
10 $2,000 Grant Winners
Ashley Shuyler, 25
AfricAid: The Kisa, Project, Golden, CO
Ashley’s Kisa Project is an initiative that uniquely combines girls’ scholarships with leadership training, mentoring and post-graduate support in order to support a new generation of women leaders in Tanzania, Africa – and the communities in which they live.
Alex Epstein, 19
NY2NO, New York City, NY
Alex’s NY2NO brings high school youth from NYC and Philadelphia to the Lower 9th Ward in New Orleans to build community-run, educational urban farms. Alex has led 40 trips for over 1,100 students.
Stevie Peacock, 16
Project KINDNESS, Venice, FL
Stevie created Project KINDNESS, an organization that collects donations of school supplies for children in need. This year's initiative will include school supplies, a Halloween party, and holiday gifts.
Katie Simon & Rebecca Kantar, 18
Minga, Newton, MA
Katie’s Let’s Get Real Campaign is going nation-wide with a speaking and outreach tour to inspire two million young people to take action against the child sex trade. The tour brings Minga-ites around the country to give talks and workshops to schools, youth clubs, and camps.
Anna Heacock, 19
Building Haiti, Tappahannock, VA
Building Haiti is going to construct 14-room modular schoolhouses that will accommodate two pre-school grades through ninth grade in post-earthquake devastated Haiti.
Frankie Guzman, 18
Paint not Prison, Oxnard, CA
Frankie started the Paint not Prison Initiative, a mural education and beautification project to engage youth and artists in bi-weekly art and leadership classes.
Adam Blair, 22
Buffalo CarShare, Buffalo, NY
Adam’s Buffalo CarShare provides an option primarily for low- to moderate-income households in need of access to a car for medical care, job interviews, recreation, family and child care transport, and opportunities for civic engagement.
Sarah Geller, 23
Arts Education International, New York, NY
Sarah is the Executive Director of Arts Education International, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to rehabilitating and empowering orphaned and abandoned children through sustainable community-based arts programs in Sierra Leone. In three and a half years, Sarah has provided sustainable, community-based arts programs for 350 children, employing 50 indigenous artists, musicians, dancers and dramatists.
Shira Shane, 22
HIV Peer Educator Project, Stanford, CA
Shira started the Peer Educator Program to combat a lack of information about HIV using music, drama, raps, debates and many other creative ways to convey their message to their peers. Shira’s program oversees 18 active clubs of 280 peer educators in northern Tanzania.
Ben Hirschfeld, 16
Lit! Hastings-on-Hudson, NY
At age 15 Ben founded Lit!, an organization that donates and distributes safe, no cost, and environmentally friendly solar lanterns to schools in Nairobi’s largest slum- Kibera.
Beginning in April, BIC teamed up with DoSomething.org to launch their first ever BIC 4 GOOD efforts, encouraging young people nationwide to shed their hair and shave their heads for good. BIC donated up to $50,000 to DoSomething.org for these head-shaving efforts (real or virtual) through the month of June.
For more information, please visit www.dosomething.org/grants or www.bic4good.com.
About DoSomething.org
DoSomething.org is one of the largest organizations in the US that helps young people rock causes they care about. A driving force in creating a culture of volunteerism, DoSomething.org is on track to activate two million young people in 2011. By leveraging the web, television, mobile, and pop culture, DoSomething.org inspires, empowers and celebrates a generation of doers: teenagers who recognize the need to do something, believe in their ability to get it done, and then take action. Plug in at www.DoSomething.org.
About BIC® Consumer Products
BIC Consumer Products USA (www.bicworldusa.com) is a leading distributor of stationery products, lighters and shavers. Since its founding more than 50 years ago, BIC has honored the tradition of providing high-quality, affordable products. Through this unwavering dedication, BIC has become one of the most recognized brands in the world today.
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