RPA’s Community 101 program awards $5K in grant funds to two local nonprofits

RPA junior Kate West presents a $3,000 check to Friends of the Children representatives Rachel Cardwell and Stu Malakoff at the Community 101 Award Ceremony on June 1.

Redmond Proficiency Academy’s (RPA) Community 101 program recently awarded $5,000 in grant funds to two local nonprofits, Kindred Connections and Friends of the Children.

The Community 101 program, part of the Oregon Community Foundation, provides the tools to help students engage in their communities and allows students to learn about critical needs of their geographic region. This student-led program gives students hands-on experiences in civic engagement and in philanthropy.  

This year, RPA’s Community 101 program, led by teacher Tamara Bremont, was a little different than it has been in the past due to the pandemic. 

“It was really important to me to keep the Community 101 program going this year because it is such a valuable tool to teach students about the needs in our community and for them to see a world outside of their own bubble,” said Bremont, “Fortunately, I had a strong group of students who worked hard to make sure we met all of our deadlines.”

This year’s award recipients were presented with their funds on June 1 in a small ceremony held outside of RPA. The first award for $2,000 went to Kindred Connections, a local organization which provides mentoring to families and housing for children in crisis. 

Riley Brown, Isa Hammons, and Kate West pose with Kindred Connections Home Host Recruiter, Eilean Karpstein as they present the $2000 grant.

“We really appreciated that the main focus of Kindred Connections is to provide a safety net for families in a time of crisis,” said sophomore Riley Brown, who has been part of the Community 101 program for the past two years.

Friends of the Children was chosen to receive a grant for $3,000. 

“We were drawn to Friends of the Children’s role in impacting generational change by empowering youth who are facing the greatest obstacles,” said junior Kate West, a founding member of RPA’s Community 101 program. “The mentorship that Friends of the Children provided to our communities vulnerable children makes a lifelong impact on their lives. We are honored to play a small role in helping children succeed.”