Jumpstart Our Youth – JOY – is Maine’s most comprehensive youth philanthropy program. Students across the state make grants to local organizations serving youth needs while learning how to connect with their communities and make a difference through funding and hands-on volunteering.  Learning how to give “smart money” will teach our next generation of nonprofit and community leaders and donors how to package their compassion, skills and funds to solve local problems.

Funded by private and corporate funders, 3,325 students from across the state collectively spent more than 19,000 hours researching how to make effective local community grants and augment the grant money with volunteering. Delivered through 61 Jobs for Maine’s Graduates chapters at middle and high schools, Maine students are meeting local needs with their time, talent and treasure.

IMPACT: JOY grants totalling $61,000  touched the lives of more than 31,000 Maine youth and families in 2010-11.  Students poured an estimated $213,000 into the Maine economy between grants and volunteer time contributed.   A full listing of grantees can be found here.