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Ten Thousand Reasons awarded over $60,000 in grants to students with a heart for service at the All-School Easter Chapel on Thursday, March 25, in the Lower School Student Activity Center (LSSAC). Tears flowed as co-founder Candice Comstock announced the grant recipients, who walked onto the stage to receive oversized checks from Allyson Watson, who co-founded the organization with Comstock. Award recipients included:
Amor y Esperanza - $20,000
Grant requested by Bailey Koenig (11th)
The grant will support the operating expenses of this vibrant Christian school which services impoverished children in Quito, Ecuador. Whitefield students serve at Amor y Espanza every summer through the Ecuador Mission Trip.
Effective Ministries (Niger) - $14,000
Requested by Hunter Bilotti (10th), Paulina Bilotti (8th), Carter Vaughan (2nd)
The grant will fund a new indoor kitchen in an orphanage in Niger, Africa, providing safe and nutritious meals and snacks for over 70 children.
Medical Missions Ministry (Guatemala) - $10,000
Requested by: John Matherne (10th), Robert Matherne (9th), Jake Rivers (9th), Noah Howard (9th), Luke McLemore (9th), Patrick Spellissy (10th)
The grant will fund a nutritional program and supplements to village women of child-bearing age to help ensure safe and healthy pregnancies. This team of students secured a matching grant from another source to bring the total of their gift to Medical Missions to $32,000.
Alive Ministries (MUST Ministries) - $10,000
Requested by Caroline Kern (6th)
Grant funds will support existing food pantries as well as fund new food pantries in public schools across Cobb County. Pantries provide low-income families with affordable food options.
Safehouse Ministry - $5,000
Requested by Caleb Ryan (1st)
The funds will help pay the salary of a social worker at Safehouse, which serves the homeless of Atlanta by providing food, job readiness training, and more.
Special Pops Tennis - $3,000
Requested by Hannah Morris
The grant will support a nutrition program to train Special Pops intellectually challenged athletes on healthy eating choices and habits.
Thirty-three students representing 15 non-profit organizations submitted grant applications earlier this year. Eight finalists were chosen to present their projects to Ten Thousand Reasons for review.
“We wish we had enough money to fund every applicant and are so impressed with the passion that Whitefield students have for service,” said Comstock. “Our Partnership will continue to work with all applicants in finding ways to support their organizations and remain devoted to service.”
This is the first year Ten Thousand Reasons has awarded grants since its creation in 2015. The story of its beginnings is one of God’s faithfulness. Watson had been filling out a grant application to receive funds for Seven Bridges, a homeless ministry where many Whitefield families are involved. She was disappointed when she was denied the grant. She shared her discouragement with Comstock and the two women began to pray about how they could make a difference and serve those in need. They thought often about the possibility of forming an organization which could distribute funds to worthy causes. Knowing that Whitefield students had a heart for service, it seemed natural to bring that idea to Whitefield.
“As mothers, we want to leave a legacy for our children and be a true example of generosity and compassion,” said Watson. “We realized if we were frustrated with the lack of availability of funds to help our most beloved ministries, students must be even more frustrated at their inability to find resources for the organizations where they serve. We wanted to help Whitefield students fund projects that are dear to their hearts.”
Watson and Comstock talked to other Whitefield moms and found that many were interested in becoming a partner in Ten Thousand Reasons. A board of supportive moms was formed and other Whitefield moms joined the project, each donating funds to become founding partners in the organization. Each founding partner, through prayerful consideration, has committed her time and talent to the creation of this organization.
If you are interested in becoming involved with Ten Thousand Reasons, go to tenthousandsreasons.org for more information.
Ten Thousand Reasons awarded over $60,000 in grants to students with a heart for service at the All-School Easter Chapel on Thursday, March 25, in the Lower School Student Activity Center (LSSAC). Tears flowed as co-founder Candice Comstock announced the grant recipients, who walked onto the stage to receive oversized checks from Allyson Watson, who co-founded the organization with Comstock. Award recipients included:
Amor y Esperanza - $20,000
Grant requested by Bailey Koenig (11th)
The grant will support the operating expenses of this vibrant Christian school which services impoverished children in Quito, Ecuador. Whitefield students serve at Amor y Espanza every summer through the Ecuador Mission Trip.
Effective Ministries (Niger) - $14,000
Requested by Hunter Bilotti (10th), Paulina Bilotti (8th), Carter Vaughan (2nd)
The grant will fund a new indoor kitchen in an orphanage in Niger, Africa, providing safe and nutritious meals and snacks for over 70 children.
Medical Missions Ministry (Guatemala) - $10,000
Requested by: John Matherne (10th), Robert Matherne (9th), Jake Rivers (9th), Noah Howard (9th), Luke McLemore (9th), Patrick Spellissy (10th)
The grant will fund a nutritional program and supplements to village women of child-bearing age to help ensure safe and healthy pregnancies. This team of students secured a matching grant from another source to bring the total of their gift to Medical Missions to $32,000.
Alive Ministries (MUST Ministries) - $10,000
Requested by Caroline Kern (6th)
Grant funds will support existing food pantries as well as fund new food pantries in public schools across Cobb County. Pantries provide low-income families with affordable food options.
Safehouse Ministry - $5,000
Requested by Caleb Ryan (1st)
The funds will help pay the salary of a social worker at Safehouse, which serves the homeless of Atlanta by providing food, job readiness training, and more.
Special Pops Tennis - $3,000
Requested by Hannah Morris
The grant will support a nutrition program to train Special Pops intellectually challenged athletes on healthy eating choices and habits.
Thirty-three students representing 15 non-profit organizations submitted grant applications earlier this year. Eight finalists were chosen to present their projects to Ten Thousand Reasons for review.
“We wish we had enough money to fund every applicant and are so impressed with the passion that Whitefield students have for service,” said Comstock. “Our Partnership will continue to work with all applicants in finding ways to support their organizations and remain devoted to service.”
This is the first year Ten Thousand Reasons has awarded grants since its creation in 2015. The story of its beginnings is one of God’s faithfulness. Watson had been filling out a grant application to receive funds for Seven Bridges, a homeless ministry where many Whitefield families are involved. She was disappointed when she was denied the grant. She shared her discouragement with Comstock and the two women began to pray about how they could make a difference and serve those in need. They thought often about the possibility of forming an organization which could distribute funds to worthy causes. Knowing that Whitefield students had a heart for service, it seemed natural to bring that idea to Whitefield.
“As mothers, we want to leave a legacy for our children and be a true example of generosity and compassion,” said Watson. “We realized if we were frustrated with the lack of availability of funds to help our most beloved ministries, students must be even more frustrated at their inability to find resources for the organizations where they serve. We wanted to help Whitefield students fund projects that are dear to their hearts.”
Watson and Comstock talked to other Whitefield moms and found that many were interested in becoming a partner in Ten Thousand Reasons. A board of supportive moms was formed and other Whitefield moms joined the project, each donating funds to become founding partners in the organization. Each founding partner, through prayerful consideration, has committed her time and talent to the creation of this organization.
If you are interested in becoming involved with Ten Thousand Reasons, go to tenthousandsreasons.org for more information.