Next Wednesday, 10 local non profits and the committees of the Common Good Grant will gather together under one roof for a night of education, checks and Bowdoin Logs.
Two student-run committees oversee the application process for the Common Good Grant. The grant committee comprises 12 students who review applications from local non profits and choose proposals to approve, while the extension committee is responsible for locating donors to enlarge the program.
The program began in 2001 with a $10,000 contribution from an anonymous Bowdoin alum. The purpose of the program is two-fold: To teach students the value of philanthropy and to award well-deserving non profits from around the local community.
The Common Good Grant grew to include the extension committee after finding a designated need in the community to reward more programs and initiatives in mid coast Maine. This year, the extension committee raised more than $6,000.
According to Assistant Director for Service and Leadership Jessica Horstkotte '08, who worked on both committees when she was a student at the College, the award ceremony is both a festive gathering and important evening for the program to honor the non profits and spread awareness.
"[Committee students] stand up and present their awards, but they'll also talk about their experiences on the committee and what they've learned through this process as well," she said. "A big emphasis of the program is the education piece; there is a huge benefit to the community."
Recipients will include several youth-based organizations that reflect Bowdoin's commitment to positive childhood development through organizations such as Book Buddies, Bowdoin Central Mentoring, and Bears and Cubs, an affiliate of the Big Brothers, Big Sisters program.