Did You Know?

The 365 Project's youth are leading the Black Lives Matter rallies!

Members of The 365 Project of Yellow Springs are busy. 

They have been educating the community about the history of Blacks in Yellow Springs, enhancing YS Public Schools curriculum for cultural competency, and convening community dialogues about racism. With vision, purpose, commitment, outreach, and collaboration, this nonprofit has expanded our community's awareness of the impact that the Black community has had in the village; and members of all ages are demonstrating that much work lies ahead. 
 
Created from a collaboration among six local organizations, The 365 Project of Yellow Springs became a nonprofit in 2008 initially with the goal of recognizing achievements of Blacks in Yellow Springs through educational and historical forums, tours, and youth activities. 
 
After quickly realizing the need to address racism in the village, the nonprofit expanded its focus to include the YS schools, the convening of group dialogues about personal experiences with racism, called Courageous Conversations, with the YS Havurah, and continuing work with the Village Council and YS Police Department on Guidelines for Village Policing, begun in 2016. Not surprisingly, an important component of the extent with which the nonprofit reaches different populations in the village is because of their outreach, collaboration, and responsiveness. 
 
More recently, the nonprofit has flexed to the demands of the pandemic, with the Blacks in Yellow Springs walking tours moving to Facebook, live. However, the organization's focus has quickly aligned even more closely with its mission:
 
To serve as a catalyst that challenges and supports the people of Yellow Springs and Miami Township to engage critically and respectfully in dialogue and action that promotes and sustains diverse African-American heritage and culture, and educational equity, 365 days a year
 
That is, though film events and the annual pool party have been postponed, the organization, including its Young People of Color (YPOC), has quickly gained momentum by co-sponsoring recent Black Lives Matter rallies on Saturdays. Not only has the number of donations increased, but so have sales of the nonprofit's recently published Blacks in Yellow Springs: An Encyclopedia History.
 
As a powerful example of multi-generational collaboration that engages with systemic racism, The 365 Project has prioritized its YPOC members' initiatives to move the nonprofit's mission forward by raising awareness about systemic racism. We all learn best by doing. 
 
 
To donate: The 365 Project
 
For more information: www.the365projectys.org
 

Board of Trustees Member Highlight
Joanne Lakomski

May I confess—I like telling people that I am a Foundation Trustee because I feel so connected to Miami Township and Yellow Springs through the work of the Foundation. Perhaps you have been noticing the Foundation's impact on our community since COVID-19 reared its head; listening, making connections, driving community involvement, tapping into the giving energy that many of us have when we see others struggling when able, in some small or large way, doing something that supports our corner of Greene County.

I, it sometimes surprises me, am helping with this and always learning about philanthropy, the Village and Township, the amazing people and organizations here, and the potential, always the potential, of what can occur when people get together around something they value.

My relationship with Yellow Springs started when I attended Antioch College (AC)—the International Degree Program— and then stayed, extending my last co-op into a "real job" with Kettering Research Lab, and when it closed, working for Yellow Springs Instruments (YSI). I left YSI to join the Peace Corps in South Africa. At that time, Yellow Springs may have had the largest per-capita percentage of  population of returned Peace Corps Volunteers anywhere—43 in a town of 3500! Most recently, I have worked with AC to help it establish itself and ride the wave of potential in higher education.

I do seem to find myself trying to help others help themselves, which helps me learn, question, and find my role with the Foundation.  

And, it is tooooo cool to provide financial resources (grant money) to those in the community who are doing great things with high energy and a vision. This includes awarding funds you or your neighbor donated to an endowment, scholarship, or in memory of someone special. Perhaps you recently received $1200 from the federal government for COVID-19 relief and wanted to do something that could have a positive impact on many people. 

Many of us want to make a little impact—I am honored to have the opportunity to make a little impact through the Yellow Springs Community Foundation.  

Thank You Again & Again to Our Many Wonderful Volunteers! 

100 + in all, supporting: Child Care - Data Support - Faith Community - Food Security & Bread Runners - Logistics - Mask Makers - NBCs - Research - Senior Care - Committee Members
 
Interested in joining us in support of our community? Become a volunteer or committee member: yscf@yscf.org