Partnership in Action: YouthBridge Heritage Grant Supports Christian Activity Center
Honoring Partnerships with Donors
YouthBridge’s Heritage Grant reflects our deep commitment to partnering with donors. This $75,000 unrestricted award recognizes child and youth serving nonprofits that have earned sustained fundholder support. Recipients demonstrate both a strong organizational foundation and a clear vision for expanding their capacity and impact.
Previous grants from the Wayne C. Kaufmann Charitable Foundation, administered by YouthBridge, positioned the Christian Activity Center in East St. Louis (CAC) to receive a Heritage Grant this fall. As a requirement of the grant, CAC’s leadership and staff must commit to the Core Capacity Assessment Tool (CCAT), which identifies and addresses capacity needs. CAC is ready to begin this work, using CCAT results to guide how the grant dollars can drive the greatest impact, starting with hiring additional staff. Knowing that serving more children strengthens their community impact, CAC has begun advertising for new team members — thoughtfully seeking the right fit.
Christian Activity Center: From Saving Lives to Changing Lives
The Christian Activity Center (CAC) advances faith, education, and recreation through year-round programs. They tutor students, lead activities ranging from community gardening to fine arts, and teach financial literacy and entrepreneurship. Committed to data-driven outcomes, CAC consistently improves cumulative GPA, graduation rates, post-secondary advancement, and juvenile delinquency compared to citywide statistics. Over the years, they have evolved from an agency working to save lives into one working to change lives.
Executive Director Jeffrey Williams shared his recent joy when a second-grade girl who had struggled with reading ran to him beaming, proudly showing a progress report filled with A’s and B’s—and just one C.
In addition to the funding, Jeffrey expressed his appreciation for the direct partnership with YouthBridge. He relayed that not only are staff members knowledgeable and helpful; they have become valuable mentors. The ability to pick up the phone and ask a quick question about an idea or issue is priceless, as are the connections that develop through a YouthBridge partnership.
Make a Lasting Impact: Water the Seeds
YouthBridge supports nonprofits that serve children, and the Heritage Grant brings that mission to life. By strengthening agencies close to our fundholders’ hearts, the grant helps expand the impact already underway. Jeffrey shared his heartfelt thanks, celebrating YouthBridge and its donors for helping create brighter futures for children in an underserved community. He explained:
“These kids are like newly planted seeds—
we plant the seeds, and every dollar donated adds the water they need to grow.”
You can make a direct impact by supporting Christian Activity Center at cacesl.org or by contacting Allison McDonald, YouthBridge Grants Manager. If you would like to join YouthBridge to amplify your philanthropy, please contact Andranique Ellis, Director of Philanthropy.