The Cradle of Liberty Council, Boy Scouts of America Expands Programs in Philadelphia
March 4 (Philadelphia) — The Cradle of Liberty Council, Boy Scouts of America (COLBSA) has received a $15,000 grant from The Philadelphia Foundation’s Fund for Children. The one-time gift is made possible through generous annual contributions from the Philadelphia Eagles and the Philadelphia Phillies and grantees can re-apply each year. The grant, which the Council has received every year since 2016, will help the longstanding youth-serving organization to expand its reach in under-resourced neighborhoods in Philadelphia. The award announcement was made by Pedro A. Ramos, president and chief executive officer of the Foundation.
“Thanks to the generous donations of amazing partners like The Philadelphia Foundation, we can continue the Boy Scouts of America’s time-tested mission to prepare young people to make ethical and moral choices over their lifetimes by instilling in them the values of the Scout Oath and Law” said COLBSA Scout Executive and CEO Dan Templar. “This grant also allows us to send Scouts from Philadelphia to one of our two nearby camping facilities during the summer to explore the outdoors and go camping, often for the very first time.”
Afterschool-based Scouting is currently offered in 40 Philadelphia public schools and other facilities located in many of the city’s most under-resourced areas. Through the program, Scouts receive leadership training, character development, citizenship skills and more. Top Scouts from the program are also recommended for National Youth Leadership Training (NYLT), an intensive week-long, youth-directed leadership program hosted annually by the Boy Scouts of America.
“Scouting is now more diverse and inclusive than ever,” added Templar. “We are committed to ensuring that every boy or girl in our region who wants to participate in our life-changing programs can do just that.”
About the Cradle of Liberty Council: The Cradle of Liberty Council serves more than 16,500 young boys and girls throughout Philadelphia, Montgomery, and Delaware Counties in nearly 500 Scouting groups chartered to civic, faith-based, and educational community organizations. It provides youth with dynamic outdoor programs that build character, foster participating citizenship, and encourage personal fitness. For more information, visit www.colbsa.org. Connect with us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/colbsa, Instagram at www.instagram.com/colbsa and Twitter at www.twitter.com/colbsa.
About The Philadelphia Foundation: Since 1918, The Philadelphia Foundation has been committed to improving the quality of life in Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery and Philadelphia counties. It links those with financial resources to those who serve societal needs. The foundation grows the more than 900 charitable funds established by its donors and distributes about $20 million annually in grants and scholarships to about 1,000 effective non-profit organizations. Through this support, the Foundation builds healthy communities, strengthens children and families, advances economic opportunities and enhances culture and recreation. For more information, please visit www.philafound.org.