August 17, 2012
WAGLY Receives Grant from Foundation for MetroWest
Chris Sosa READ TIME: 2 MIN.
West Suburban Alliance of Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer Youth (WAGLY), founded in March 2011, received a grant from Foundation for MetroWest to assist in the development of its organizational infrastructure. The award was based on the recommendation of students in the Foundation for MetroWest's Youth in Philanthropy Program at Concord Carlisle High School and was approved by the Foundation's Board of Trustees.
Youth in Philanthropy is a hands-on program that teaches students the fundamentals of grantmaking, giving back to the community, and the nonprofit world. The Foundation for MetroWest offers school-based and community-based programs throughout the region.
Students from Concord Carlisle High School made a site visit to evaluate the WAGLY program earlier this spring. As part of their visit they met two WAGLY adult advisors, toured the meeting space, and asked questions about the weekly program.
Marie Caradonna, WAGLY Chair of Programs commented, "These students were well prepared and asked terrific questions about our participants and program. We were really impressed at how much they knew, and how much they wanted to know, in order to make a good choice regarding where they were going to invest their grant money."
Jack Lewis, Executive Director of WAGLY commented, "In addition to discussing our program we were able to discuss the reality of being gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender or queer (GLBTQ) in high school today and the important need our meetings meet for many area students."
WAGLY exists to provide a safe place for GLBTQ high school youth and their straight allies to meet, share common experiences, and support each other. As a youth led, adult supported organization WAGLY provides diverse programs including educational opportunities, small group conversations, movie nights, and BBQs. The group meets weekly on non-holiday Mondays at 7pm at the Unitarian Universalist Society of Wellesley Hills located at 309 Washington Street in Wellesley Hills, MA.
