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2025 Youth Philanthropy Council Grants Celebration

It’s celebration time for 15 local charities receiving grants from the Community Foundation of the Central Blue Ridge’s Youth Philanthropy Council. The 2025 SAW Youth Philanthropy Council Grants celebration will take place at 7:00 p.m. at the Staunton Innovation Hub on Wednesday, May 14th.

The YPC is a grant-making body made up of 29 students from the seven local public high schools as well as Stuart Hall School.

“Our YPC program is much more than simply giving teenagers experience with philanthropy,” said Dan Layman, CEO of the Community Foundation. “They are a window into our future, and we learn so much from their deliberations and decision making each year.”

Led by Community Foundation director of educational programs Miriam Burrows – who also oversees similar programs in Highland County and Nelson County –  the students met monthly to learn how nonprofits function and about current challenges in the community. This informed the creation of the YPC’s funding priorities, which guided their evaluations and grant decisions.

“I’m so proud of these students!” Burrows said. “They’ve chosen to invest in the most urgent needs of our community—homelessness and access to basic resources. Their commitment to equity and dignity reflects a deep understanding of what it means to care for your neighbors.”

The 15 local nonprofit organizations receiving grants are:

  • Augusta Regional Dental Clinic
  • Blue Ridge CASA for Children
  • Boys and Girls Club of Waynesboro, Staunton and Augusta County
  • EMBRACE
  • Housing Emergency Relief Organization
  • Love Forward Foundation
  • New Directions Center
  • Renewing Homes of Greater Augusta
  • Shenandoah LGBTQ Center
  • The Life Works Project
  • The Neighbor Bridge
  • Valley Children’s Advocacy Center
  • Valley Hope Counseling Center
  • Waynesboro Area Refuge Ministry
  • Waynesboro Public Library

Cabell Caister, a senior at Waynesboro High School, is confident that the council participants were good stewards of the money entrusted to them.

“Through my team with YPC, I’ve learned so much more about nonprofits, specifically how they operate and the good they can do in the community,” Caister said. “I’ve also learned just how many organizations in the SAW community operate on a day-to-day basis. Trying to decide which organizations to fund this year was certainly difficult, but I’m confident we put the money we were allotted to the organizations we thought would have the greatest impact on the community.”

2024/25 S.A.W. Youth Philanthropy Council
2024/25 S.A.W. Youth Philanthropy Council
2024/25 S.A.W. Youth Philanthropy Council
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The Harlow Family Scholarship

The Harlow Family Scholarship was created by Jim and Sarah Harlow. They are residents of Augusta County and currently live in Mt. Solon.  All three of their children graduated from Fort Defiance High School (FDHS) The Scholarship is something that both Jim and Sarah are passionate about. This scholarship is not merit- or performance-based. Which means that grit and courage are key elements in determining who wins. This scholarship requires an evaluation of financial need as well as the character and perseverance of the individual. Jim and Sarah both understand the value of education after high school and want to make the road a bit easier for individuals who are willing to work hard and persevere to improve their situation.

 

Dan Layman

President & CEO

Dan Layman joined the Community Foundation in March 2013. He spends his days helping individuals and companies explore how they can accomplish their charitable objectives through the Foundation and making sure that those who have already made that choice enjoy what they have created. He also offers his assistance and friendship to the leaders of local nonprofit organizations. Since graduating from Miami University (Oxford, Ohio) in 1988, Dan has dedicated his career to helping others through fundraising and planned giving. He and his wife, Pamela Fox, have been Staunton residents since 2003…and for many years to come.

Menieka Garber

Chief Operating Officer

Menieka Garber joined the Community Foundation in 2006 and ensures that the day-to-day operations run smoothly and align with the Foundation’s mission. She supports a variety of accounting and finance functions and helps to ensure compliance with financial and record-keeping procedures.  Menieka received a B.A. in Business with a concentration in Accounting from Mary Baldwin University and A.A.S. degrees in Business Management and Accounting from Blue Ridge Community College. A native of the Shenandoah Valley, Menieka lives on a farm in Augusta County with her husband, Brian, and their two children, Kiersten and Samuel.

Miriam Burrows

Director of Educational Programs

Miriam Burrows joined the Community Foundation in August 2018. She administers our Scholarship Program, the Youth Philanthropy Council, and the Dawbarn Education Awards.  Miriam received a B.A. in Theatre from DeSales University, has a certificate from the Beverly Hills Bar Association’s Legal Secretary School, graduated from CNE’s Board Academy, and continues to take classes whenever she can. Miriam came to Staunton in 1999 to join the American Shakespeare Center where she has worked as an actor and has served as a board member. She lives in Staunton with her husband Daniel, and their two beautiful children.

Lora Hamp, J.D.

Legal Counsel and Director of Nonprofit Relations

Lora Hamp joined the Community Foundation in 2022, after serving on the Foundation’s Board of Directors and working with the CFCBR Community Grants Committee for several years. She formerly practiced law as an estate planning attorney and is excited to combine her legal background and prior Board experience to support and promote the nonprofit sector in our community.  In addition to administering the Foundation’s Community Grants Program, Lora provides for the delivery and oversight of nonprofit sector programming, including trainings, peer learning experiences, and other professional development events. She enjoys working with her colleagues and community partners to support a healthy, vibrant nonprofit sector.

Lora’s early interest in the nonprofit world developed within the fields of gerontology and elder rights advocacy. Immediately after graduating from the University of Virginia School of Law, she served as a Borchard Fellow, collaborating with various nonprofit partners to design and establish an elder law clinic at the law school.

Chris Lassiter

Director of Community Engagement

Chris Lassiter joined our team in January 2022 as our new Director of Community Engagement.  Chris leads our work to broaden the Foundation’s relationships with community members and deepen our understanding of the challenges within our community and our opportunities for affecting real change.  Chris comes to us from the Staunton-Augusta Family YMCA where he served as Marketing and Communications Director.

Harlow Family Scholarship

Jim and Sarah Harlow established the Harlow Family Scholarship in 2023 to support Fort Defiance High School graduates in their pursuit of higher education.

We wished to recognize FDHS athletes – one male and one female – who show grit, courage, character, and perseverance. We value the importance of continuing your education after high school and want to make the road a bit easier for individuals who are willing to work hard.

 

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