Durham, NH, Feb. 22, 2012 - Newman’s Own Foundation recently announced that Aspiring Hands, a University of New Hampshire student organization, received honorable mention in their 2012 “Campus Community Service Challenge”. This honor includes a $5,000 award that will be used to support the group’s ongoing work with Somersworth Youth Safe Haven, an after school mentoring program and resource center that works with local youth, ages 6 to 18.

The Newman’s Own Foundation awards grants to fund non-profit community service projects at America East Universities. The Community Service Challenge represents an opportunity to encourage the practice of philanthropy on college campuses.

Members of Aspiring Hands volunteer with elementary and high school students at the Somersworth Youth Safe Haven to provide them with homework assistance, healthy living classes, educational field trips, and plans to start a community garden and nutrition project. The team will use the Newman’s Own grant to help fund a community garden project.

University of New Hampshire communication and Community Leadership students are also collaborating with Aspiring Hands and Somersworth Youth Safe Haven on the community garden project. The students are working together to promote the project to the UNH and Somersworth Community and to encourage other students and residents to get involved. Other partners include the UNH dietetic technician, cooperative extensions program, Somersworth Housing Authority, and Somersworth Sustainability Committee.

“We are absolutely thrilled,” said Brittany Thompson, founder and coordinator of Aspiring Hands, and a UNH Student. “Now we can move forward with our partnership there. In addition to our volunteer work as tutors and homework ‘helpers’, we hope to work with the children to create a community garden and to involve other community members in this process.”

Members of the project hope the garden will strengthen community and foster relationships among families, neighbors, students, and youth in Somersworth, along with honoring ecological systems and promoting good health.

"The children can't wait to start working on the garden with all of the volunteers from UNH.  This is a dream we've had for some years now and we're delighted that this grant and the support of all of the UNH students will help us make it happen."- Betty Eaton, Director of SYSH

This project has been an amazing opportunity for all of these groups to come together and work towards something that will be extremely beneficial to the Somersworth Community.

Contact Info:

Julie Fick jmq237@wildcats.unh.edu

Meghan Smith Mje88@wildcats.unh.edu

Christian Stone Crb56@wildcats.unh.edu