Young People Transforming Lives
The Must! Charities Youth Board challenges themselves to leverage their ideas, their energy, and their enthusiasm for community and raise money for projects researched by them, chosen by them, and like all things teenager - inspired by THEM!
Each school year, the Must! Youth Board volunteers, vets, and invests their time and talents across different nonprofits in SLO County. Then, the board, comprised of high school students, is tasked with identifying needs within the nonprofits they serve. As a group, they collaborate and coordinate their peer-to-peer fundraising campaign and invest their funds strategically to impact people's lives.
Applications for the 2025/2026 school year will be available in August 2025.
To get involved with the Must! Charities Youth Board, please reach out to Megan Leishman at megan@mustcharities.org
2024 Youth Board Investment
With 27 high schoolers on the 2023/2024 Must! Youth Board (our largest number of applicants yet!), we created two cohorts: a 10th-grade group and an 11th/12th-grade group.
2024 10th Grade MYB Project: Coat drive for Coats for Kids.
In December, our 10th graders volunteered at Coats for Kids, an organization that provides items of warm clothing to qualified families, and were inspired to run their own coat drives to contribute to the selection for next years event.
2024 11th/12th Grade MYB Project Selected: New Computer Lab for the Boys & Girls Club at the Flamson Teen Center.
After volunteering at several nonprofits across the county, our 11th/12th grade Youth Board Members decided that investing in a new computer lab with Chromebooks, rolling tables, and a storage/ charging cabinet would have a positive and lasting impact on the kids who attend the Club.
Total Investment: $7,568
(includes a $2,500 match challenge from Must! Charities)
2023 Youth Board Investment
2023 Project Selected: The El Camino Homeless Organization (ECHO) Community Garden Project.
ECHO uses its community garden to build connections among its residents. The staff and occupants at the shelter work side-by-side in the garden, and the fresh fruits and vegetables they harvest enhance the meal programs at both shelters. 100% of funds raised will go towards building new raised beds, soil, tools, seeds, and plants at each location.
Fundraising Goal: $8,000
(includes a $2,500 match challenge from Don & Elaine Witmer)
A special thank you to Farm Supply for donating gardening supplies, which allowed these funds to go further.
With a total of $10,530 raised, the Youth Board was able to donate excess funds to the Boys and Girls Club of North San Luis Obispo County for activities and programming and to the SLO Food Bank.
2022 Youth Board Investment
Hands down with zero hesitation, the 2022 Youth Board chose to support summer field trips at three North County locations of People's Self-Help Housing with their Camino Scholars program. Their efforts totaled $9,000 as the teens delivered summer fun and good news to the kids at People's Self-Help Housing. Add that $9,000 with the generous $2,500 match from donors, Don + Elaine Witmer and we not only funded field trips and water park passes; but also, were able to make a donation to the SLO Food Bank!
