DAVENPORT, IOWA (May 18, 2026) —When young people are trusted to lead, they bring fresh perspective, thoughtful collaboration, and a strong sense of purpose to community change.
For more than twenty years, the Quad Cities Community Foundation’s Teens for Tomorrow Program has empowered high-school students from across the region to direct philanthropic funding to local non-profits. This year, students awarded $28,000 in grants to seven organizations serving the Quad Cities.
Through the program, students reviewed grant applications, met with non-profit leaders, discussed pressing community issues, and worked together to determine where funding could make the greatest impact. Along the way, they gained experience in leadership, teamwork, and philanthropy while building connections with peers from different schools and backgrounds.
“The Teens for Tomorrow Program shows what’s possible when young people are trusted with meaningful responsibility,” said Sue Hafkemeyer, president and CEO of the Quad Cities Community Foundation.
“These students approached the work with empathy, curiosity, and a real commitment to understanding the needs of our region. Their grantmaking reflects thoughtful conversations and a deep investment in the future of the Quad Cities.”
This year’s participants focused their funding decisions on organizations addressing critical community needs, including housing insecurity, food access, and support services for vulnerable populations. Students also prioritized organizations creating long-term impact through relationship-building, advocacy, and direct community support.
For Mau Sanchez Carmona, a two-year participant and senior at Pleasant Valley High School, one of the most impactful parts of the experience was meeting directly with organizations and the people they serve.
“We met with non-profit leaders as well as people being served by the organization,” Mau said.
“Hearing directly from someone who had been helped made the impact real and impacted how our group made decisions.”
Mau is graduating this year, but he’ll carry lessons from the Teens for Tomorrow program into the next chapter. “What I’ll take with me is the belief that we can collectively make a difference,” he said. “It’s easy to feel overwhelmed, especially as a young person, and feel like you can’t make a difference. This program proved we can make a difference.”
The following non-profits received Teens for Tomorrow funding this year:
- A $4,500 award to Tapestry Farms will employ refugee teens to nourish all
- A $4,000 award to Friendly House will support operations for youth services
- A $3,500 award to NEST Café will support general operations
- A $5,000 award to Hope at the BRICK House, Inc. will drive the 2026 summer program for underserved children
- A $3,000 award to Bethany for Children & Families will support vital programs
- A $4,000 award to Project NOW, Inc. will support a sheltering the unhoused program
A $4,000 award to Humility Homes and Services, Inc. will support a youth homelessness program
