(SAVANNAH GA) Savannah Philanthropic Partners, a giving circle founded in 2021 by four Savannah women, has awarded its inaugural grant of $30,000 to Loop It Up Savannah, a 501©(3) nonprofit that brings creative art experiences to children and families of Savannah.
The presentation ceremony was held 11 a.m. on Jan 31, at Juliette Low Elementary School, where Loop It Up Savannah had launched new programs to address significant learning loss during the pandemic. Its Looping Literacy Together Program aims to decrease disparities in reading readiness in students through Grade 5. The Mindfulness Zone Program uses yoga and expressive arts to work on the core competencies of self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills and responsible decision-making. Its STEAM program allows students to investigate complex questions, problems and challenges.
“We were blown away by the programs that Loop It Up Savannah has created with its modest budget, said Sheila Grossman, one of Savannah Philanthropic Partners’ four founders. “We believe that this grant will help increase its visibility and capacity in the community within the Savannah-Chatham County Public School System that it currently serves.”
Grossman and fellow founders Jean Ahrens, Lorraine Boice and Linda Huntoon, along with the 18 additional partners they recruited, decided to dedicate first-year funding to a nonprofit that works with children affected academically or in terms of mental health by the COVID-19 pandemic. “Loop It Up Savannah more than met that need,” Grossman said. “The program concentrates on the emotional and academic well-being of Title-1 kids through the use of expressive arts, yoga, meditation and innovative curricula.”
Loop It Up Savannah provides school day, after-school, and summer program workshops for over 10,000 young people each year. Programming includes visual and performing arts, early literacy programming, school garden projects, yoga and mindfulness-based practice, and creative entrepreneurship.
“We are honored, excited and grateful to receive this generous inaugural grant from the Savannah Philanthropic Partners,” said Molly Lieberman, Loop It Up Savannah’s founder and Executive Director. “As we continue our creative and collaborative work with local schools and community centers, Loop It Up’s programs continue to grow and reach the wonderful children throughout the Savannah community. The grant from the SPP will help us enormously as we return to in-person programming and continue to be a consistent force for good in our students’ lives. We appreciate all of the partners who came together to make this grant possible. It’s a wonderful example of how a community can coordinate its resources to support our children and our future.”
Savannah Philanthropic Partners has committed to donating an annual grant to a nonprofit that has been vetted by its membership and deemed to have the greatest impact in one or more of the partnership’s three focus areas: children, women and mental health issues.
ABOUT LOOP IT UP SAVANNAH
Loop It Up Savannah is a community art program that was founded in 2008. It began as a children’s knitting and crochet class at the West Broad Street YMCA and quickly grew to include a broad spectrum of art forms in weekly classes for children and adults throughout Savannah’s urban neighborhoods. Through programs and partnerships with schools, community centers, museums and local businesses, Loop It Up Savannah brings art and creativity to 10,000 young people each year. With a strong commitment to Savannah’s youth, the organization’s motto is “Make Things and Be Nice.” The program focuses on meeting youth where they are and supporting them to be all they can be in their artwork and other aspects of life. In April 2015 Loop It Up Savannah became an independent non-profit organization giving us a greater ability to foster creative partnerships throughout Savannah. To learn more about Loop It Up Savannah, visit www.loopitupSavannah.com.
ABOUT SAVANNAH PHILANTHROPIC PARTNERS
Savannah Philanthropic Partners is a giving circle established in 2021 by four Savannah women and grew to include 18 additional partners in its first year. A giving circle provides the opportunity for members to pool their funds to create a greater impact on a chosen nonprofit organization. They offer donors a way to collaborate with others, learn about social issues, and effect community change. The funds are held in a common tax-deductible fund by the Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta, until the nonprofit is identified by the organization’s members. To learn more about Savannah Philanthropic Partners and the concept of a giving circle, email SavPhilanthropicPartners@gmail.com