Project Iluminate
The Melissa Fund has raised a generation of youth leaders who are motivated and passionate about service activities through yearly participation in fundraising and advocacy efforts regarding sun safe practices and melanoma awareness. With Project Illuminate, we’d like to inspire motivated youth by providing small seed grants to jump start service projects. We hope to grow a movement of future leaders with the courage to affect change who are interested in illuminating kindness, compassion, and social justice through acts of service unique to their community.
Want to be a Project Illuminate Ambassador?
Let us know about the needs of your community and your vision for change, we’d be happy to help get your project started with a small grant.
What can I use a small grant for?
You’d be surprised at the impact you can make with a small kick start. Our Project illuminate team used $500 to put together cold and flu goody bags for patients in the pediatric emergency department at Stony Brook Children’s during the winter surge of respiratory illnesses. Want to organize a spike ball tournament to raise awareness for adolescent mental health? You can use a grant from Project Illuminate to pay for door prizes, t-shirts, or a DJ to make the event fun!
Meet the Team
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Kate Chitkara
Co-FOUNDER, President
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Jessica Scardino
Vice-President
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Luke Chitkara and Max Schoolman
Past-President and Past-Vice President
What do we do?
Provide support and mentorship for youth leaders who want to make a difference in their communities. We start with local community service projects led by members of our executive board, choosing projects that shine a light on needs important to our own community.
Our executive board uses their experience to help inform youth leaders across the country in their endeavors to make a difference in their own communities. We help guide, mentor, brainstorm and celebrate the successes Project Illuminate Ambassadors achieve with their projects.
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Luci used her PI small grant to have sunscreen dispensers installed at local beaches in Setauket and raise awareness about sun safety in her community. Go Luci!!
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Bella spent her summer working on a PI grant to help provide grab and go meals to kids in her community with food insecurity. Her project was featured on the local news!
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Josie rallied the troops in her community to support Hope House, a charitable organization that provides a safe resting spot for teens with housing insecurity. She used her PI small grant to help fund a drive for toiletry and essential items!
