YouthBridge and Skandalaris Center of Washington University award $105,000 to the Winners of 2006 Social Entrepreneurship and Innovation Competition (SEIC).

Congratulations All!

St. Louis , May 10, 2006 -At the Award Ceremony for the inaugural Social Entrepreneurship and Innovation Competition (SEIC), attended by family, friends and supporters from the campus and community, the winners of over $100,000 in awards were announced.  We thank all who attended, participated, and supported the first year of the SEIC.  There are not losers as all the groups who participated gained new knowledge and awareness, some received award money to further their efforts. These include:

• $35,000 YouthBridge Award to Boomerang Press - an ArtWorks Enterprise, which will sell products such as note cards and calendars designed by at-risk teenage apprentices to artists.  (http://www.stlartworks.org/)
• $30,000 Incarnate Word Award to The REAP Training Institute, which trains domestic violence advocates with the knowledge and skills needed to increase the economic empowerment of women experiencing intimate partner violence. (http://www.row-stl.org/)
• $25,000 Skandalaris Center Award to Meds & Food for Kids, which produces and distributes an innovative, nutrient-rich peanut butter paste, called Ready-to Use Therapeutic Food, for children dying of malnutrition in Haiti. (http://www.medsandfoodforkids.org/)
• Additionally, the competition awarded a total of $15,000 to teams which were founded by or supported by Washington University students. Both the REAP Training Institute and Meds & Food for Kids received an additional $5,000, with the third award to the Panda Athletic Gym (http://www.pandaac.org/), a full service gym teaching boxing to underprivileged, at-risk teens. The gym will also provide mentoring and tutoring.

 The finalists included both existing and new not-for-profit ventures. Some with student participation and some without. All ideas are posted on www.ideabounce.com. 

• Art Works
• BUILD St. Louis
• Haven of Grace
• La Loba Life Services
• Meds & Food for Kids
• Panda Athletic Club
• Redevelopment Opportunities for Women
• Wyman Peak Performance Profile Initiative