Kismet receives grant from the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation to support students from Coos County

Kismet Rock Foundation Receives $11,000 Grant from the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation to Support Students from Coos County

North Conway, NHJune 28, 2012 – The Neil and Louise Tillotson Fund of the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation has awarded an $11,000 grant to Kismet Rock Foundation. These funds will provide partial scholarships for eleven low-income students from Coos County to participate in summer climbing programs in North Conway. Kismet Rock Foundation enhances the physical, intellectual, and emotional development of well-functioning but economically disadvantaged children by providing access to the immense value of a comprehensive and multi-dimensional education in technical climbing.

The grant review process of the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation is very competitive, and Kismet is honored to have been chosen as a recipient of this award from the Neil and Louise Tillotson Fund.” says Kismet board chair Brian Post. “The Tillotson Fund’s commitment to improving the educational opportunities and economic development of communities in Coos County aligns perfectly with Kismet’s recent efforts to serve more students from Gorham and Berlin.

Students from Coos County who come to Kismet will have the opportunity to climb and live with other children from New Hampshire, Boston, and Portland, Maine. Kismet has found that bringing students together from such diverse geographic and cultural backgrounds makes for a richer and more meaningful experience for everyone. Students gain from this experience both a greater capacity for empathy and the confidence they need to become leaders in their own communities. This award from the Neil and Louise Tillotson Fund of the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation will ensure that more students from northern New Hampshire will benefit from this kind of cultural exchange.

The core of the Kismet experience—the climbing education students receive—is transformative. Kismet opens new worlds of opportunity to its students, while simultaneously building the confidence and skills necessary for them to make the most of that opportunity. To learn more about Kismet, please visit www.kismetrockfoundation.org.

The New Hampshire Charitable Foundation manages a growing collection of charitable funds created by individuals, families and businesses. It awards about $30 million annually in grants and scholarships.  The foundation is nonpartisan, frequently playing the role of convener and catalyst on a broad spectrum of issues.  Based in Concord, the Charitable Foundation roots itself in the communities through regional advisory boards, serving communities throughout New Hampshire, southeastern Maine and eastern Vermont.  More information is available at www.nhcf.org or by calling 603-224-6641.

Press Release (.docx file)