
About the Annual Program
Started in 2002 as a component of the Capital Region Community Foundation, the Uplift Our Youth Fund has awarded more than $160,000 in grants to several community-based organizations/agencies that have been able to provide programs that benefit youth.
From the beginning, the Uplift Our Youth Fund – and now the Uplift Our Youth Foundation – has benefitted from the support of many community leaders in the Lansing area. Our Board of Directors represents a cross-section of our community, including business, academia, non-profit organizations, and government agencies. The Annual Program that is hosted every year is a special time where we celebrate those organizations/agencies in our communities that focus on making an impact on our youth as well as award Grants to some of those organizations as well.
18th Annual Grant Award & Fundraising Event
Wednesday, November 11th, 2020 at 7:00pm

2020 Youth Advocate of the Year
Cameo Lyn King
“Within every living creature therein lies a purpose.” As a global leader and native Detroiter, Cameo L. King stands on that mantra.
Her passion began in the nation’s capitol at Howard University where she earned her BA in Broadcast Journalism. She began her career in media as a reporter and anchor for Power 96.5 and 1320 WILS, and as a producer and assignment editor for the CBS affiliate, WLNS 6 News in Lansing, MI.
Cameo became rooted in her commitment to grow local communities after having one of the most rewarding experiences of teaching a media course to a local youth organization. From there, her love of empowering individuals grew. She was promoted from a project director to serving as the Chief Operating Officer for One Love Global, a non-profit that responds to the social, economic and developmental needs of vulnerable children and families. There she forged partnerships across the state and city and worked directly with a cross section of diverse stakeholders to create sustainable community change.
Cameo continued following her passion to help serve and cultivate the hearts and minds of the people in education. She continued her collegiate career at Grand Rapids Theological Seminary where she earned a Master of Arts in Urban Ministry Leadership.
While pursuing her Master’s degree, Cameo founded Grit, Glam & Guts, a statewide movement that engages young girls with arts, civic engagement, and educational opportunities. In a relatively span of time, Cameo assessed the needs of girls in Michigan and expanded GGG from a one-day teen conference in Lansing to now include conferences for teen girls in Lansing, Flint, and Detroit along with semester long academic programming and a week-long residential summer camp in partnership with Michigan State University’s Residential College in the Arts and Humanities. She is currently the CEO of Good Girl Radio, which is a podcast of confessions about flaws, faith, femininity & culture. It’s a national multi-media platform, known for touching the lives of women across the different races, incomes, and walks of life through the thought-provoking conversations that address some of the deepest, unabashed thoughts of the modern-day woman.
Cameo also applied her communications and public relation skills in the public and private sector as consultant for local and national leaders and organizations where she translated complex policy issues into effective communications strategies and coordinated messaging strategies to advocate for improved educational outcomes for Lansing children and families. Through her work, Cameo has developed a unique skill set that has allowed her to garner support and partnerships from a cross section of sectors including faith-based coalitions, government municipalities, and elected state officials. She also continues to serve her community at every opportunity especially as a proud member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Incorporated.
Through her work as a journalist and service in the community, she was awarded the 2017 Lansing Chamber of Commerce’s “Ten Over the Next Ten” Award that recognizes the Lansing region’s top young professionals who are expected to contribute significantly to our community over the next ten years. The winners of the Ten Over the Next Ten awards are judged based on their professional achievement, community involvement and personal success. Most recently, Cameo was featured on the cover of the Capital Area Women’s Lifestyle Magazine for February 2020 sharing passionate words of her hopes for Black women and girls.
But Cameo knows none of this would be possible without her faith. She exercises her love for the Lord at the Lansing Church of God In Christ as a licensed missionary. She firmly believes that there are no limits in life. She knows that through hard work, strong ethics, and faith in God, the possibilities for her life are endless.

2020 Spotlight of Excellence
Divya Reddy – Williamston High School
Students whose names are listed in the hall of Spotlight on Excellence have excelled in multiple capacities. Divya Reddy’s outstanding achievements have garnered this honor. Her English teacher stated that she is very conscientious about her work and expects the best product from herself. She dazzles with her ability to do challenging work, and she will take risk, such as joining in predominantly senior level class as a junior. In her writing and speaking she is consistently the voice of reason and able to look at multiple perspectives to situations. She further states that she has observed many students who possess a solid work ethic and are natural born leaders as they move through high school. What I have less frequently observed a student who inherently takes those same qualities and uses them for the good of others. Divya Reddy is one of those rare gems, and has the potential to make a significant impact on anyone she assists. Her academic achievements have placed her at the head of her graduating class. She has distinguished herself as valedictorian.
Other teachers echo their appreciation for her leadership abilities and true care she has for causes outside of herself. Her enthusiasm for helping others is evident in the organizations she joins. Her involvement in the Be Nice program, a mental health and anti-bullying initiative, and her role as a PAL (Peer Assistance Listener) exemplify her desire to help others.
Doctors at the University of Michigan Rogel Cancer Center praise her volunteer support stating that Divya has repeatedly demonstrated her passion for learning, and her presentations have been an inspiration for other students and researchers in the lab. She is incredibly reliable, energetic, and hardworking in pursuing her research goals in the lab, and she has been a tremendous addition to the team. The research staff quickly came to appreciate Divya’s commitment and strong desire to improve the lives of patients.
Her involvement in Community Foundation’s Youth Action Committee further illustrates how invested Divya is in the projects she supports and the future she envisions for our world. Working with diverse populations, Divya serves as chair of the Youth Action Committee (YAC) of the Capital Region Community Foundation, a group of tri-county area teens who engage in philanthropy and grant-making. The YAC oversees the Youth Fund by carefully selecting grants to make in the local community. Divya also holds the position of Student Trustee, representing the YAC as a full voting member of the Foundation’s board of trustees. Divya was also selected to represent the local YAC at the state level in the Michigan Community Foundation Youth Project (MCFYP) committee which serves all the Youth Action Committees around the state. Divya has most certainly identified herself as a mature leader, a consummate scholar, and a compassionate person.
Past Award Recipiants
2020 GRANT RECIPIENTS
Grit Glam and Guts Programming - $2,000
Lansing Art Gallery and Education Center/Art Encounters - $2,000
Carol Greer Learning Center/School Support Program - $2,000
Building Child And Family Initiatives Stem Ahead Camp - $2,000
Capital United Way Capital Area Access Network/FAFSA Flocked - $2,000
2019 GRANT RECIPIENTS
Michigan Dyslexia Institute - $2,500
Kids Turning Corners - $2,500
Kids Repair Program - $1,500
Building Child And Family Initiatives - $2,500
Womens Center Of Greater Lansing - $2,500
Lansing Art Gallery And Education Center - $3,000
Lansing Spartans Youth Org. - $500
2018 GRANT RECIPIENTS
Kids Turning Corners, Inc. - $2,500
Building Child & Family Initiatives - $2,250
Capital Area Literacy Coalition - $2,000
Churches of Greater Lansing - $2,500
Lansing Art Gallery, Inc - $1000
Beekman Therapeutic Riding Center - $1,500
The Turning Point of Lansing - $2,250
St. Stephens Church Carol Greer Community
Learning Center - $1,000
2017 GRANT RECIPIENTS
Kids Turning Corners, Inc - $2000
Building Child & Family Initiatives - $1500
Village Summit - $2500
Michigan Coalition to Prevent Gun Violence - $2000
Eastside Community Center - $2000
Lansing Art Gallery, Inc - $1000
Gridiron Summer Institute - $1000
2016 GRANT RECIPIENTS
Building Child & Family Initiatives - $2,000
Beekman Therapeutic Riding Center - $2,000
Eastside Community Action Center - $1,600
Kids Repair Program - $1,400
The Carol J. Greer Community Center - $3,000
2015 GRANT RECIPIENTS
Boys & Girls Club of Lansing - $2,000
Child and Family Services of Michigan, Inc. - $2,500
Kids Repair Program - $1,200
Kendon Elementary School - $2,000
New Mount Calvary Baptist Church - $2,300
2014 GRANT RECIPIENTS
Beekman Therapeutic Riding Center - $1,400
Child and Family Services of Michigan, Inc. - $1,000
Girl Scouts Heart of Michigan - $1,400
ITEC - $1,000
Kids Repair Program - $1,200
Lansing Kappa Alpha Psi Foundation, Inc. - $2,000
St Stephen's Community Church - $2,000
2013 GRANT RECIPIENTS
Kids Repair Program - $1,000
St. Stephen's Community Church - $1,000
The Turning Point of Lansing - $2,500
Child and Family Services of Michigan, Inc. - $500
Highfields, Inc. - $2,500
Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity Epsilon Tau Sigma - $2,000
2012 GRANT RECIPIENTS
Lansing College Access Network - $1,000
Beekman Therapeutic Riding Center - $1,000
Southside Community Coalition - $1,000
The Turning Point of Lansing - $1,500
Kids Repair Program - $750
New Mount Calvary Baptist Church - $1,000
Reach Studio Art Center - $750
Girl Scouts Heart of Michigan - $1,000
Capital Area Literacy Coalition - $1,000
Northwest Lansing Health Communities Initiative - $1,000
2011 GRANT RECIPIENTS
St. Stephen's Community Church - $1,200
Highfields, Inc. - $1,200
Dream and Vision Manifested - $1,000
Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity - $1,500
Black Child & Family Institute - $2,000
Boys and Girls Clubs of Lansing - $2,000
Eastside Community Action Center - $1,100
2010 GRANT RECIPIENTS
Beekman Therapeutic Riding Center - $1,500
D.A.N.C.E, Inc.
(Developing & Nurturing Community Empowerment) - $1,800
Big Brothers Big Sisters Michigan Capital Region - $1,000
Eastside Community Action Center - $1,200
Closing the Digital Gap - $500 Black Child & Family Institute - $2,000
Capital Area Golf for Youth, Inc. - $1,000
Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity ETS Chapter Educational Fund - $1,000
2009 GRANT RECIPIENTS
Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity ETS Chapter Educational Fund - $1,500
St. Stephen's Community Church - Community Outreach Center - $1,500
Antioch Cares Community Development Corp. - $500
Big Brothers Big Sisters Michigan Capital Region - $1,000
The Turning Point Lansing - $1,500
Lansing Kappa Alpha Psi Foundation - $1,500
Northwest Initiative - $1,500
Black Child & Family Institute - $1,500
Beekman Therapeutic Riding Center - $500
Worship Without Words - $1,500
2008 GRANT RECIPIENTS
Beekman Therapeutic Riding Center – $1,500
Worship Without Words – $2,000
Antioch Cares Community Development Corp. – $1,000
Big Brothers Big Sisters Michigan Capital Region – $1,500
Ele’s Place – $1,500
Boys & Girls Club of Lansing – $2,500
2007 GRANT RECIPIENTS
Black Child & Family Institute – $3,500
MI Foundation for Education Leadership – $1,000
Inspirational Ministries – $1,500
Gateway Community Services - $2,000.00
Westside YMCA - $2,000.00