The National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) received a $389,000 grant from the Dunkin’ Brands Community Foundation to support its National Junior Firefighter Program. The NVFC was one of three organizations to receive a grant from the Foundation this year.
The grant was announced at an event at the Dunkin’ Brands headquarters in Boston on November 30. NVFC’s Executive Director Heather Schafer, Massachusetts Director Mike Bird, and Massachusetts Alternate Joe Maruca attended the event.
“We are thrilled to be among the recipients of the Dunkin’ Brands Community Foundation grants,” said Heather Schafer, Executive Director of the NVFC, as she spoke at the event. “The National Junior Firefighter Program is an important recruitment tool for departments, and it is a great way to introduce youth to the fire service and strengthen community preparedness. With this grant, we can expand the program in many exciting ways. We look forward to working with the Foundation to involve even more communities in this effort.”
In total this year, the Dunkin’ Brands Community Foundation awarded more than $700,000 in grants to help emergency response organizations better serve the nation’s communities. In addition to the NVFC, grants were awarded to America’s Second Harvest, the largest network of food banks in the nation, and the Leary Firefighters Foundation.
“The Dunkin’ Brands Community Foundation exists to serve an often overlooked goal – supporting emergency responders before a crisis arises,” said Stephan Shelton, chairman of the Dunkin’ Brands Community Foundation and a franchisee of both Dunkin’ Donuts and Baskin-Robbins. “These grants will greatly assist three important organizations to build the talent and infrastructure they need to support our communities when they need them the most.”
The NVFC launched the National Junior Firefighter Program in July. The grant will support database/web site development, program promotion, an annual award, scholarships to junior firefighters, and more. Learn more about the NVFC and the National Junior Firefighter Program at www.nvfc.org.
