The Penny Harvest

The Penny Harvest

The Penny Harvest, an educational program created by the not-for-profit Common Cents, engages students in Youth Philanthropy – fundraising, grant-making and service – with the goal of developing their generosity and moral character as well as their understanding of democratic participation.

Nationally, over half a million children participate in the Penny Harvest and have raised over 5 million dollars since the program’s inception. Students use the funds to provide monetary grants to non-profits and carry-out Neighborhood Service projects. Many of the causes and charities these children support through the Penny Harvest include sexual abuse, LGBT rights, issues surrounding homelessness, animal cruelty, and immigration rights, and charities such as American Red Cross, Make-A-Wish Foundation, and the American Cancer Society.

The Penny Harvest is a service-learning and character education program that strives to continue US President Bill Clinton’s vision of expanding opportunities for Americans to serve their communities. The program endeavors to bridge the theoretical leap from community service to total service-learning, where service is integrated into the classroom through instruction. “School-based philanthropy initiatives, like the Penny Harvest, are now catching on nation wide.”