Fencing in the Park began as a summer weekend program for children in Flatbush Brooklyn. It was founded by Nzingha Prescod, an Olympic fencer who benefitted from a fencing program when she was young that allowed her to attend Columbia University on a fencing scholarship. With our support and others, she opened Prescod Institute of Sport, Teamwork and Education (PISTE) and left her consulting job to build the organization and teach fencing along with an Olympic teammate to children four times a week. Nzingha also co-authored legislation to create the newly formed Mayor’s Office of Sports.

“Working with the Williamson Foundation has been a unique experience of authentic support for PISTE to succeed and achieve its mission. Thank you for not only financially contributing but also giving us the opportunity to learn from and collaborate with other nonprofit leaders!”

The Adaptive Leadership in Human Services Institute teaches aspiring human service practitioners an adaptive framework approach to societal challenges so they can apply it to their work and bring about positive change. This growing institute promotes connection and collaboration, and addresses barriers to social justice in the human services field. Part of the institute, the Adaptive Leadership Fellowship features intensive weekend seminars covering the adaptive leadership framework. Fellows are equipped with a set of strategies and tools to help practitioners bring about needed social change.

The mission of Harlem Grown is to inspire young people to maintain healthy and ambitious lives. They achieve this through mentoring kids in urban farming, sustainability, and nutrition. The program’s nutrition education primarily targets elementary-aged students to establish healthy habits at an early age. Harlem Grown raises funds for physical renovation of abandoned Harlem lots so they may transform them into urban farms. Currently, Harlem Grown hosts 10 urban agriculture locations including from soil-based farms, hydroponic greenhouses, and school gardens.

“Thank you so much to the Williamson Distinguished Scholar Program. Becoming a Williamson Distinguished Scholar at The University of Chapel Hill has meant so much to me. I will never forget the day I opened my acceptance letter from UNC-Chapel Hill with tears in my eyes after learning I received a full-ride scholarship. I was beyond grateful to the Williamson Scholarship Foundation for supporting me on my journey to attend my dream University and helping me be one step closer to making a difference in my community. I am honored to be a Williamson Scholar. I look forward to carrying on the Williamson Scholarship Foundation legacy by committing to academic excellence, community service, and leadership.”
UNC BRW Scholarship Student – Jordyn Middleton

“I am so grateful to you and the foundation for the generous and thoughtful scholarship which will help us enormously in our mission to create a new generation of leaders for North Carolina and beyond. I appreciate the clear vision and goals you and the board have for making the scholarship something truly special and helping those who might not otherwise be able to attend Carolina and go on to do great things.”

The mission of Connections is to work in partnership with young people, families, organizations, and volunteers to curate long-lasting, supportive mentoring relationships that improve self-worth for young people with past, current, or peripheral contact with the child welfare or juvenile justice systems in New York City or Westchester County.

Boys & Girls Clubs has been helping Wake County youth reach their full potential as productive, caring, and responsible citizens for over 50 years. They operate seven neighborhood Clubs across Wake County, including a Teen Center dedicated to building our next generation of leaders. Thanks to our donors and volunteers, we ensure all young people, especially those who need us most, have the greatest opportunity to succeed in school, at work, and in life. Great futures start here!

Culture For One transforms the lives of New York City children in foster care through the power of the arts. It provides opportunities to inspire their creativity, stimulate their intellect, and introduce them to broader possibilities for their future. Its cultural excursions, creative workshops, art scholarships, and one to one mentoring nurture big dreams and encourage higher education and career planning.

Hudson River Community Sailing (HRCS) is a non-profit youth development and community sailing organization with locations in Chelsea and Inwood. We develop leadership and academic success in underserved New York City youth through partnerships with public schools, and our diverse and vibrant community sailing center provides maritime education and recreation to the city at large. Core to our work is the belief that everyone can learn to sail, and that sailing provides a unique opportunity for growth and discovery.

For over 35 years, Naked Angels has operated at many levels, big and small. They have proudly helped develop work that has gone everywhere from downtown dives, to regional theaters, major Off-Broadway productions and even Broadway itself. At its core is unyielding support of dynamic storytelling, serving artists with communal spirit and helping to get work done.