Denver, CO - Students from 31 Colorado elementary, middle and high schools have officially harvested 3.7 million pennies, or $37,826.02, for local charities through the Young Philanthropists Foundation's 2008-2009 Penny Harvest.

Beginning in January, participating students will decide where that money can best make a difference in their communities. Issues like the environment, animals and homelessness will make the top of the list, and organizations like the Denver Dumb Friends League, the Denver Rescue Mission and Mount Saint Vincent's Home for Children will be amongst the grant recipients.

"We are blown away by this year's results," said Julie Carlton, Program Coordinator for the Young Philanthropists Foundation. "It just goes to show you how powerful our pennies, and our kids, can be when they work together."

The Penny Harvest is a year-long service learning program designed to teach kids about their value as contributors to society. Each fall students gather idle pennies from friends and neighbors in their communities. Every penny the children collect is theirs to give away to charities of their choice in an educational group process that involves both grant-making and service throughout the year. Student donations and service hours will help hundreds of local and global charities and at the same time build skills and values that will last a lifetime.

Schools across the Front Range are participating in this year's Penny Harvest from districts including Denver Public Schools, Jefferson County, Adams County, Douglas County, Colorado Springs District-11, Poudre Valley Schools, and Holyoke Schools.

Founded in 1991, the Penny Harvest is now the largest youth philanthropy program in the country, serving more than 500,000 students annually in more than 900 schools nationwide. In the past 17 years, children participating in the Penny Harvest have given away $6.7 million, awarded more than 13,500 grants and contributed nearly 25 million service hours to their local communities. The Young Philanthropists Foundation administers the program locally in partnership with Penny Harvest creators, Common Cents.

The Young Philanthropists Foundation is a 501(c)(3) organization whose mission is to give kids the power to change our world through philanthropy and volunteerism.

For more information about the Penny Harvest, please visit www.pennyharvest.org/colorado.

For more information about the Young Philanthropists Foundation, please visit www.ypfoundation.org.