On Sept. 15, Redmond-based Sheng-Yen Lu Foundation (SYL Foundation) held a special ceremony on Sept. 15 at the Lynnwood Convention Center to award $227,500 in grant funds to 15 nonprofit organizations working to improve health and education for all.

More than 3,000 people attended the event, including many leaders in the Asian American community.

SYL Foundation awarded education grants to 826 Seattle, City Year, Powerful Schools, Renton Area Youth & Family Services, Technology Access Foundation, The College Access Project, Treehouse and Year Up. These grants fund programs targeting early education, college readiness and STEM (science, technology engineering and math) education.

SYL Foundation awarded seven health care grants to Crisis Clinic, HealthPoint, Jubilee Reach Center, Kin On Community Health Center, Neighborcare Health, Smile Partners and Youth Eastside Services. These grants support programs that assist the uninsured and most vulnerable in the community receive quality medical and dental care, uncompensated care at community health centers and fund mobile dental and medical programs serving low-income families.

In the four years since its creation, the SYL Foundation has distributed more than $900,000 in health and education grants, international disaster relief aid and scholarships.