Community Foundation Grants More Than $37,000

MT. PLEASANT, MI - The Mt. Pleasant Area Community Foundation Board of Trustees recently awarded $37,992.28 in grants to organizations impacting Isabella County.

 American Red Cross received $2,400 from the Kay Smith Family Fund to address the issue of residential fire, the disaster with the largest number of responses on a yearly basis, through preparedness education.

Art Reach of Mid Michigan received $839.45 from the W. Sidney and Judith French Smith Community Fund to support the Art Walk 2018.

Beal City Public Schools received $550 from the Kellogg Youth Fund to purchase a variety of independent books for use in Ms. Lohr’s classroom.

Central Michigan University received $1,000 from the Kellogg Youth Fund to support the Chippewa River Writing Camp. The camp will invite 20 upper elementary and early middle school students from Isabella County to CMU for an intensive, week-long experience where they will explore the intersections of writing and technology.

Chippewa Watershed Conservancy received $1,350 from the Dyke and Phyllis Heinze Conservation Fund to purchase a tent and table to use at Chippewa Watershed Conservancy environmental education events, volunteer stewardship outings, trade shows and other marketing and outreach activities.

 Cultural & Recreation Commission of Isabella County received $1,595 from the Mt. Pleasant Rotary Club Access to Recreation Fund to purchase twelve Skate Helper skating aids that will be used for the I.C.E. Arena’s free Learn to Skate program for local school children.

Foster Closet of Michigan- Isabella County received $500 from the Kellogg Youth Fund and $500 from the Women’s Initiative Fund to pay for local salon services for Isabella county teens in the foster care system.

Greater Lansing Food Bank received $3,686.76 from the Community Impact Fund, $2,815.87 from the Fabiano Family Fund, and $8,497.37 from the Jane McNamara and Louise Williams Fund to support capital improvements to the Isabella County Soup Kitchen, expanding their emergency food distribution in Isabella County.

HopeWell Ranch received $1,269 from the David B. and Susan K. Keilitz Family Fund to support the Jr. Farmer program, a new interactive educational program that aims to provide an opportunity for children to interact and work side by side with other children while providing hands-on care for animals.  

 Isabella County Child Advocacy Center received $2,200 from the Women’s Initiative Fund to support the Safety Walkway Initiative, which will provide a separate entrance for the multidisciplinary team to enter the center without being recognized by children who are coming in to tell their stories of sexual abuse.

 Life Choices of Central Michigan received $6,093.83 from the Coyne Family Fund to support the mission of the organization.

Mt. Pleasant Discovery Museum received $3,065 from the Kellogg Youth Fund to build a new bicycle component in their One World exhibit, which gives children the opportunity to explore Okaya, Japan through a virtual reality software system that also promotes physical activity.

 Village of Shepherd received $630 from the Shepherd Community Fund to provide crossing guards with new stop signs that have increased visibility.

Shepherd Public Schools received $1,000 from the Shepherd Community Fund to support the After Prom, which is a safe, positive, entertaining program held immediately after prom for Shepherd High School juniors, seniors, and guests between the hours of 11PM and 3AM.

 Applications for the next competitive grant cycle are due May 23, 2018. For more information on grant eligibility, and ways to support the endowed funds that make these grants possible, visit www.mpacf.org.