Mt. Pleasant Area Community Foundation celebrates impact
Annual Breakfast hosts nearly 200 donors, leaders and partners
Nearly 200 Mt. Pleasant area donors, leaders and partners gathered on Friday, Sept. 20, to celebrate community impact at the 2024 Mt. Pleasant Area Community Foundation’s Annual Breakfast.
Matthew Showalter, president of the Community Foundation Board of Trustees, opened the event at the Comfort Inn and Conference Center, sharing highlights of the Foundation’s work from the past year. He said the Foundation’s assets climbed to nearly $30 million in 2023 and that more than $1 million in grants and scholarships were distributed across Isabella County.
“That investment in our community was possible thanks to more than 2,000 generous donors,” he said. “With your support and engagement, the Foundation continues to build on its mission of enhancing the quality of life for all citizens of Isabella County, now and for generations to come.”
He also introduced Liz Conway, the Foundation’s new chief executive officer and chief operating officer. Conway, currently president and CEO of the Mt. Pleasant Area Chamber of Commerce, brings two decades of nonprofit leadership to the Foundation, with significant experience in fundraising, donor engagement, strategic planning and community impact.
Showalter also recognized Alysha Pasquali, who stepped down as CEO/COO in June.
Angie Evans, Foundation trustee and chair of its Community Relations Committee, shared two spotlights of how organizations are using grant funding from the Community Foundation to help local residents:
People Helping People — This initiative provides meals on Sundays at Max & Emily’s Eatery in downtown Mt. Pleasant to those in need in our community The effort is led by Max & Emily’s owner Elmo Walton and former owner Elizabeth Brockman.
BlueJay Wellness — A $25,000 grant was awarded to Community Mental Health to establish the BlueJay Wellness Center in Shepherd. This school-based wellness center will offer integrated behavioral and physical healthcare for area youth.
“These initiatives underscore the strong and impactful relationship between all of you, and the Foundation as your representative and conduit to helping our community,” Evans said.
Addressing the childcare shortage
A highlight of the Annual Breakfast was a presentation by Kati Mora, vice president of Middle Michigan Development Corporation. Mora shared information about the region's childcare crisis and how it impacts parents, childcare providers and employers.
Isabella County and several other counties in our region are considered childcare deserts for infant, toddler and school aged care. A childcare desert is an area where there is only one available childcare slot for every three kids who need one.
“Childcare is an economic issue. In fact, it's estimated that childcare issues result in an estimated $2.88 billion loss annually for Michigan's economy,” she said. “The childcare crisis is a complicated one and there isn't one easy fix — it's going to take all of us working together to find solutions.”
Mora said there are several areas that could help improve the childcare crisis, including making it more affordable for parents, increasing supply and quality of childcare, supporting the childcare industry and workforce, and funding childcare as a public good, such as K-12.
Mora said the Community Foundation already is contributing to improvements in local childcare.
“The Foundation’s Community Leadership Committee has played a direct role in supporting two new childcare facilities that plan to open in the area shortly,” she said.
The Community Foundation’s next signature event, the Look Who’s Talking Speaker Series Luncheon, is scheduled for Wednesday, Oct. 30, at the Soaring Eagle Conference Center from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.