Community Foundation Grants Exceed $560,000 in 2016
MT. PLEASANT, MI - The Mt. Pleasant Area Community Foundation Board of Trustees recently awarded more than $105,000 in grants to organizations impacting Isabella County, making the total awarded in 2016 more than $560,000.
Art Reach of Mid Michigan received $1,356.00 from the Russ Herron Poetry Fund for the Wellspring Literary Series.
Central Michigan District Health Department received $5,303.51 from the Breast and Cervical Cancer Fund to support a computer upgrade for electronic medical records.
Character Programs received $6,500.00 from the Kellogg Youth Fund for Anti-Bullying Speaker Tom Thelan, who will present to Isabella County 7-12 grade students about how to respond to bullying.
Christmas Outreach received $900.00 from the Kellogg Youth Fund, $2,256.34 from the Women's Initiative Fund, $2,700.00 from the Hersee Family Fund, $1,600.00 from the David B. and Susan K. Keilitz Family Fund, and $543.66 from the Sullivan Family Fund to purchase children’s books and winter coats.
City of Mt. Pleasant received $10,000.00 from the Community Impact Fund, $8,500.00 from the Jane McNamara and Louise Williams Fund, $1,000.00 from the Optimist Club of Mt. Pleasant Fund, and $5,500.00 from the Kay Smith Family Fund, to support Timber Town 2.0, replacing the playscape in Island Park.
Community Compassion Network received $1,113.00 from the Kellogg Youth Fund, $1,287.00 from the Elizabeth Z. Miller & Bruce H. LaPointe Community Needs Fund, $1,600.00 from the Michael D. and Dianne C. Morey Community Needs Fund, and $1,000.00 from the Dr. Leonard E. and Louise A. Plachta Unrestricted Fund to provide supplemental food assistance.
Community Compassion Network received $3,000.00 from the Women's Initiative Fund to purchase diapers for the William Ellis Brockman Infant Pantry.
EightCAP received $1,500.00 from the Continuum Homelessness Grant Fund to cover costs of emergency shelter when other homeless resources are not an option.
Friends of the Broadway received $6,480.00 from the Community Impact Fund for capacity building in the areas of strategic planning and fund development.
Friends of the Library received $2,238.19 from the Friends of the Library Fund for upgrades so that guests can download movies, TV shows, music and audiobooks to computers, smart phones, and tablets.
Gratiot-Isabella RESD received $1,950.00 from the Kellogg Youth Fund, $850.00 from the Staples Family Fund, and $1,100.00 from the Theunissen Family Fund to enroll 150 children in the Dolly Parton Imagination Library Program.
Great Lakes Bay Foundation received $6,400.00 from the Denison Unrestricted Fund, $2,400.00 from the G. Charles and Janice L. Hubscher Fund, $3,000.00 from the Morey Foundation Donor Advised Fund, and $3,200.00 from the W. Sidney Smith and Judith French Smith Family Fund to provide Isabella County Middle School math students with STEM curriculum tailored for each classroom.
Habitat for Humanity received $1,500.00 from the Lon Morey Family Fund, $500.00 from the John Neyer Family Fund, and $3,000.00 from the Weisenburger Family Fund for an exterior home preservation program that helps low-income homeowners.
Isabella Citizens for Health received $693.00 from the Isabella Bank Director Memorial Fund for a sharps disposal education program.
Lincoln Township of Isabella County received $1,500.00 from the Brewster Family Access to Recreation Fund and $1,000.00 from the Janet Maar Strickler Access to Recreation Fund to provide a handicap accessible sidewalk from the picnic pavilion to the Lincoln Township Hall.
Listening Ear Crisis Center received $2,000.00 from the Listening Ear Consumer Needs and Dreams Fund for medical needs of consumers as well as a consumer led micro-enterprise business.
Montabella Community Schools received $493.00 from the Montabella Community Schools Education Fund for startup art supplies for a new elective class at the elementary school.
Mt. Pleasant Discovery Museum received $1,300.00 from the Kellogg Youth Fund and $3,200.00 from the Community Impact Fund to install a new Light Room Exploration exhibit.
Mt. Pleasant Public Schools received $300.00 from the Kellogg Youth Fund for support of the Junie B. Jones Play Production that toured Isabella County elementary schools.
Mt. Pleasant Public Schools received $300.00 from the Kellogg Youth Fund for “Students of Promise,” a project that provides homeless youth with tokens to launder their clothes at a local laundry mat.
Mt. Pleasant Public Schools Education Foundation received $2,500.00 from the John R. and Constance M. Harkins Community Fund to further grow their endowment for the future.
Shepherd Public Schools received $1,000.00 from the Kellogg Youth Fund to provide food assistance for students in need during extended school breaks.
Shepherd Railroad Museum Association received $546.00 from the Shepherd Community Fund in Honor of Robert Bates to replace the windows in the Shepherd Caboose.
Village of Shepherd received $2,162.00 from the Shepherd Community Fund in Honor of Robert Bates to decorate Downtown Shepherd with garland this holiday season.
Applications for the next competitive grant cycle are due January 25, 2017. For more information on grant eligibility, and ways to support the endowed funds that make these grants possible, visit www.mpacf.org.