Four County Community Foundation’s Board of Trustees met recently to approve $76,911.17 in grant dollars to local nonprofit organizations. Volunteer committees reviewed the third quarter grant applications and recommended awards to 18 local groups, including four area school districts.

The Four County Community Fund and Shelby Community Fund awarded nearly $50,000 among five groups. Love, INC of Lapeer County received a grant to help with their mission of assisting needy residents with housing and utilities. Huron-Clinton Metroparks will again offer our local school districts the opportunity to schedule field trips to Wolcott Mill Farm and Stony Creek free of charge. The grant money covers the cost of transportation and entrance fees for our students. The Shelby CF grant was awarded to the Shelby Township Police Department to sponsor their annual “shred-day,” allowing citizens to safely destroy sensitive documents.

The Friends of the Ray Township Library and Historical Society received a grant toward their on-going restoration of the Procter Cemetery, cleaning, repairing and documenting the historic cemetery. The tablets and monuments date from 1828 – 1956 and reflect the lives of 100 individuals, including early pioneers and township officials.

Capac Elementary School received a grant towards the upcoming FIRST Lego League (FLL) season. The elementary STEAM classes are part of the curriculum. The young programmers collaborate with the high school robotics team (Metal & Soul) to identify problems and build and program their Lego robots to find solutions. The FLL program continues to be a success, as 60% of the Capac High School Team have previously participated in the elementary program. Go Chiefs!

The Foundation’s Healthy Senior / Healthy Youth Fund (HSHY) supported five programs providing for the mental and physical well-being of our local citizens. Almont, Capac and Dryden community schools each received grants which promise to promote inclusivity, build character, and comfort students in time of need. Other HSHY grants went to the Dryden Township Police Department to upgrade first responder vehicle kits and to Rainbow Connection, helping our local wish children pursue education beyond high school.

Our 21st Century Education funds are awarded to teachers for innovative classroom programs. Two were awarded this quarter: Almont Middle School for mosaic benches, and Imlay City Weston Elementary for their before-school reading program.

The W.K. Kellogg Youth Fund awarded five grants totaling over $12,000. The grant requests are reviewed and recommended by members of our Youth Advisory Committee (YAC). The student reviewers awarded Dryden Elementary School (book vending-machine), Imlay City Middle School (Meadowbrook Theater experience), Almont Middle School (Social Studies globes) and the Girl Scouts of SE MI – Romeo Troop (FIRST Lego League kits). The YAC also awarded a grant to the Almont Lion’s Club to fund an Eagle Scout project that will memorialize all club-members who have made a difference in the community.

The third quarter grants bring the 2022 total grants approved to a whopping $559,840! This grand total includes $324,000 awarded to students in the form of scholarship awards. Fourth quarter grant requests may be submitted from now until October 1 by visiting here.

The communities we serve can be proud of the impact that the Foundation has had throughout the past 35 years. From an initial community investment of $2.5 million from the sale of the Community Hospital in 1987, the Foundation has grown to about $20 million, thanks to thousands of generous donors. Not only that, but more than $10 million has been returned to the local community in the form of grants and scholarships.

Remember that donations of any size are always welcome! Just as the Community Hospital was built with penny drives and jumble sales, the Foundation was developed through the generosity of your families, friends, and neighbors. Donate today!