To Learn, Laugh and Make New Friends

Gerber Foundation awards over $103,000 in Spring Grant Round
 
The Gerber Foundation awarded 24 grants totaling $103,274 to various nonprofit community organizations in West Michigan for programs serving the youth in Newaygo, Muskegon, Oceana, and Lake Counties.  Grants were made to support a variety of activities in the areas of science education, summer programming and camp scholarships, other general youth programming, and early literacy skills.
 
Several grants were made to various camps for summer camp scholarships, including to Harbor Hospice’s Camp Courage, Tall Turf Ministries’ Camp Tall Turf, American Diabetes Association’s ADA Imagine Camp, and Rose Lake Youth Camp.  Additional youth program support went to Croton Township for the summer recreation program and to Joyful Strides Foundation for scholarships to therapeutic riding sessions.
 
Numerous grants were provided in support of education and training: Grant Christian schools for their STEAM Fueled Outdoor Education program; Reeths-Puffer Education Inc, for “Starting the Cartoonversation™ for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion” book printing costs; MSU Extension Lake County for summer 4-H STEAM Learning kits; Muskegon Area ISD teacher training for Engaging Students in STEM through Place-based Stewardship Education Projects; Junior Achievement of the Michigan Great Lakes for Newaygo County elementary student financial literacy programs, the White Cloud Library for their childhood literacy program, “Reaching Out and Bringing Them In”; and to TrueNorth Community Services for after school programing.
 
Various other grants were made to the Holton United Methodist Church for their school backpack and supply program; Community enCompass for support of the Muskegon County Youth Empowerment Project; and to the Gerald R. Ford Council, Boy Scouts of America, and Girl Scouts of Michigan Shore-to-Shore for scout outreach, recruiting, and retention programs.
 
“We are so very grateful for the commitment and resiliency of our community partners.” said Sally Hall, Assistant Program Manager, The Gerber Foundation.  “Despite uncertainty and trying situations organizations have found ways to operate their youth programs in safe and secure environments giving our children an opportunity to again interact with each other, learn, laugh and make new friends.” 
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Additional grants were awarded to:
 Baldwin Family Health Care – to help purchase a Digital Panorex X-ray
Life Resources of Northern Michigan – for their crib program to promote safe sleep
Newaygo County Museum and Heritage Center -- for youth field trips to the museum
Ronald McDonald House of Western Michigan -- for the Family Support Program
SAE Foundation -- for hands-on STEM teacher training and programming

Croton Township Summer Rec Program- Photo from their fb page