Gerber Foundation Gives Promise Zone a Lift

L-R (and appropriately masked) Steve Witter, Chair, Newaygo County Area Promise Zone Fund Raising Committee Catherine Obits, Program Manager, The Gerber Foundation Dr. Lori Tubbergen Clark, Chair, Newaygo County Area Promise Zone

The Gerber Foundation Board of Trustees, at a recent meeting, awarded a $10,000 gift to the Newaygo County Area Promise Zone scholarship program.  Since 2017, the Foundation has gifted over $50,000 to the Newaygo County Area Promise Opportunity Fund. 

​Dr. Lori Tubbergen Clark, Superintendent, Newaygo County RESA and Chair of the Promise Zone stated, “We are grateful to The Gerber Foundation for their continued support of the Newaygo County Promise scholarship program.  With their help, our promise to provide a path for career and college opportunities to our graduates can be sustained. This gift to support the Newaygo County Promise will change the lives of many young people and their families.” 

The Newaygo County Promise Zone is a community-based universal scholarship program to raise educational attainment levels and promote economic development.  The goal of the Promise Zone is to provide eligible Newaygo County high school graduates with a tuition-free path to an associate degree from at least one institution.   Since beginning in 2017, the Promise Zone has awarded over $1.3 million in tuition payments in support of 522 Newaygo County students pursuing opportunities to earn post-secondary credentials.  

“The Gerber Foundation is committed to improving the health and well-being of the youngest members of our society. And improving post-secondary educational opportunities for our local youth absolutely aligns with the Foundation mission and goals,” stated Catherine Obits, Program Manager for the Gerber Foundation.   

The 2021-2022 Promise Zone application window for first year applicants will open on January 4, 2021. More information about the Newaygo County Area Promise Zone can be found at www.promise.zone.

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