Michigan Gateway Community Foundation Awards Grants to Local Charitable Programs
Submitted by Michael Rowland, Michigan Gateway Community Foundation President/CEO
Buchanan, MI – April 17, 2022
The Board of Trustees for Michigan Gateway Community Foundation are proud to announce that we have approved the granting of funds from the Foundation to the following programs:
- $10,303.41 to the Salvation Army of Niles to provide funding for the Feeding His Sheep program. Providing meal bag contents for local students. Funds made available through the Niles Area Fund, Ann S Cone Fund and the Niles Youth Advisory Council Fund.
- $15,000 to the Buchanan District Library to provide tutoring to Buchanan Area Students as well as contributing to their Capital Building Campaign. Funds made available through the Walt Schirmer Jr and Marjorie H Desenberg Fund. The B.R. & Marjorie H. Desenberg Fund made available to the tutoring program.
- $3,500 for the 2023 Cass County Backpack Spectacular hosted by United Way of Southwest Michigan. These funds will be utilized to provide new backpacks and grade-appropriate school supplies for 850 Cass County students who live in low-income households in Cass County. Funds made available through the Cass Youth Advisory Council Fund.
- $2,500 to fund the One Buchanan Equity & Inclusion seminars for the purpose of fostering cultural fluency and competence in the Buchanan Community, as well as surrounding areas. Funds provided through the Buchanan Area Fund and Buchanan Youth Advisory Council Fund.
- $10,000 to The City of Buchanan for Days Avenue improvements including artwork and lighting in accordance with the plans outlined in the strategic plan. Funds made available through the Walt Schirmer Jr Fund, George & LaVonne Sullivan Endowment.
- $8,113 to Buchanan Community Schools as final pledge payment for tuition reimbursement for special education certification. This grant was made possible through the Buchanan Education Fund.
- $20,000 for the City of Niles to help low income and senior citizens make home repairs they otherwise would not be able to afford. Funds made possible through the Help4Homes Fund serving the Niles Community.
- Special Note – On May 6th, 2023 Michigan Gateway Community Foundation will be hosting Show Me The Money Day between 12pm – 4pm. This event will be held at the Redbud City Center located at 131 S. Oak St, Buchanan, MI 49107. This is a free event that will provide resources, workshops and other financial assistance opportunities. Vendors and presenters will provide resources for first time home buyers, college saving, credit repair, senior citizen programs and much more.
Founded in 1977, Michigan Gateway Community Foundation serves southern Berrien County and Cass County Michigan. The Foundation was established with gifts from many citizens in amounts ranging from a few dollars to hundreds of thousands of dollars. Only the income generated by the investment of these gifts is used in grant making. A gift to the community funds, such as those from Niles, Buchanan, and Cass County, serve these communities in perpetuity.
The Foundation accepts grant proposals two times each year with submission dates of August 1, and February 1. Prompt consideration is given to all grant requests, with decisions usually available within one month. Each proposal will be evaluated by the Foundation for its potential value to the community and for the availability of funding resources. For more information on Michigan Gateway Community Foundation, or to make a contribution that supports your community, contact Michael P. Rowland at 111 Days Avenue, Buchanan, MI 49107, visit www.mgcf.org, or call 269-695-3521.
About Michigan Gateway Community Foundation: From our single community beginning in October of 1977, we have evolved into a full service, accredited, and standards compliant Foundation serving Southern Berrien County, focused on Niles and Buchanan, and all of Cass County. Our mission: fostering a community of philanthropy, for good, forever. Strong community support has steadily grown the Foundation. We now have over 135 separate funds, with new ones added every year. The largest single gift to the Foundation was transferred in 2016 from the estate of Walter E. Schirmer, Jr., son of one of the original founders of the Buchanan Area Foundation, which today is Michigan Gateway Community Foundation. In excess of $8,000,000, the gift funds the Buchanan Promise, a place-based scholarship for graduates of Buchanan High School. The Foundation doubled in size with this gift, today holding endowment assets totaling more than $25,000,500.
Contact: Michael P. Rowland, President & Chief Executive Officer
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