The St. Joseph-Benton Harbor Rotary Club Foundation has named the grant recipients for the 2022 funding cycle. This year, a total of $76,000 was awarded as determined by the St. Joseph-Benton Harbor Rotary Club Foundation Board of Directors. The announcement was made this Monday at the weekly hybrid meeting of the Rotary Club of St. Joseph-Benton Harbor at the Heritage Museum & Cultural Center and via Zoom.
Established in 1980, the St. Joseph-Benton Harbor Rotary Club Foundation has awarded over $1,000,000 in grants to area causes. 2022 Grant funding has been awarded for the following projects:
The Avenue Family Network, Inc. – $10,000 to purchase new medical-grade recliners for the adult care program at Harbor House Adult Day Services in Benton Harbor.
Benton Harbor CDC Present Pillars – $4,000 to support the Summer with Dad 2023 program that provides safe, community centered, fun filled summer activities that focus on dads and their relationships with their families.
Benton Harbor Public Library – $10,000 toward Launchpad 022 programming which is providing innovative and free educational STEAM based materials and activities to Benton Harbor youth.
The Center for Growth and Independence – $10,000 toward purchase of a van to serve clients who need Community Living Support services.
Community Healing Centers – $8,000 to fund Carol’s Hope which provides crisis intervention and resource navigation for individuals struggling with substance and co-occuring disorders in Berrien County.
Feeding America West Michigan – $8,000 to support Mobile Food Pantry programming in Berrien County.
Mosaic CCDA – $10,000 to support the revival of Mosaic Cafe which provides job training and soft skill development to community residents.
New Heights Christian Community Development Association – $12,000 toward construction of the Laundry Hub which will provide access to laundry equipment and human service agencies in Benton Harbor.
St. Joseph Today – $4,000 to support the 2023 Music on the Bluff program that includes Summer Friday Night Concert Series and Wednesday Concert Series at the John E. Howard Bandshell.
To be eligible, a grant request must have been for a minimum of $5,000 and submitted by a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization or governmental unit within the St. Joseph-Benton Harbor area. Emphasis was given for efforts that seek to provide better opportunities for youth and special needs populations. Requests for sectarian religious projects and programs, national fundraising efforts, political organizations or funds for program deficits or previously incurred obligations are ineligible. Grant applications are accepted each fall to be considered for St. Joseph-Benton Harbor Rotary Club Foundation funding.
The mission of the St. Joseph-Benton Harbor Rotary Club Foundation is to improve lives in the St. Joseph-Benton Harbor community by supporting that focus on:
Improvement of health
Support of education
Economic and community development
Rotary International initiatives that have local impact
The resources of the St. Joseph-Benton Harbor Rotary Club Foundation come from gifts made by Rotarians and other individuals, families, businesses and local organizations. A volunteer Board of Directors from the club set policy and approve all grants.
Headline Photo: Courtesy of Rotary Club
Pictured, L to R: Back row – Matt Hanley, St. Joseph-Benton Harbor Rotary Club Foundation President; Jake Sabarin, Feeding America West Michigan; Chris Britton, New Heights CCDA; James Gunter, Present Pillars; Gina Smith, Corewell Health; Amy Wine, Community Healing Centers. Front row – Tammy Gould, Center for Growth & Independence; Kelsey Kline, The Avenue Family Network; Kat Boyer, Benton Harbor Public Library; Gabrielle Engle, Mosaic CCDA; Amy Zapal, St. Joseph Today.
