During the current fiscal year, the Southfield Community Foundation has invested $27,000 in community initiatives.
The Southfield Community Foundation Youth Advisory Committee, which serves youth in grades 7-12 and focuses on leadership, civic responsibility, and philanthropy, received a $5,000 grant-making budget to invest in youth-serving organizations and initiatives.
Students work with the Foundation’s Board to learn about volunteerism, philanthropy, leadership, and community service. This year, students requested and reviewed proposals making distributions to four organizations.
YAC provided a $1,300 grant to Southfield Lathrup High School to subsidize registration costs for students attending the Michigan Association of Student Council and Honor Society Leadership Conference at Central Michigan University this summer.
The Michigan Academy of Family Physicians received a $1,000 grant to support the “Hard Hats for Little Heads” project. On June 26, the organization distributed bicycle helmets to youth at the Southfield Family Fun and Safety Night. The project promotes health and wellness along with safety.
Supporting youth education projects, YAC also funded McIntyre Elementary School, which was awarded a $700 grant to purchase Scholastic Newsletters for students to promote reading; and The Rouge Education Project, which received $2,000 to support Southfield students attending the school-based water quality monitoring program offering hands-on scientific exploration of the Rouge River.
In partnership with the City of Southfield, SCF funded the 2012 International Festival and provided a grant to the City’s Human Services Department to provide instruction for a drum circle and tai chi for seniors.
The Parks and Recreation Department received an $8,000 grant to fund the Senior Garden Program at the Mary Thompson Farmhouse. In addition to a garden plot, Southfield residents over the age of 50 have access to supplies, tools, and a master gardener to plant and harvest their crops.
The SCF Women’s Fund awarded a $2,000 grant to the City of Southfield Human Services Department for the Women in Crisis and “Tune Up” Program. The Tune Up program was initiated by Jim Wojciechowski to assist women with car repair needs allowing them to continue to work.
Additional grants were made to the Southfield Public Schools to support a Back to School Health and Wellness Fair in October 2012 and the Oakland Literacy Council to provide free tutoring to adult residents in Southfield and Lathrup Village.
In the past ten years, the Southfield Community Foundation has facilitated the administration of $1.7 million in grant and partnership support in Southfield and Lathrup Village. Visit www.scfmi.org for more information.
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