MGCF November Newsletter

Dear Friends and Supporters of the Community Foundation,

As the leaves change color, we find ourselves reflecting on the tremendous growth our community has seen this year. October brings new opportunities to support the community and prepare for the upcoming holiday season.

Creating a Strong, Vibrant, Caring Community

Scholarship Overview

Did you know that November is National Scholarship Month? In honor of this special month we want you to take a look at our Niles-Buchanan Rotary Scholarship click here to read about it.

Positive Parenting Program

In August 2024 we gave Berrien County Health Department a grant to strengthen their Positive Parenting Program. The Triple P has many benefits but I’ll just list a few.

“the community benefits include fewer hospitalizations from child abuse injuries, fewer out of home placement, slowed growth in confirmed child abuse cases, and fewer domestic violence cases between teens and caregivers.”

We were happy to be able to support this program an can’t wait to see the results of Triple P in our area.

Youth Advisory Council (YAC)

Our Youth Council has been up to a lot of good. They recently had their training with CMF. At this meeting they did several team building exercises, goal setting and getting to know the other members of YAC better.

This past Sunday was our November YAC meeting and we were super excited to review our 2024 mini-grants. We had twelve mini-grants to determine, between those twelve we had at least one from each of our schools in our service area. We can’t wait to announce this years mini-grant recipients at a later date!

At the last YAC meeting, our council had to meet with their committees and discuss their goals for the upcoming year. They have big plans for recruitment, marketing, service projects and grants. Make sure you are following their Facebook and Instagram accounts!

Annual Event Recap

Our annual event was on October 10, 2024. It was a great night filled with celebration and a recap of our year. Thank you to Cass County Council on Aging for allowing us to host it at your great facility.

As well as thank you to our three great speakers, Denise Peters, Jane Brandstatter, and Jill Vihtelic for sharing with us the importance of your scholarships and programs. We can’t thank everyone enough for coming out to support us. Thank you Fork in the Road for creating a beautiful grazing table and Charles Nelson with On Base Productions for the pictures as always.

United Way Rake a Difference

On Thursday November 14th, three of our YAC volunteered for the United Way Rake of Difference. They were able to help one senior and clean up her yard. We are so thankful for United Way for having this event and we were happy enough to participate.

Ways to Get Involved

Your involvement is essential to our success. Here's how you can contribute to our mission in 2024:

Donate: Your financial support, no matter the amount, goes a long way in helping our community thrive.

Volunteer: Ask us how to get involved in the Foundation! We are always in need of volunteers to assist with scholarship selection committees, mentorship programs, and community events. Your time and expertise are invaluable.

Spread the Word: Share our newsletter and the work of the Community Foundation with your friends and family. Together, we can reach even more individuals who want to make a difference.

Stay up to date with the latest news, events, and opportunities by following us on social media or visiting our website. We love hearing from you, so feel free to reach out with your questions or ideas!

With Gratitude and warm regards,
Your Michigan Gateway Community Foundation Family