Partners in Philanthropy / Feb 2016

Partners in Philanthropy Partnering with you to love Kalamazoo

February 2016

There are many reasons to love living here in Kalamazoo County. But the truth is, our community still has needs. We believe, by working together, we can make Kalamazoo County a place where every person can reach full potential. A place where we all love to live.

You’ve already shown your love for this community by creating an Advised Fund at the Community Foundation. Through this publication, we’re offering you an opportunity to demonstrate that love again by supporting one or more of the projects highlighted with a grant suggestion from the fund you established.

3,000

Kalamazoo area students benefitting from Project Lead the Way in 2016/17

The programs shared in this publication are among the recent funding requests we’ve received from local nonprofit organizations.

We’re particularly interested in Kalamazoo RESA’s Project Lead the Way, a hands-on science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) curriculum that provides Kalamazoo area students with a STEM education foundation, and proven path to college and career success. Project Lead the Way brings local STEM professionals — volunteers — into the

67%

of Project Lead the Way students are expected to show a positive change in attitude about STEM education classes

classroom to help students explore STEM concepts and applications.

These unique experiences ignite a natural curiosity in students, especially when taught in conjunction with a rigorous academic curriculum. National data verifies the results of Project Lead the Way: Statistics show these students achieve significantly higher scores in reading, math and science and higher GPAs in college. When you support Project Lead the Way you will help prepare thousands of students for the postsecondary education

100 local STEM professionals who have visited Kalamazoo and Comstock Public Schools classrooms

and training they need to succeed in STEM careers. An added bonus is that these careers typically have higher wages, which could positively impact the economic development of Southwest Michigan.

Inside you’ll find information about more co-investment opportunities.

We hope this information gives you a good understanding of our community’s needs and the efforts we believe will help make it a place where every person can reach full potential.

92%

of STEM jobs will require some postsecondary education by 2018

Co-Investment Opportunities These co-investment opportunities highlight some recent funding requests from local nonprofit organizations.

If you want to support one or more of these projects through the Advised Fund you established at the Community Foundation, please make a grant suggestion using Kalamazoo Connect — just go to www.kalfound.org and click on the green Kalamazoo Connect link at the top of the page — or complete the grant suggestion form on page four and return it to us by email, USPS or fax. You also may email members of our Donor Relations team, who are available to provide you with more information about these and other community needs. See page four for contact information.

STREET Afterschool Program / Community Healing Centers STREET (standing for: Survival, Trust, Resources, Education, Empowerment and They become positive role models), is an afterschool program of the Community Healing Center.

STREET opened its doors for enrollment in December 2013 based on a desperate need to provide a safe haven and opportunities for young men ages 10-17 who live in Kalamazoo’s Northside neighborhood. STREET provides the young men the support and tools they need while living in environments that make them vulnerable to violence, drugs or other risky behaviors, thus increasing their chances for either low academic achievement or for dropping out of school all together. In addition to daily character development education, participants of STREET receive homework help and have access to on-site computers.

Transportation also is provided. The youths are being exposed to positive role models and have demonstrated signs of commitment through volunteering for community projects. Formal assessments show these young men in the program, most of whom are African American, are showing improved attendance at school, improved social-emotional skills, and improved academic performance. STREET is one of the only programs in the community specifically addressing the needs of vulnerable young males. To support this program, check the STREET/Community Healing Centers box on the grant suggestion form.

Cycles of Safety / Open Roads Many young people today struggle to learn the skills they need to be successful when they enter the workforce. Open Roads’ Cycles of Safety project hopes to change that, while empowering young people to earn their first bike. Through Cycles of Safety, Open Roads teaches Kalamazoo County young people — most of whom live in Kalamazoo’s lower-income neighborhoods — bicycle repair skills as well as essential social skills like introducing oneself, listening and owning one’s actions, and helps build self confidence and self empowerment. A winning combination of vocational and social skill building is what makes Cycles of Safety a unique and valuable program for our community. To support this project, please select Cycles of Safety/Open Roads on the grant suggestion form.

Resource Center and Drop-In Program / Ministry with Community Since 1978 Ministry with Community has been a safe haven for residents of Kalamazoo County challenged with poverty, homelessness, mental illness and substance dependency.

Ministry is dedicated to working with our area’s most vulnerable people to build relationships and foster a respectful environment that enables the members (those served

by Ministry) to experience an atmosphere of safety, respect and unconditional acceptance.

As the area’s only daytime shelter and resource center, Ministry needs support to fund operations for its Resource Center and Drop-in Program, which provides fundamental and critical services — hot meals, shower and laundry facilities, a mailing address, computer lab, telephone and storage lockers — at no charge. To support this program, check the Resource Center and Drop-In Program/Ministry with Community box on the grant suggestion form.

Can-Do Kitchen How often, after tasting a delicious family recipe, have you heard someone say “This is wonderful. You should sell it.” And think about how in recent years you and so many others have become more aware of the importance of supporting local entrepreneurs.

But the path from a home kitchen to a thriving food business can be a long, winding road.

It’s not only Can-Do clients who benefit from access to small business information. Workshops and networking opportunities that cover topics like branding, finances, social media and food photography are open to anyone and are building community among small business owners throughout the greater Kalamazoo area.

Seven years ago, as the demand for locally-produced food began to increase, Fair Food Matters created the Can-Do Kitchen to help people navigate that road. But the Can-Do Kitchen is much more than a kitchen. It is a business incubator that helps emerging food entrepreneurs — many of whom are women or people of color — who are striving to create a pathway to a better life. The Can-Do Kitchen helps remove barriers to food business ownership through experiential learning opportunities, as well as education and guidance on issues like food safety, licensing, logo and label requirements and insurance.

The Can-Do Kitchen will be relocating to its own home that will increase visibility and community support.

Once someone joins the program, they not only get access to commercial kitchen facilities, but also critical business information, enabling them to build their business thoughtfully and gradually.

Past clients — like The Cheese Lady, Kaleamazoo Chips, Free Love Bakery, Cookingnheelz Cooking Club and TCB Food Processing — are now successfully marketing delicious food products throughout Southwest Michigan. Support for this entrepreneurial nonprofit will expand opportunities so even more of our community members can fulfill their dreams of owning their own business and provide all of us with delicious local products to enjoy.

To support this project, select the Can-Do Kitchen/ Fair Food Matters box on the grant suggestion form.

Partners in Philanthropy / February 2016

Grant Suggestion Form To suggest a grant in support of one or more of the projects listed in this publication, please complete and return this form to the Kalamazoo Community Foundation. You also may suggest grants online using Kalamazoo Connect at https://connect.kalfound.org or by emailing a member of our Donor Relations team.

I/We would like to recommend one or more grants from the fund named below in the amount(s) indicated.

I/We acknowledge that any grant suggestion made does not represent the payment of a personal pledge or other financial obligation, nor is any personal benefit from this charitable distribution expected.

Name Fund Name Telephone Email

Signature Date

q Project Lead the Way / Kalamazoo RESA $ q STREET / Community Healing Centers

q Cycles of Safety / Open Roads

$

$

q Resource Center and Drop-In Program / Ministry with Community

$

q Can-Do Kitchen / Fair Food Matters

$

Our Donor Relations Team Zac Bauer / 269.585.7236 / zbauer@kalfound.org Coby Chalmers / 269.585.7249 / cchalmers@kalfound.org Joanna Donnelly Dales / 269.585.7260 / jdales@kalfound.org Ann Fergemann / 269.585.7238 / afergemann@kalfound.org Jeanne Grubb / 269.585.7248 / jgrubb@kalfound.org

402 East Michigan Avenue

Kalamazoo, MI 49007-3888

t 269.381.4416

f 269.381.3146

e info@kalfound.org