St Joseph SSVdP Conference receives a Philanthropy Fund grant from the M&M Area Community Foundation providing taxi transportation for those without vehicles to individuals and families living at or below poverty level.
St Joseph Conference of the Society of St Vincent de Paul received a financial grant from the M&M Area Community Foundation’s Philanthropy Fund. The Philanthropy Fund specifically supports projects throughout Marinette and Menominee Counties that advance community well-being and stability including a “Pay It Forward” component to inspire charitable leadership.
Peter Mayhew, our Conference President reflected, “Each year, we examine our Annual Report and our Survey of Needs completed by the families we serve so that we can better understand their needs. This year we saw an increase in families not having a vehicle or means of transportation.”
St Joseph SSVdP Conference will use this taxi transportation grant to assist individuals and families in need in our local communities of Marinette, Peshtigo, Porterfield and Walsh. During the last fiscal year, St Joseph SSVdP Conference assisted eighteen (18) families or individuals with Taxi Inc. cards or gas vouchers/cards because they did not have access to a vehicle for medical appointments, urgent care visits or dental appointments, as well as transportation to and from work, taking their children to school or interviews for a job.
We would like to thank the M & M Area Community Foundation for their support in meeting the needs of local areas individuals and families that live at or below the poverty level. To learn more about St Joseph SSVdP Conference, a Tri County Area United Way Partner Agency, you can visit https://www.helpushelpsothers.org or write to us at 2715 Taylor Street – PO Box 563 Marinette WI 54143-0563. If you have a need, please call our HELP LINE: 715 735 9100 Holy Family Parish — ext 106 is for St Joseph Conference SVdP. Feel free to checkout our Gold Status on GuideStar at https://www.guidestar.org/profile/26-4329445.
The M&M Area Community Foundation (MMACF) recently awarded Philanthropy Fund grants to eight organizations across Marinette and Menominee Counties. The Board of Directors of the MMACF established the Philanthropy Fund in 2015. This fund operates differently than other endowed funds held at the Foundation. Half of all donations received are granted back to the community while the other half are endowed, which allows for even more funding to be sent to nonprofits in the Foundation’s two county service area.
The following programs and projects received funding this year:
The Country Bible Church in Wallace will pay it forward to community members who cannot afford a bountiful meal. Their grant will provide a Thanksgiving dinner for people struggling with poverty, disabilities or loneliness. Volunteers expect to serve the annual meal to approximately 75 guests.
Friends of the Menominee County Library received a grant to expand their early literacy programs to include daycare providers and Pre-K classrooms. They plan to purchase books, book bags and informational book markers for approximately 250 children.
“Art Force” at Goodman-Armstrong Creek School District received a grant for their Community Gratitude Through Art project. Students of all ages will work together to add an extra element of artistic beauty to their community in conjunction with local artists and businesses.
The Marinette School District plans to use their funding for restocking a book vending machine at Park Elementary School. Students can earn gold coins by displaying excellent behavior or reaching their goals. The coins are then used to select a book which they will keep.
Peter Piper Kiddie Nurseries will use their first ever grant from the Community Foundation to purchase STEM/STEAM materials to use as a part of their daycare curriculum.
The School District of Niagara will continue its partnership with the local Coats of Many Colors organization to use this grant to buy winter jackets, snow pants, boots and other accessories for students in grades 4k – 12. Families in need pick up request forms from the school district detailing what is needed and sizes. Then, volunteers shop for the items.
The City of Marinette will use their Philanthropy Fund grant for the Einstein Project. This effort allows for kids in our communities to learn science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) applications in a hands-on learning experience.
The transportation needs of local residents will be supported by a Philanthropy Fund grant to St. Joseph Conference – Marinette, Society of St. Vincent de Paul. The grant will provide taxi cards for use by individuals in order to get to their medical appointments, urgent care visits, dental appointments, job interviews and rides to and from work.
The community foundation is seeking financial partners for the Philanthropy Fund. If your business is interested in designing a “Round-Up” program which helps provide Philanthropy Fund grants, please contact MMACF Executive Director, Paula Gruszynski, at 906-864-3599. In addition, community members who would like to contribute, may send checks for this fund to the MMACF at 1110 10th Avenue, Suite L-1, Menominee, MI 49858.
