Zonta Club of Petoskey awarded grants to six area organizations for their work in the community to empower women and girls. These grants supported the following programs:
Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Northwest Michigan is granted $2,000 to increase organizational capacity that will support two female children in a one-on-one mentoring relationship with caring, adult mentors in Emmet County by the summer of 2024. The grant will include recruitment, training and educating volunteers, program and mentoring costs, child and parent training and administrative expenses.
Child and Family Services of Northwestern Michigan is granted $2,500 to support a new service called Safe Haven North Supervised Visitation and Safe Child Exchange. Expenses include gas cards for clients for transportation to and from Safe Haven North, phone cards, food, clothing as well as professional development for staff.
Northwest Habitat for Humanity is granted $2,500 to support finishing touches on the Foundations for our Future project, hoping to raise their building capacity of new homes from 1-2 per year, to 15-20 per year. The homeownership program provides women an opportunity to not only purchase a home, but education on how to become fiscally independent.
Cross of Christ Lutheran Church Community Paper Pantry is granted $3,000 to be sed to purchase paper products, cleaning supplies and hygiene products. These items are not covered by Bridge Cards or food assistance programs. Each client is given two bags a month and the pantry serves an average of 90 families a month.
North Central Michigan College was given a four-year $10,000 pledge towards the building of the new classroom and Student Center Building built in 2021. The building opened for service in the Fall of 2021. This is our 4th and final gift of $2,500 towards this pledge.
Women’s Resource Center of Northern Michigan is granted $10,000 from Zonta Club of Petoskey’s Women and Children’s Fund at the Petoskey-Harbor Springs Area Community Foundation to be used for construction expenses in creating a new, private entrance in the newly purchased building.
In addition to these grants, Zonta of Petoskey gives each year a $2,500 grant to the Women’s Resource Center Northern Michigan to support a scholarship for women at North Central Michigan College, plus operating support for the WRC Northern Michigan, and support to remodel a room at the Safe House. The club also provides money toward the making and donation of mastectomy pillows for McLaren Northern Michigan Hospital, and a $1,000 scholarship yearly for the Young Women in Public Affairs program.
The Women and Children’s Fund at the Petoskey Harbor Springs Area Community Foundation was established in 1996 with a $10,000 gift from the Zonta Club of Petoskey. The designated purpose of the fund is to support programs or projects which benefit area women and children and help them achieve their full potential.