Community Foundation for Northeast Michigan

09/02/2026

Attention Cheboygan!! Our Executive Director, Patrick Heraghty, is looking forward to sharing with you this opportunity to partner with !

❗CHEBOYGAN❗

The Straits Area Community Foundation is hosting an information session about Rx Kids on September 9th at the Cheboygan Public Library.

Rx Kids is the nation’s first-ever community-wide prenatal and infant cash prescription program and provides life-changing financial security that is universal and unconditional. The program originally started in Flint and is spreading throughout Michigan and Ohio. In April, Rx Kids launched in Montmorency County and has already impacted 34 families!

08/31/2026

💙 In Northeast Michigan, swimming isn’t just a fun skill to have - it can be a lifesaving one.

A grant from our Northeast Michigan Youth Advisory Council helped United Way of Northeast Michigan provide swimming lessons to 20 local children, teaching them how to swim, float, self-rescue, and appreciate the importance of wearing a life jacket around the water.

For more than 90% of the children who participated, swimming lessons wouldn’t have been possible without this funding. And for some, the impact was truly life changing.

One young girl was so afraid of the water that she didn’t want to get into the pool. With encouragement and support from her instructor, she was in the water by her second lesson. By the end of the program, she was swimming independently and floating on her back!

Her grandmother saw the transformation, too. Inspired by the confidence her granddaughter gained, she decided to continue investing in her skills with private swimming lessons.

With lakes, rivers and streams all around us, water safety matters. Thanks to the vision of our Youth Advisory Council and community partners, 20 young people gained skills that can help keep them safer - and confidence that can stay with them for years to come. 💙

08/28/2026

🎭 A grant from the Straits Area Youth Advisory Council (YAC) is helping young people take center stage!

Through our Straits Area Community Foundation affiliate, the YAC awarded a grant to Cheboygan’s Northland Players to support set construction for this summer’s Moana, Jr. youth theater production.

And what a production it was! 63 young people performed on stage, four worked behind the scenes, and 1,135 people came to cheer them on—the largest attendance in the program’s history.

But the real impact was seen in the young people themselves. Parents talked about their kids gaining confidence and finding a place where they could be themselves. One young crew member called the program the highlight of his summer.

And the investment won’t end with Moana, Jr. The set pieces and materials purchased with the grant are being designed for a second life—reused, modified and incorporated into future productions, creating impact far beyond a single show.

08/26/2026

🐴 Sometimes confidence starts in the saddle.

Members of our North Central Michigan Community Foundation (NCMCF) Youth Advisory Council, along with members of our staff, recently visited Whispering Hope Ranch Ministries in Rose City. They got to see firsthand what a special experience it is for young people who come to the Ranch’s camp.

Each camp brings together 8–12 students who spend the week learning how to work with and ride horses. They set goals, learn about safety, practice new skills and—maybe most importantly—learn to trust themselves and their horse.

This week, campers were learning to trot and lope and getting ready for the ranch’s “Shoedeo,” where they get to show off what they’ve learned. As they prepared their horses, Whispering Hope Ranch CEO and co-founder Matthew kept everyone laughing with stories and experiences from the ranch.

Supporting opportunities like this for young people is an important part of our work. Through youth grant funding from NCMCF, the ranch has received more than $6,000 to help make these experiences possible.

And the best part? Young people may arrive at the ranch a little unsure of themselves—but many leave with new confidence, hope and a belief in what they’re capable of. ❤️🐎

08/25/2026

A special congratulations to Northeast Michigan Youth Advisory Council members Lexi and Alex, as well as YAC alumni Amanda and Liam on your awards! And Bella is a 2x recipient of the Michael Wentworth Memorial Scholarship held at the Community Foundation. We are proud of all of you, and grateful for The Sunset Project and the important work they do in supporting young people!

08/25/2026

We are beyond grateful for this wonderful group of women who are representing over 500 of their fellow Women’s Giving Circle members by serving on the 2026 WGC Grant Screening Committee. Each year, ten WGC members participate in the grantmaking process and represent a strong community of like-minded, charitable individuals who care about our communities. Celebrating its 20th year of supporting issues important to women, the WGC is a shining example of what people can do when they pool resources and work together for the common good. Sunshine all around!

Left to right: Katy Carignan, Dr. Lisa Hilberg, Angie Addington, Mary Linton, Nancy Szejbach, Ann Burton, Stacie Anderson, Melissa LaCombe, and Erin Kieliszewski. Not pictured from this year’s committee is Ann Boyk.

08/19/2026

When elementary students of Alpena Public Schools return to their classrooms, they will benefit from a new math curriculum designed to strengthen learning and help build a solid foundation for future academic success. Thanks to years of thoughtful planning, community generosity, and prudent investment, funding for this important initiative is already in place.

Alpena Public Schools recently received a $100,000 grant from the Alpena Public Schools Endowment Fund, held at the Community Foundation for Northeast Michigan (CFNEM), to purchase and implement a new math curriculum for elementary school students throughout the district.

Full story 👇

https://www.cfnem.org/about-us/resources/news/endowment-funds-strengthen-alpena-public-schools-for-generations.html

08/18/2026

What does Rx Kids mean to families in Montmorency County? Hear directly from a local mom about the impact this support has had on her family. Learn more at RxKids.org. We are honored to be a fiduciary to support mothers in Montmorency County in partnership with and Thunder Bay Community Health Service, Inc.

08/17/2026

When devastating floods hit Cheboygan County in April 2026, many local organizations stepped up to help residents with the monumental task of cleaning up debris and making homes safe. Through CFNEM's Urgent Needs Fund, Forest-Waverly Fire Department was able to purchase fans, cleaning supplies, and debris removal equipment with an $8,000 grant. Pictured above: Dawn Fenstermaker gathers items purchased with the Foundation's Urgent Needs Grant before distribution to residents in Cheboygan County and neighboring communities.

08/16/2026

We are so glad that a Northeast Michigan Youth Advisory Council (YAC) grant could enhance the musical learning experience for students in Hillman! https://youtu.be/iYKaj3ivSxA?si=lid1Rxhb88Bf-1OV

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