2011 Golden Acorn Grantee Awards

The Berrien Community Foundation announced its three 2011 Golden Acorn Grantee Award recipients and spotlighted one of its community partnerships during its 59^th annual celebration held on September 14^th at the Heritage Center. Donors, volunteers, grantees, fund representatives, and community partners were also recognized during this event.

The Foundation’s Golden Acorn Awards program honors nonprofit organizations funded by the Berrien Community Foundation. "We believe that it is most appropriate for the Foundation to honor their good works through the Golden Acorn Grantee Awards," shared Dr. Nanette Keiser, Foundation President, "We consider this our unique way to recognize these organizations and their programs that have so much impact in our County."

            The Foundation's three primary grant review committees each identified a program funded during the fall 2010 cycle that best illustrated the committees' criteria based on the originally submitted grant applications and updates provided by the programs. The three Golden Acorn Grantee Award recipients were then recognized at the annual celebration where they were given the opportunity to describe their programs. They also each received an additional $1,000 grant for their previously funded programs.

Representing the Golden Acorn Grantee Awards Recipients: Rosemary Sheppard, Shirley Fideli, Missy Joanis, Linda Cheek, Kelly Nightingale, Warren Washington (Child & Family Services of SW MI-Safe Shelter), Lisa Bartoszek, Linda Beushausen,

Melinda Graham, Dennis Bowen (Hospice at Home, Inc.-Lory’s Place),

Marjorie Tardiff, Doug Chapman (Bridges to Digital Excellence-Computers in the Home.) (l to r)

              Bridges to Digital Excellence received the Building a Spirit/Arts & Culture Golden Acorn Grantee Award for its Computers in the Home program. The Foundation’s funding assisted in providing a home computer to students and their families in Michigan’s Great Southwest. Sixty families in Berrien County were impacted by this program.

              The Nurturing Our Children Golden Acorn Grantee Award was given to Child & Family Services of Southwestern Michigan for its Safe Shelter program. This grant supported 27 domestic violence survivors and their children for 30 nights. This is the average current length of stay at the Safe Shelter.

TEAM (Teens Exhibiting Able Minds), the Foundation’s youth advisory committee, presented the Youth Leadership and Development Golden Acorn Grantee Award to Hospice at Home, Inc. for Lory’s Place—Programming and School Outreach. Over 1,000 children, adults, families, and educators who have experienced a death were served by the Foundation’s funding. This was through seven age-appropriate peer support group programs at Lory’s Place as well as through outreach to twelve schools in Southwest Michigan.

Lynn Kellogg, CEO, Area Agency on Aging, described the 2900 Lakeview Project/PACE Plus and the involvement of the Berrien Community Foundation as a community partner and supporter. The Foundation provided $10,000 for the feasibility study and another $50,000 for a conference room in the one-stop senior services area and a conference room in the PACE Center (Program of All-inclusive Care for the Elderly).

2010 Golden Acorn Grantee Awards

         Representing the Golden Acorn Grantee Awards Recipients: Eileen Carlson, Chuck Nelson (Sarett Nature Center),

 John Nakas, Phil Brooks (Winning Inc. of America), Peg Schaffer, Anna Murphy (United Way of SW MI), and

Kathy Rossow (Big Brothers Big Sisters of Berrien and Cass, Inc.) (l to r)

            The Sarett Nature Center received the Building a Spirit/Arts & Culture Golden Acorn Grantee Award for its Hands-On Science Curricula for Berrien County. Two curricula were built and implemented to teach scientific concepts about local habitats (bogs, marshes, and upland forests) to Berrien County children preparing for statewide tests with the Foundation’s funding. This program serves an estimated 2,100 Berrien County families per year.

The United Way of Southwest Michigan’s Girls on the Run received the Lifelong Learning Golden Acorn Grantee Award. This character development program for girls in 3^rd-5^th grade teaches life skills in a creative, active, and fun format. The mission is to “educate and prepare girls for a lifetime of self-respect and healthy living.” About 150 girls participated in the program because of this grant.

The Nurturing Our Children Golden Acorn Grantee Award was given to the Big Brothers Big Sisters of Berrien and Cass, Inc. to communicate with its clients. The funding provided by the Foundation increased the lines of communication with Big Brothers Big Sisters, both active and prospective, with particular emphasis on those volunteer mentors at the Boys & Girls Club of Benton Harbor. About 125 children, ages 6-12, were impacted.

TEAM (Teens Exhibiting Able Minds), the Foundation’s youth advisory committee, presented the Youth Leadership and Development Golden Acorn Grantee Award to the Winning Inc. of America’s 2009-2010 Literacy Recovery and Mentoring Program. Foundation funding supported a year round after school tutoring and mentoring program and a ten week summer literacy recovery program at the Boys & Girls Club. About 450 Benton Harbor youth benefited from this program.  

2009 Golden Acorn Grantee Awards

Representing the Golden Acorn Grantee Awards Recipients: Mamie Yarbrough, Judge Al Butzbaugh (Berrien County Trial Court),

Mika Page, Sinie Bass (Water Street Glassworks), Julia Gourley, Tami Miller (Krasl Art Center),

Kim Kidd, Susan Bond (Children’s Music Workshop) (l to r)

            The Krasl Art Center received the Building a Spirit of Community/Arts & Culture Golden Acorn Grantee Award for its Touch Tone Art program. Serving an estimated 45,000 visitors and Berrien County residents, this program provides free cell phone audio tours to allow the Krasl Art Center to inform the community about works of art found both inside its galleries and at sculptures and monuments at outdoor locations throughout Berrien County.

The Berrien County Trial Court’s Self-Help Legal Resource Center received the Lifelong Learning Golden Acorn Grantee Award. This program assists families and individuals in resolving their civil disputes and increasing their understanding of our legal system. The program provides forms and informs pro se litigants about their options for self-representation and is on track to serve 5,000 Berrien County residents in its first year.

The Nurturing Our Children Golden Acorn Grantee Award was given to the Children’s Music Workshop. The funding provided by the Foundation made it possible for youth in grades 1-12 to be involved with the Children’s Music Workshop various programs in 2008-2009.

TEAM (Teens Exhibiting Able Minds), the Foundation’s youth advisory committee, presented the Youth Leadership and Development Golden Acorn Grantee Award to the Water Street Glassworks’ Fired Up! Teen After School Glass program. This program strives to have a positive impact on teens who make and sell their glass art. It is hoped that as they learn about business and public interaction and become better citizens, they will take their places in the greater creative Benton Harbor community.

2008 Golden Acorn Grantee Awards

Representing the Golden Acorn Grantee Awards Recipients:  Stephanie Mack, Joyce Miller,

Elizabeth Andrews, Jeff Siegel (Berrien RESA), Gloria Mayberry, Janine Andrysiak (Girl Scouts of the Singing Sands, Inc.),

 Patricia Adams, Tim Passaro (Curious Kids' Museum) (l to r)

            Berrien RESA's Arts for All program received the Building a Spirit of Community/Arts & Culture Golden Acorn Grantee Award. This program includes a Training of Trainers workshop, Art Day, and a library of adaptive art tools for special needs students in Berrien County. Services are provided to about 1,200 special needs children and young adults.

Curious Kids' Museum received the Nurturing Our Children Golden Acorn Grantee Award for the Ground Water Climbing Wall that will be part of the exciting Silver Beach Project. The wall will foster understanding of and action for ground water conservation and protection in the unique form of a climbing wall that provides hands-on physical learning and good exercise and serve about 70,000 individuals.

TEAM (Teens Exhibiting Able Minds) awarded the Youth Leadership and Development Golden Acorn Grantee Award to the Girl Scouts of Singing Sands Council, Inc. The program recognized supports underserved, at-risk girls, ages 5-17 in the Berrien County Girl Scout Activity Center. This program also offers leadership development, substance abuse prevention, self-esteem building, diversity awareness, and service project participation to about 925 girl scouts.

            The Berrien Community Foundation was founded by William Vawter and other local leaders in 1952. Its mission is to build permanent endowments and other funds, provide donor services and grants, and to serve as a facilitative community leader in Berrien County.

2007 Golden Acorn Grantee Awards

Representing the Golden Acorn Grantee Awards Recipients:  Willa Butler, Cornelia Breja, Michael Kim (Catholic Family Services), Grandmaster Al Smith (R.E.A.D.Y.), Doug McCoy, Janet Trumbley (Calling All Colors of SW MI),

Jenny Miner, Linda Stibal (YWCA of Berrien County) (l to r)

Calling All Colors of Southwest Michigan's Middle School Pilot Program received the Building a Spirit of Community/Arts & Culture Golden Acorn Grantee Award. This program promotes cultural diversity in elementary and now middle school students of Benton Harbor, Lakeshore, and St. Joseph. It provides hundreds of Berrien County students with opportunities to share and interact.

Catholic Family Services of Southwest Michigan received the Nurturing Our Children Golden Acorn Grantee Award for the A Great Start for Berrien County Families program. This program provides services to more than 2,000 young families and engages more than 250 community volunteers and 15 AmeriCorps members. Activities and goals include reducing abuse and neglect, teaching parenting skills, and helping families develop strong support networks.

This year's Lifelong Learning Golden Acorn Grantee Award recipient was the YWCA of Berrien County. The YW is providing national accredited training for all Child Development employees through its Educational Excellence for Child Development Caregivers program. The program's goal includes increasing the quality and expertise of staff involved with the implementation of the child-centered, early childhood brain researched curriculum.

TEAM (Teens Exhibiting Able Minds) awarded the Youth Leadership and Development Golden Acorn Grantee Award to R.E.A.D.Y. (Recipient: Reclaiming, Equipping, And Directing Youth, Inc.)'s Martial Arts Program. This program promotes healthy youth, improved school grades, discipline, and leadership for youth in Benton Harbor. Over 300 students benefit from this program.

2006 Golden Acorn Grantee Awards

            The Berrien County Intermediate School District was the recipient of the Building Spirit of Community/Arts & Culture Golden Acorn Grantee Award for the Creative Collaborations: Teachers and Artists in the Classroom. This is a partnership project among four Berrien County schools (Benton Harbor, Brandywine, Buchanan, Watervliet), six classroom teachers, seven local arts organizations and eight local artists. It provides hundreds of Berrien County students with opportunities in arts education.

            The Capstone Family Center received the Nurturing Our Children Golden Acorn Grantee Award for its Zero to Three Secondary Prevention. This program assists participants to gain parenting knowledge, life skills information, and an increased ability to access community services and support.  It is also expected that families will engage in better preventative health care, especially in the way of prenatal care, early immunizations, and well-child visits. 

                The Lifelong Learning Golden Acorn Grantee Award was given to the Southwest Michigan Symphony Orchestra Association for “Around Town” A Taste of the Symphony. Five elementary and middle schools in Benton Harbor received visits from the Symphony's Brass Quintet. This was a tutorial developed in conjunction with the BCISD about brass instruments, including a demonstration, open Q & A, and a musical presentation. A concert was also held at the State Theater that featured the Quintet and Michigan State University's and Benton Harbor High School's Drum Lines.

            TEAM (Teens Exhibiting Able Minds) awarded the Youth Leadership and Development Golden Acorn Grantee Award to Right Direction Outreach Ministries, Inc., for its the Sky is the Limit Tutoring Service program. A computer lab with academic software and recreational equipment were provided for this youth-run program. These are integral to this tutoring service and leadership program for students in the Benton Harbor community.

2005 Golden Acorn Grantee Awards

 Representing the Golden Acorn Grantee Awards Recipients:  Liji Haney (Boys & Girls Club of Benton Harbor), Dale Stover (Public Safety Education Program), Kenneth Pott (Fort Miami Heritage Society), Donna Metz, Christina Worthington, and Dar Davis (St. Joseph Art Association/Krasl) (l to r)

            Fort Miami Heritage Society was the recipient of the Building Spirit of Community/ Arts & Culture Golden Acorn Grantee Award for the World's Largest:  The Benton Harbor Fruit Market and Southwest Michigan's Fruit Belt program. This award and previous Foundation funding will assist with providing curriculum guides and educational lending kits to area schools for the new exhibit about this leading industry in Berrien County.

The Public Safety Education Program received the Nurturing Our Children Golden Acorn Grantee Award for its Little Squirt, The Live Talking Fire Truck program. This program focuses on fire safety education and burn prevention to help prevent childhood fire injuries and deaths.

The Lifelong Learning Golden Acorn Grantee Award was given to the St. Joseph Art Association/Krasl for its Art Connections, Regional Partnership Outreach program. This program focuses on the use of visual arts as an aid in healing and positive after school activities.

TEAM (Teens Exhibiting Able Minds) awarded the Youth Leadership and Development Golden Acorn Grantee Award to the Boys and Girls Club of Benton Harbor's Teen Center. The Center assists teen members in developing four senses—belonging, competence, influence/power, and usefulness—that will help them to develop into mature and productive adults.

Questions may be directed to Nanette Keiser, Ed.D., President

983-3486 or NanetteKeiser@BerrienCommunity.org