WHAT IS TEAM?

Teens Exhibiting Able Minds is the Youth Advisory Committee of the Berrien Community Foundation. This group consists of young people throughout Berrien County who volunteer their time to help the Berrien Community Foundation with its Youth Endowment. TEAM recommends grants to support many organizations and projects that provide practical solutions to critical issues and challenges facing contemporary youth. 

The Berrien Community Foundation assists TEAM members in becoming wise stewards of the endowment and empowers them to "give back to the community" to build a better life and future for all of us. Since 1989, TEAM has recommended more than $1.3 million in charitable grants to enhance the quality of life for youth today .  .  . and in the future.

 

(l to r):  Front Row:  Adult Advisor Anne Mc Causland, TEAM Members Chelsea Saleeby, Kathleen Edwards, Elizabeth Nuter, Maggie Van Winkle, Patrick Nuter, Frank Moen, Adult Advisor Carol Oehlhaffen

Back row:  Marsalis Leonard, Julia Farrell, Bryce Jones, Deon Atkins, Cortez Childs

 

Not pictured:  Mari Bradley, Julia LaVanway, Valerie Miller, Nellie Petlick

TEAM's MISSION

Empowering youth to develop life-long values of generosity, leadership, and volunteerism.

 

PRESENT TEAM MEMBERS

 

Deon Atkins

Mari Bradley

Cortez Childs

Kathleen Edwards

Julia Farrell

Bryce Jones, Co Chair

Julia LaVanway

Marsalis Leonard

Valerie Miller

Frank Moen

Elizabeth Nuter, Co Chair

Patrick Nuter

Nellie Petlick, Co Vice Chair

Chelsea Saleeby

Maggie Van Winkle

 

Adult Advisors:  

Carol Oehlhaffen, Anne Mc Causland

 

HOW CAN YOU JOIN TEAM?
 

Chelsea Saleeby (l), and Kathleen Edwards members of TEAM,  

confer about several grant applications

 

TEAM's goal is to have members from every school district in Berrien County. Contact the Berrien Community Foundation (see information at the bottom of this page) if you are looking to be part of something meaningful to your communities. We welcome students in the 8th-12th grades who can volunteer for at least 2 years.

TEAM members meet once a month during the school year to engage in the following volunteer activities:

• Review grant applications and make funding recommendations (twice yearly)
• Share information on youth efforts and programs in the community
• Develop youth leadership skills
• Volunteer in community service projects

• And have FUN making new friends!

WHAT IS THE GRANT PROCESS?

Please see the Grantmaking Guidelines page for specific information. Youth groups in Berrien County are invited to apply for funds in the Fall to help them start or expand special activities that help other young people.  Make sure that you have an adult advisor, plus the support of the school, church, or nonprofit organization that sponsors your group.

• TEAM will only consider grant applications that incorporate youth involvement from the planning stages through implementation. Projects planned solely by adults cannot be considered.
• Youth involved in the project will be asked to attend a TEAM meeting to discuss their project.

Projects that address one or more of the following identified by high school students in the 2002 Youth Issues Discussion Groups will receive the highest priority:

• Development of positive youth decision-making skills*
• Positive activities for youth*
• Drug abuse prevention/awareness
• Teen sex/pregnancy prevention
• Drunken driving

Left to Right:  Carol Oehlhaffen, Adult Advisor, TEAM Members Marsalis Leonard, Chelsea Saleeby, Deon Atkins, Julia Farrell, Valerie Miller, Nellie Petlick, Frank Moen, Anne Mc Causland, Adult Advisor at the recent Volunteer Luncheon where they presented the various youth awards

For more information about the grant deadlines (March 1 for proactive grantmaking related to the * items above [by invitation only from TEAM by February 1] and September 1 for all other) and application information and forms, please contact Anne Mc Causland, Program Director, at 269-983-3304, ext. 2 or AnneMcCausland@BerrienCommunity.org.