FLINT, Mich. – The Ruth Mott Foundation has granted $267,400 for the cleaning, maintaining and beautification of vacant properties in north Flint.
The award to the Genesee County Land Bank’s Clean & Green program is one of 15 grants totaling $1,083,250 recently approved by the Ruth Mott Foundation Board of Trustees. Blight elimination is one of the key strategies identified by north Flint residents and adopted by the Foundation as part of its strategic plan to focus on north Flint.
“The Clean & Green program supports dozens of passionate community-based groups who are dedicated to their neighborhoods,” Land Bank Executive Director Michael Freeman said.
“Eliminating blight in neighborhoods is a high priority for the Land Bank,” he added.
As part of the program, community groups receive stipends to regularly clean up and maintain vacant lots held by the Land Bank and others in the spring, summer, and fall. The application period for 2022 is expected to open at the end of the month.
This is the tenth year the Ruth Mott Foundation has supported the Clean & Green program. Block clubs, schools, churches, neighborhood associations and local nonprofits are some of the nearly 100 community-based organizations that have participated in Clean & Green over the last decade and longer. Many youth are employed through the program.
“Clean & Green is critical in helping north Flint residents access resources and support in neighborhood blight elimination efforts,” said Raquel Thueme, Foundation president.
“Thanks to these residents and the Land Bank, Clean & Green neighborhoods are cleaner, safer and healthier for everyone who lives there,” Thueme added.
For more information on Clean & Green, visit http://www.thelandbank.org/clean_green_prog.asp.
Last year, nearly 70 groups throughout Flint signed up for the program, with the majority of those groups working in north Flint. The Foundation defines its focus area of north Flint as the city limits on the west, north and east sides, and the Flushing Road/5th Avenue/Robert T. Longway Boulevard corridor to the south.
The Foundation awards grants primarily in four priority areas that were identified by north Flint residents: youth, public safety (including blight elimination), economic opportunity and neighborhoods.
In all, the Foundation’s latest grant awards are:
|
Organization |
Program |
Amount |
|
Bethel United Methodist Church |
Flint Freedom School Collaborative |
$35,000 |
|
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Flint and Genesee County |
Out of School Time Mentoring Program |
$65,000 |
|
Boys and Girls Club of Greater Flint |
General Operating Support |
$80,000 |
|
Child Care Network Washtenaw Regional 4C |
Family Support Program |
$50,000 |
|
Community Foundation of Greater Flint |
Civic Participation Fund |
$30,000 |
|
Crim Fitness Foundation |
Safe & Active North Flint |
$44,000 |
|
Flint and Genesee Chamber Foundation |
Minority-Owned Small Business Directory |
$95,000 |
|
Genesee County Land Bank Authority |
Clean & Green |
$267,400 |
|
Greater Flint Mental Health Facilities |
Development and Construction of the GHS Center for Children’s Integrated Services |
$50,000 |
|
InvolvedDad |
IMPACT – Father Engagement |
$75,000 |
|
Legal Services of Eastern Michigan |
North Flint Legal Outreach Program |
$59,500 |
|
Metro Community Development |
North Flint Voter Education Project |
$10,000 |
|
Project SYNCERE |
STEMNETICS |
$35,000 |
|
SIPI, Inc. |
2021-22 North Flint Capacity Building |
$133,250 |
|
The Flint Institute of Music |
Community Programs 2021-2022 |
$54,100 |
More information on these awards can be found at https://www.ruthmottfoundation.org/grants/.
