Featured photo: Teach 2 Reach is one of many unique area programs that received a grant from The Greater Flint Sunrise Rotary Club in 2023.
Written by Tanya Terry
The Greater Flint Sunrise Rotary Club is about taking applications for Community Grants and Scholarships to be distributed in June 2024. The deadline for both the $1,000 grants and the $2,000 scholarships is April 26. The scholarship amount was increased last year to accommodate for the rising costs associated with higher education.
The focus Rotary Club of Greater Flint Sunrise is “helping others to help the kids of Genesee County,” according to Allen Tucker, who is club secretary and a member of the foundation committee for Rotary Club of Greater Flint Sunrise.
“We believe the youth is the future,” said Tucker. “We need to take care of the future. That’s our legacy.”
So, community grants are being awarded for specific project that help the youth or the children of this county.
In addition, scholarships will being awarded for graduating seniors in greater Genesee County.
This is not the only way the club supports our area’s youth.
“Every year around Christmas, we buy clothing for kids enrolled in programs at Motherly Intercession, on behalf of their parents who are incarcerated,” explained Tucker.
Tucker also said JCPenney gives the kids enormous discounts for presents the club members wrap.
“It’s the parents who give the gifts,” added Tucker. “We’re trying to keep relationships between the parents and the kids for parents that are unable to have normal relationships because they’re in jail.”
Tucker also pointed out there were The Greater Flint Sunrise Rotary Club scholarship recipients who were first in their family to go seek higher education.
“We do ask that on the application -whether you are first in the family. We do give consideration for that. So, even though an individual may not have a GPA as high as the other applicants, if they’re the first in the family, we try to give that a little bit more weight.”
Tucker expressed that the club is definitely interested in helping to break the cycle of poverty for families in need in the community.
“We’re also looking for service to the community. We would like good grades, but they don’t have to be perfect grades.”
Tucker also explained it is important to Sunrise Rotary to know their scholarship will make a difference in terms of the student having enough funds to go to college.
Tucker stated he expects the club to be able to award three scholarships this year and said the club has been successful in its various fundraisers.
“In terms of the community grants, we traditionally give $1,000. But if somebody had a really good project that needed funding of $1,500-$2,000 we would consider it.”
Tucker said the club has offered grants of $500 to a local food bank when that was all that was needed and requested.
Last year, Teach 2 Reach received a grant for a unique program for youth ages 14-18.
“It’s a program to teach kids how to be a barber instead of using guns.”
MADE Institute received funding for a back-to-school program.
“Twenty parents received a $20 gift card to help the kids with their school supplies.”
Men’s Community Action Resource also received $1,000.
“That’s an interesting one! It’s a day at the lake. What they’re doing in that group, who spoke to our club too, is through teaching fishing, they’re actually teaching kids about keeping responsibilities and keeping a schedule. There’s a lot more to fishing than you think. It’s a unique program!”
Carriage Town Ministries was able to utilize a grant to purchase shoes, clothing vouchers and backpacks with supplies in them for students.
Crossover Ministries also utilized grant funds for a back-to-school program.
Tapology received a $1,000 grant. According to the nonprofit organization’s social media page, Tapology is a name for quality workshops, historical education and concert performances since the first Mid-Michigan festival in 2001.
“For awarding community grants, we’re looking for impacting the most number of kids. We’re looking for innovation – maybe something new…Also, we are looking maybe for an opportunity to be individually involved in that project. Instead of just giving money, if we can give not only the gift of our treasure but also of time and talent along with the treasure, that would be a project that would probably be rated high when we rate the various projects that come in.”
Last year, all the scholarships were awarded to students outside of the city of Flint because the club did not receive any applications from Flint students. However, students living inside the city limits are also strongly encouraged to apply for scholarship funds.
“Service above self” is the motto for Rotary International, which consists of about 1,500 clubs throughout the world and about 1.3 million members.
Tucker pointed out polio used to be widespread worldwide and is not anymore. Rotary International was instrumental in helping to make this possible because of their service in helping to inoculate kids. So, the club has displayed passion for service not only to local communities, but to the international community as well.
Applications for the grants and scholarships, as well as more information about the Greater Flint Sunrise Rotary is available at https://portal.clubrunner.ca/1591. You can also visit www.flintsunrise.org and locate the link for 2024 scholarship or grant applications.
