Three times each year Hemlock Semiconductor proudly provides grant funding to local nonprofit organizations that work to create thriving communities across the Great Lakes Bay Region. Grants from HSC’s Community and Regional Empowerment (CARE) Fund help amplify this important work in areas that range from human support services like literacy tutoring and food access to expanding opportunities for outdoor recreation.
“Our CARE grant program continues to have a positive impact on the lives of countless residents from all walks of life in Saginaw, Midland and Bay counties,” said Raquel Ledesma Pérez, HSC’s community and diversity liaison. “We are grateful to our many CARE recipients for the amazing work they do year in and year out.”
The following organizations recently received an HSC CARE grant to support their work lifting up people and places across the region:
Advancing their mission to overcome barriers to student learning, Midland’s Legacy Center for Community Success will use its HSC CARE grant to meet growing demand for tutoring programs for children and adults who are significantly below typical levels for their age or grade in reading, math and English as a Second Language (ESL). The program pairs learners with volunteer tutors from their community and provides all instructional materials at no cost to participants.
Owned and operated by the Midland Conservation District, the Tomlinson Barn Educational Center in Midland Countprovides amazing opportunities for all ages to learn about the world around them through immersive outdoor experiences. MCD will use its HSC CARE grant to educational materials and interactive displays illustrating natural resource concepts, including land and water conservation and renewable energy, as well as improving handicap accessibility at the Tomlinson Barn.
One-hundred thirty-two years after it was built, Bay City’s historic Masonic Temple remains one of the region’s most iconic architectural landmarks. The building was saved from demolition in 2005 and transformed into a community center for the arts. Now, with support from an HSC CARE grant, the Friends of the Historic Masonic Temple are taking an unconventional approach to re-envisioning space within the building to create a recording studio that local artists can use to create streaming podcasts, audio books and more, enriching the arts and cultural landscape of our community.
Supporting food access and improved nutrition for families in need, the Saginaw Community Food Club will use its HSC CARE grant to launch an innovative new approach to emergency food assistance that allows its members to shop with dignity and autonomy in a grocery store setting while benefiting from significantly reduced prices. The program includes a commercial grade kitchen where members can learn how to cook healthy, affordable meals.
With 1,500 acres, 20 miles of trails and a visitor center with exhibits and classrooms, the Chippewa Nature Center has provided outdoor recreational and educational opportunities to area residents for more than 50 years. The Center received an HSC CARE grant to acquire new handicap accessible picnic tables that will support outdoor learning activities during nature-based preschool and nature day camps that serve 1,100 area youth each summer.
Now in its third year, the Marshall M. Fredericks Sculpture Museum will continue to host the Public Art Passport, which provides a road map to the incredible variety of public art installations across the Great Lakes Bay Region and serves as a clearinghouse for art destinations and activities in Saginaw, Midland and Bay counties. Saginaw Valley State University will use an HSC CARE grant to add informational signs at key art installations and promote the program across the region. Celebrating art is an important part of building livable, thriving communities and SVSU’s Public Art Passport does just that.
Young learners who attend Midland Montessori School will benefit from an HSC CARE grant that will help the school recover from damage to their facilities and equipment caused by flooding after a heavy rainfall. Founded a half-century ago, Midland Montessori will use their grant resources to replace instructional materials and physical education equipment its students use during recreational activities in the school gymnasium and to add state-compliant wood chips to their outdoor playground.
The Haithco Recreation Area is one of Saginaw County’s premier outdoor recreation areas, attracting more than 60,000 people each year to enjoy the lake and other facilities located on the property. The Saginaw County Parks & Recreation Department will use an HSC CARE grant to create a shaded area next to the park’s new splash pad that will allow an even more enjoyable and comfortable experience for children and their families.
One of America’s favorite pastimes, baseball is a great way for youngsters to learn the value of teamwork and physical fitness. Midland’s Fraternal Northwest Little League has provided these opportunities for area youth since the 1950s. Today, the group manages 35 teams with a record number of participants taking the field across a variety of age-based divisions. Midland’s Little League is using HSC CARE grant funding to complete restoration work on their primary ball fields, which suffered major damage during a flood and to purchase new safety equipment, including batting helmets and catcher’s equipment that can be prohibitively expensive for many families.
Building confidence and self-esteem in people of all ages is the mission of Lead (formerly Self Love Beauty). An HSC CARE grant will support program scholarships for families with limited income and help their annual “Lead with STEM & Connection” family program that brings children and their parents (or adult mentors) together for shared learning time and bonding. The program uses STEM concepts and activities to foster confidence and communication — all while helping youth explore different career options. Expressing the gratitude shared by all HSC CARE grant recipients, Lead Founder and Executive Director Lisa Tarkington said: “Thank you to HSC for this huge opportunity to partner with them. Nothing is more rewarding than being able to help more people gain STEM knowledge and skills, create connections, and build confidence.”