The Buffalo-based Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation has announced a $10 million initiative to provide children and youth across western New York State and southeastern Michigan with more opportunities for free play through the creation of public play spaces.

Read the full article at Philanthropy News Digest »

Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation Launches Built to Play Initiative to Provide More Opportunities for Kid-Driven Free Play Across Western New York and Southeast Michigan

Buffalo, NY/Detroit, MI (March 1, 2018) – The Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation (RCWJRF) today announced Built to Play, an initiative designed to give children and youth across Western New York and Southeast Michigan more opportunities for free play through the creation of new, interactive public play spaces. To fund and operate the initiative, the Foundation will invest up to $5 million in each region (for a maximum of $10 million) over the next several years, to provide grassroots groups and nonprofits with support to create and maintain these play spaces within their neighborhoods.

The Foundation has partnered with the Tony Hawk Foundation (THF), an organization focused on promoting high-quality, public skateparks in low-income areas throughout the U.S., and KaBOOM!, a national nonprofit dedicated to giving all kids great, safe places to play, to work with communities across its two regions of focus on the development of various uniquely designed spaces. Tony Hawk Foundation has helped build more than 500 skateparks across all 50 states, while KaBOOM! has built more than 3,000 playgrounds throughout the country.

The need for more safe, outdoor play options for youth in both rural and low-income neighborhoods throughout Western New York and Southeast Michigan was a key finding in the State of Play reports released in June 2017 by the Aspen Institute’s Sports & Society Program, in partnership with the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation. The Built to Play initiative was developed as a response by the Foundation to help answer that need by providing more access to free play through the development of innovative play spaces and skateparks.

“Our vision with Built to Play is to create more opportunities and places of recreation that are owned and embraced by the kids and families they serve,” said Jim Boyle, Vice President of Programs & Communications, Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation. “The Tony Hawk Foundation and KaBOOM! are experts in their respective fields and will do a wonderful job leading these collaborative efforts in our regions. We look forward to the day that more children within these communities can make active play a part of their daily life through these play spaces and skateparks.”

Over the next several months, KaBOOM! and Tony Hawk Foundation will begin to immerse themselves in both regions to engage potential applicants to help guide them through the process and steps to create these spaces. The three funding opportunities within Built to Play are:

• KaBOOM! Play Everywhere Challenge (Up to 20 winners total) – Design competition which encourages installations constructed to integrate play into everyday life and unexpected places (such as on sidewalks, in vacant lots, at bus stops, in open streets and beyond). More details on the application process will be announced in early March. Through RCWJRF funding, KaBOOM! will award grants to the challenge winners in August.
• KaBOOM! Unique Playground Builds (Two in each region) – Hands-on design and build day events for kids, parents, and community members to give ideas and input for their dream playground. A team of world-class designers will turn the community’s dreams into reality with custom playground designs. The design phase will take place between May – August 2018 and the community-builds will take place from July – October 2018.
• Tony Hawk Foundation Skateparks (Up to five in first phase, up to 20 total) – Through RCWJRF funding, THF will offer matching/challenge grants to assist in the construction of public, non-profit skateparks, giving youth the opportunity to be active whether they’re riding on skateboards, BMX bikes, scooters or rollerblades. THF will begin outreach and announce the opening of applications later this Spring for the first phase.

“We know that play is essential for the well-being of kids and our communities,” said Roxane Rucker, Vice President, Community Impact at KaBOOM!. “That’s why we are thrilled to be working with the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation as part of the Built to Play initiative to help create play spaces in Southeast Michigan and Western New York. Through our work together, we are helping kids get the playful childhood experiences they deserve and need to grow up healthy, resilient and ready for life.”

“The Built to Play Skatepark Program will support communities with both expertise and an unprecedented matching grant opportunity,” said Miki Vuckovich, Executive Director, Tony Hawk Foundation. “Our goal is to bring the many benefits of skateparks and the active lifestyle they encourage to communities throughout both regions so kids can thrive. And this program is designed to do just that.”

The Tony Hawk Foundation’s dedicated project manager for the Built to Play initiative will work across both regions to help applicants navigate the public process of building a skatepark. KaBOOM! staff will play a similar role, leading the community engagement and offering technical assistance to help grantees complete design, installation and promotion of their projects.

The Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation’s grantmaking in Youth Sports and Recreation is largely based on its Project Play initiative driven by the Aspen Institute’s “Eight Plays” to get and keep kids active, which were analyzed within the State of Play reports. Three key “plays,” which the Built to Play initiative supports, include “ask kids what they want,” “reintroduce free play,” and “think small.” The reports also identified the need to create safe options for youth to stay active who don’t take part in organized sports. Built to Play will help fill that void.

To learn more about Built to Play and the application process and eligibility for each opportunity, visit RWBuiltToPlay.org.

 

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About the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation:
The Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation is a grantmaking organization dedicated primarily to sustained investment in the quality of life of the people of Southeast Michigan and Western New York. The two areas reflect Ralph C. Wilson, Jr.’s devotion to his hometown of Detroit and greater Buffalo, home of his Buffalo Bills franchise. Prior to his passing in 2014, Mr. Wilson requested that a significant share of his estate be used to continue a life-long generosity of spirit by funding the Foundation that bears his name. The Foundation has a grantmaking capacity of $1.2 billion over a 20-year period, which expires January 8, 2035. This structure is consistent with Mr. Wilson’s desire for the Foundation’s impact to be immediate, substantial, measurable and overseen by those who knew him best. For more information visit rcwjrf.org.

About KaBOOM!:
KaBOOM! is the national non-profit dedicated to giving all kids – especially those living in poverty – the childhood they deserve through great, safe places to play. KaBOOM! inspires communities to make play the easy choice and works to drive the national discussion about the importance of PLAYces. KaBOOM! has collaborated with partners to build or restore more than 17,000 playspaces, engaged more than 1.5 million volunteers and served over 9 million kids. To learn why play matters for all kids, visit kaboom.org and join the conversation at twitter.com/kaboom, facebook.com/kaboom and instagram.com/kaboom. #playmatters #PLAYceforKids

 

About the Tony Hawk Foundation
:
A charitable, non-profit organization, the Tony Hawk Foundation was established in 2002 by its namesake, professional skateboarder Tony Hawk. THF promotes and provides technical assistance and funds for high-quality public skateparks in low-income areas throughout the United States that promote healthy, active lifestyles, and to International programs that enrich the lives of youth through skateboarding.

Domestically, the Foundation’s Skatepark Grant program has awarded over $5.7-million to 588 communities in all 50 states. The Foundation focuses on working with local officials and grassroots, community-based organizations that plan to hire designers and contractors with strong experience designing and building skateparks.

The Foundation’s International Program has provided technical support and awarded $100,000 to assist youth through the Skateistan educational programs in Afghanistan, Cambodia, and South Africa (www.skateistan.org).
The Tony Hawk Foundation was established by a gift from Tony Hawk. Its directors raise additional funds through events, industry donations, and continuing contributions from Tony and other entities. For more information, visit the Foundation’s Web site at www.tonyhawkfoundation.org. You can also visit THF on facebook and Instagram @tonyhawkfoundation, and on Twitter @THF.

 

Media Contacts:
Kailey Kolozsvary
Martin Davison Public Relations
585-705-8618
kkolozsvary@martingroupmarketing.com

Carly Strachan
Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation
313-460-8100
carly.strachan@rcwjrf.org

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The Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation Announces Vision for a Center for Nonprofit Support in Detroit

TechTown, Michigan Nonprofit Association and Community Wealth Partners to ‘build out’ the Center’s operations and early services

 

Detroit, MI (December 4, 2017) – Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation announced its plans today to develop and pilot a yet-to-be-named Center focused on nonprofit support, located at the corner of Woodward Avenue and East Grand Boulevard in the New Center/North End neighborhood of Detroit.

Driven by the Foundation’s grantmaking focus in nonprofit support and innovation, the Center will offer a physical space and hub for nonprofit leaders and practitioners to gather and have access to a connected and well-informed network of resources aimed at accelerating solutions around the mission-related and sector-based issues they face.

“It’s our vision that the Center will build greater capacity and enhance capabilities within the organizations that we work with,” said David Egner, president & CEO, Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation. “Over time, we also plan to add innovative problem-solving practices in the Center to assist nonprofits and social innovators in developing new approaches and delivery systems to address challenges in our region.”

After more than a year of research and conversations with nonprofit leaders and support organizations, the Foundation learned that while many nonprofit resources exist in Southeast Michigan, there is often a lack of coordination and awareness around them. At the same time, nonprofit leaders expressed a desire to connect with more peers and experts across different fields, which this physical space will allow to happen. The Foundation also reviewed a number of national models and consulted with national experts to construct this place-based model.

 

The Partners

To lead the overall management and day-to-day operations of the Center, the Foundation recently approved a three-year grant for $4,750,000 to TechTown.  While TechTown is known as Detroit’s hub for entrepreneurs, its leadership and staff have more than 20 years of experience in building communities and networks of individuals to serve entrepreneurs and innovators in the private sector and social impact arenas.

“TechTown’s leadership and team have demonstrated adaptability and proven the value of activating a physical space devoted to fostering idea-sharing, education and network-building,” said Egner.

Drawing on this experience, TechTown will recruit and hire staff to manage the Center, which will include overseeing the operations, event planning, communications and marketing. It will also apply its proven practices within the nonprofit community and coordinate a networked delivery system of strategic services and resources for nonprofits, leveraging its close partnership with Wayne State University.

“Nonprofits, like entrepreneurs, need support to grow strategically and try new things,” said Ned Staebler, president & CEO of TechTown and vice president for economic development at Wayne State. “Our job will be to help connect them to the right people and the right resources so they can deepen their impact, building a stronger regional nonprofit network in the process.”

Through a grant of $315,000, the Michigan Nonprofit Association (MNA) will work as a key partner focused on the Center’s capacity building services, including nonprofit assessments, resource referrals informed by their current network of expert providers, and case management. MNA has relationships with more than 4,000 nonprofits, and a suite of tools and practices to help nonprofits become more efficient and effective at delivering on their mission. MNA’s staff will also schedule planned “office hours” as part of this work and will serve as a strategic partner as the Center’s service concept continues to evolve and grow.

“Boosting the capabilities of a nonprofit can make a world of difference in helping to advance the work in their communities. We are excited to be a key partner in this innovative vision to meet the needs of Southeast Michigan,” said Donna Murray-Brown, president & CEO, Michigan Nonprofit Association.

In addition to these grantees, the Foundation has contracted with Community Wealth Partners, a national expert in capacity and network building, to help with further planning and development to bring the Center concept to life. Through facilitation with partner organizations and concept review, Community Wealth Partners will provide a third-party perspective, insight into best practices and suggestions for continuous improvement.

“Nonprofits in the Detroit region are trying to solve large, complex problems. To do so effectively, they need better access to each other and to cutting-edge tools and resources,” said Sara Brenner, president at Community Wealth Partners. “We are committed to help the Foundation and its partners co-create a model that enables nonprofits to learn from each other, strengthen their effectiveness in serving the community, and coordinate efforts to solve major challenges together. We are honored to partner with the Foundation on this.”

 

Early Operations & Services

The Foundation anticipates the Center will begin limited operations and services in mid- to late-2018. The 7,500-square-foot space, which is located on the ground floor of the Foundation’s headquarters and leased from Midtown Detroit Inc., is currently being prepared for build out.

In early 2018, the Foundation and Center partners will begin to strategize the best design and layout to facilitate collaboration, service delivery and special events. In addition, the Center will also be led through a naming and brand identity development process.

In its early operations, the Center will focus primarily on grantees and potential grantees of the Wilson Foundation as the ‘first clients,’ and will offer some services, activities and events to fellow foundations and nonprofits. With the Center’s primary partners recently established, there are still many questions and operational details to be determined in the coming months as the Center gets up and running. More details will be shared closer to the Center’s launch later in 2018.

With the Center based in Southeast Michigan, the Foundation is also in the early stages of talking with partners across Western New York, its other region of focus, to determine the best approach for providing nonprofit support, based on the existing assets and activities already happening there.

 

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About the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation:

The Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation is a grantmaking organization dedicated primarily to sustained investment in the quality of life of the people of Southeast Michigan and Western New York. The two areas reflect Ralph C. Wilson, Jr.’s devotion to his hometown of Detroit and greater Buffalo, home of his Buffalo Bills franchise. Prior to his passing in 2014, Mr. Wilson requested that a significant share of his estate be used to continue a life-long generosity of spirit by funding the Foundation that bears his name. The Foundation has a grantmaking capacity of $1.2 billion over a 20-year period, which expires January 8, 2035. This structure is consistent with Mr. Wilson’s desire for the Foundation’s impact to be immediate, substantial, measurable and overseen by those who knew him best. For more information visit rcwjrf.org.

 

About TechTown Detroit:

TechTown is Detroit’s entrepreneurship hub, with a full suite of programs for both tech and neighborhood small businesses. TechTown works with businesses at all stages, helping startup, emerging and established companies develop, launch and grow. For more information, visit techtowndetroit.org.

 

About Michigan Nonprofit Association (MNA):

Incorporated in 1990, MNA is a statewide membership organization dedicated to serving the diverse nonprofit sector through advocacy, training, and resources. MNA manages multiple programs and affiliates and is a sponsoring organization for AmeriCorps VISTA. Visit us at mnaonline.org.

 

About Community Wealth Partners:

Established in 1997 by the anti-hunger and anti-poverty nonprofit Share Our Strength, Community Wealth Partners is a social sector consulting firm offering strategy development and implementation, strategic capacity building, community collaboration and network building, and learning and evaluation services to foundations and nonprofits. At Community Wealth Partners, we dream of a world in which all people thrive. To realize this dream, we focus on long-term transformational change and helping our partners take the practical steps to solve social problems at the magnitude at which they exist. Visit us at communitywealth.com.

 

Media Contacts:

Kailey Kolozsvary

Martin Davison Public Relations

585-705-8618

kkolozsvary@martingroupmarketing.com

 

Carly Strachan

Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation

313-460-8100

carly.strachan@rcwjrf.org

 

Download Press Release

The Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Foundation is looking to fill a gaping hole in metro Detroit’s support system for nonprofits — and it’s turning to some experts in entrepreneurial cross-pollination to help.

The foundation is putting more than $5 million in grants over the next few years behind what could be a first-of-its-kind nonprofit support and innovation center. To run it, the foundation has tapped the TechTown business incubator in Detroit to transfer the supportive approach and collaborative, innovative environment it’s created for entrepreneurs to the region’s nonprofits.

That funding is just the tip of the $1 billion foundation’s planned commitment to nonprofit support and innovation.

While there are many consultants and organizations offering various capacity-building and operating supports for nonprofits, there’s no coordinated system of them in the region, the foundation found after a yearlong study. Just as importantly, there’s no local, dedicated space for nonprofits to innovate together.

Read the full article at Crain's Detroit Business »

The Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation Highlights 2017 Grants-to-Date

Foundation has committed nearly $24 million in grants across 40 organizations impacting its four areas of focus

 

Detroit, MI /Buffalo, NY (Oct. 19, 2017) – Just one year after the launch of its official grant application portal, the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation today highlighted nearly $24 million in grants awarded to 40 organizations throughout Western New York and Southeast Michigan since January 2017.

 

“Since opening the grant portal last year, our team has invested a significant amount of time learning about the many organizations that serve the Western New York and Southeast Michigan communities,” said David Egner, president and CEO, Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation. “Many of the grants we made this year allow organizations to scale proven and successful programs, while some are helping to implement or pilot new programs in one of our regions.”

 

In addition to the learnings and findings that will come from these grants, the Foundation continues to conduct studies and scans to better inform its funding strategies within each of its core funding areas. Determined by its trustees, the four focus areas are consistent with many of Mr. Wilson’s philanthropic interests. They include:

 

·       Children and Youth – Focus is on strengthening young minds and bodies with early childhood initiatives, sports and recreation programs, and afterschool youth development programs.

 

·       Young Adults and Working Class Families – Focus is on skills training and education initiatives that lead to sustainable career pathways and good paying jobs.

 

·       Caregivers – Focus is on those caring for others – whether family members, friends or professionals – through efforts that provide needed skills, resources, education and respite. Early opportunities are primarily for those caring for older adults.

 

·       Livable Communities – Focus is on contributing to strong and sustainable communities by supporting: community access and design to public spaces that support healthy living; non-profit support and innovation; and economic development levers that spur regional growth, innovation and equity.

 

The following organizations, spread across all four focus areas, received grants between January and September 2017:

 

Children and Youth:

·       Allegany County Community Opportunities and Rural Development (ACCORD): $100,000 to support ACCORD’s essential programming, while developing alternative sources of long-term funding for programs after its loss of 21st Century grant funding.

·       Aspen Institute: $1,050,000 over three years, for continued investment in the expansion of quality youth sports opportunities in Western New York, Greater Rochester and Southeast Michigan.

·       Bing Youth Institute: $200,000 to support the BINGO (Boys Inspired through Nuturing, Growth and Opportunities) Mentoring Program in Detroit.

·       Community Connections of New York, on behalf of the WNY Mentoring Collective: $2.15 million to support the WNY Mentoring Collective, a cohort of nine mentoring programs collaborating to strengthen the youth mentoring field in WNY.

·       Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan: $675,000 over three years, to implement the PEDALS (Positive Emotional Development and Learning Skills) early childhood program in Southeast Michigan.

·       Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan: $580,000 over three years, to support its work sharing and applying the framework from the State of Play report to local communities across Southeast Michigan, in partnership with the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation and the Aspen Institute.

·       Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo: $580,000 over three years, to support its work sharing and applying the framework from the State of Play report to local communities across Western New York, in partnership with the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation and the Aspen Institute.

·       Detroit PAL: $575,000 over three years, to provide capacity support to transition the organization into a new and expanded facility.

·       Detroit Food and Entrepreneurship Academy: $126,000 to expand the reach and depth of afterschool and summer programs and to support long-term strategic planning for Small Batch, its earned revenue business.

·       Diocese of Buffalo Department of Education: $87,000 one-year bridge grant to support its afterschool programs, which have been compromised by recent cuts in funding to its 21st Century grant.

·       Independent Health Foundation: $650,000 over three years, to support the expansion of the Soccer for Success program in Western New York.

·       Southeastern Michigan Health Association, on behalf of the Detroit Health Department: $2 million over three years, to establish and operate SisterFriends, an effort to reduce preterm birth and infant mortality in the city of Detroit.

·       Teach for America: $225,000 to support Teach for America’s effort to recruit and train early childhood educators who will lead some of Detroit and Buffalo’s highest need pre-kindergarten classrooms.

·       Women’s Sports Foundation: $1 million over four years, to bring the Women’s Sports Foundation’s Sports 4 Life program to Western New York and Southeast Michigan to strengthen and grow eight local youth sports organizations in order to attract and retain more girl participants.

 

Young Adults and Working Class Families:

·       Ann Arbor SPARK: $100,000 to support plans for the American Center for Mobility at Willow Run.

·       Buffalo Center for Arts and Technology (BCAT): $150,000 to support increased enrollment and job placement of adult participants in its medical coding and pharmacy technician training programs.

·       Detroit Employment Solutions Corporation: $1.5 million to support the transformation of the A. Philip Randolph Technical Education Center into a state-of-the-art construction and skilled trades training facility for youth and adults in metro Detroit.

·       Focus: HOPE: $725,000 to support organizational restructuring and compensation for key new hires.

·       Macomb Community College Foundation: $1,152,000 to support a workforce development training program in advanced manufacturing and information technology.

·       Operating Engineers Local 324: $450,000 to support the purchase and deployment of six equipment simulators for both classroom and career event environments.

·       Say Yes to Education: $800,000 over three years, to support Say Yes Buffalo and advance the city as a place of opportunity for boys and young men of color.

 

Caregivers:

·       Altarum Institute: $175,000 over two years, to support the evaluation of caregiver grants to help shape the Foundation’s grantmaking strategies.

·       Alzheimer’s Association Greater Michigan Chapter: $240,000 to support informal and professional caregivers by funding the development of the ‘train-the-trainer’ model.

·       Hearts and Hands: $31,000 to provide general programmatic support during a capacity building process and review.

·       Hunter’s Hope: $25,000 to support the 2017 Family and Medical Symposium.

·       Livingston County Catholic Charities: $90,000 to support the operations of four programs that provide resources and respite to caregivers.

·       Research Foundation at SUNY (UB): $135,000 over two years, to connect occupational therapist graduate students with caregivers to provide them with practical, customized solutions for their unique caregiving challenges.

·       Rochester Presbyterian Home: $151,000 to support the implementation of a new professional development curriculum designed to empower staff and improve quality of life for residents.

 

Livable Communities:

·       Causewave Community Partners: $150,000 to support strategic development and marketing for nonprofits with missions serving the Foundation’s four focus areas in Monroe, Genesee and Orleans counties.

·       Council of Great Lakes Governors: $50,000 to support the Council of Great Lakes Governors’ and Premiers’ 2017 Leadership Summit.

·       Council of Michigan Foundations: $60,000 to support and expand Learning to Give, a K-12 program that teaches philanthropy as part of daily curriculum in Wayne County.

·       Detroit Economic Growth Association: $2,003,745 to support comprehensive design and construction planning for the remaining unconstructed segments of the City of Detroit’s Inner Circle Greenway.

·       Detroit Economic Growth Association: $175,000 to support development of a Sustainability Action Agenda for the City of Detroit’s new Office of Sustainability.

·       Detroit RiverFront Conservancy: $345,000 over 18 months to support a design competition for West Riverfront Park.

·       Fair Food Network: $1,500,000 over three years, to expand Double Up Health Food Incentives through innovative technology and communications in Southeast Michigan and Western New York.

·       German Marshall Fund “BUILD” Conference: $30,000 grant for its BUILD conference, a unique transatlantic urban and regional policy and leadership conference, that will take place in the U.S. for the first time this November in Detroit.

·       Independent Sector: $100,000 to support the Independent Sector 2017 National Conference this October in Detroit.

·       Invest Detroit: $250,000 to support the Accelerate Michigan Innovation Competition  to create jobs and support high-growth company development in Southeast Michigan.

·       National Comedy Center, Inc: $3 million to support the development of the National Comedy Center to increase tourism and economic development in Western New York.

·       43North: $250,000 to support the prototyping and refinement of a strategic partnership project in connection with the Western New York-based startup competition.

·       NY Funders Alliance: $50,000 to support its bienneial NYS Funders Conference in Buffalo this November.

·       Research Foundation for the SUNY (UB): $70,000 to the University of Buffalo School of Architecture and Planning to support Turning the Corner, a national pilot research effort combining national expertise with local knowledge base, to assess neighborhood change and inform action in post-industrial city neighborhoods.

 

“Our staff continue to review incoming applications and will also be gearing up to advance another round of grants planned for the remainder of this year,” said Egner. “On the operations front, the Foundation will reach another significant milestone in our limited life, as we move into our new headquarters in Detroit by the end of this month.”

 

Grant applications are accepted through the Foundation’s website on an ongoing basis. The web-based application allows for an easy, transparent and efficient grantmaking process from start to finish. For more information on the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation and its giving policies, visit RCWJRF.org

 

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About the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation:

The Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation is a grantmaking organization dedicated primarily to sustained investment in the quality of life of the people of Southeast Michigan and Western New York. The two areas reflect Ralph C. Wilson, Jr.’s devotion to his hometown of Detroit and greater Buffalo, home of his Buffalo Bills franchise. Prior to his passing in 2014, Mr. Wilson requested that a significant share of his estate be used to continue a life-long generosity of spirit by funding the Foundation that bears his name. The Foundation has a grantmaking capacity of $1.2 billion over a 20-year period, which expires January 8, 2035. This structure is consistent with Mr. Wilson’s desire for the Foundation’s impact to be immediate, substantial, measurable and overseen by those who knew him best. For more information visit www.rcwjrf.org.

 

Media Contacts:

 

Kailey Kolozsvary

Martin Davison Public Relations

585-705-8618

kkolozsvary@martingroupmarketing.com

 

Carly Strachan

Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation

313-460-8100

carly.strachan@rcwjrf.org

 

Download Press Release

Detroit health officials hope increased access to child care services and information during pregnancy will reduce premature births and decrease infant mortality, Mayor Mike Duggan said Wednesday.

Make Your Date Detroit, a partnership with the city and Wayne State University (WSU), has served more than 5,800 women since launching in 2014. The effort is adding another partner, SisterFriends Detroit, to increase its reach with prenatal care, awareness of cervical length screening and treatment, pregnancy education classes and more.

“Make Your Date is having a significant impact in Detroit,” Duggan said. ” …we must ensure that even more women gain access to the highest quality care and a strong support system to guide them through their pregnancy. That’s why we’re connecting Make Your Date with SisterFriends Detroit.”

SisterFriends provides volunteer mentors for women during pregnancy and the year after birth. It received $2 million from the Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Foundation, $100,000 from the Michigan Health Endowment Fund and $70,000 from the Kresge Foundation for volunteer training, community outreach and professional development, according to a news release.

Read the full article at MLive »

Greenways will soon take Detroiters from 8 Mile to the Riverfront and everywhere in between. That’s the “gist” of the anticipated impact of a $2 million Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation grant announced by Mayor Mike Duggan today. Neighborhood residents, who remain largely disconnected by roadways that split neighborhoods and partial pathways that lead “nowhere,” will soon be fully connected by the Inner Circle Greenway (ICG), a 26-mile recreational path that will provide non-motorized access to city parks, commercial corridors, job sites, the riverfront and downtown.

The $2 million will be used to develop comprehensive design and construction documents for the Conrail property and all remaining unconstructed segments of the ICG, as well as an overarching ICG Framwork that incorporates the half-mile corridor to either side of the greenway itself.

Read the full article at The Hub Detroit »

The Detroit RiverFront Conservancy has received a $345,000 grant to fund a design competition to help transform the park that sits on property that was once home to the Detroit Free Press printing plant, officials said. The nonprofit dedicated to developing the city’s riverfront district and facilitate community access to the waterfront, the Conservancy said it received the grant from the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation to help revamp Detroit’s West Riverfront Park.

Read the full article at The Detroit News »

Southeast Michigan is a diverse region. It covers broad swatches of farmland, suburbs, and urban neighborhoods. Half of our state population resides in metro Detroit, which contains both affluent and low-income families of many ethnicities. In our communities and neighborhoods, it is the next generation – young people of all ages, cultures and creeds – who will steward the enterprising tenacious spirit that is redefining us.

It is within this context that the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation and our partners at the Aspen Institute Sports & Society Program and the Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan unveil “State of Play,” a report that analyzes the rate of participation in youth sports in the seven counties of this region – Wayne, Oakland, Macomb, Washtenaw, Livingston, Monroe, and St. Clair counties.

The study is anchored in the notion that everyone in the community will benefit if our children are provided access to quality sport experience, as such experiences lead to greater cognitive function, position mental health, better educational outcomes, and greater likelihood of lifelong healthy habits.

 

Read the full article at Detroit Free Press »

A computer tablet capable of connecting its users to a nursing station for face-to-face communication is changing the way one local hospice reaches out to its patients.  Angela Hospice in Livonia received a $2.1 million grant from the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation to start a “telehospice” program that allows patients and caregivers to video chat with nurses via computer tablets.

Read the full article at Hometown Life »