$2M Wilson Foundation grant will connect neighborhoods “everywhere” and to “everything”
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 »$345K grant to fund West Riverfront Park design contest
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 »Op-Ed: For healthy kids and futures, we need more play
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 »
Video chat device gives hospice patients peace of mind
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 »Survey: Only 13% of kids in southeast Michigan are getting enough physical activity
Michigan kids need to get moving, according to a study of youth sports released today. The study found that while 85% of parent think their children would benefit from playing a sport or being active, only 13% of kids are getting the recommended daily hour of physical activity. The study, called State of Play, was funded by the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation, which is hoping to create programming for low-income youths and others that is aimed at increasing physical activity.
Read the full article at Detroit Free Press »How former Bills owner’s fortune is being spent
Ralph Wilson won a tennis trophy when he was 12. Mary Wilson, his widow, plans to bring it along to a (State of Play) news conference in Detroit on Wednesday. She sees the tinny token as a touchstone for his 95 years.
Read the full article at USA Today »Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation and Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan unveil ‘State of Play’ report on youth sports in the region
Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation and Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan unveil ‘State of Play’ report on youth sports in the region
More than 1,000 local voices informed Aspen Institute analysis, which reveals the bright spots, gaps and opportunities to get more kids in the game
Detroit, MI (June 28, 2017) – Today, the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation and the Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan released “State of Play,” an independent assessment conducted by the Aspen Institute’s Sports & Society Program that examines access, quality, and participation in youth sports in Wayne, Oakland, Macomb, Washtenaw, Livingston, Monroe, and St. Clair counties.
Download Press ReleaseThe Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation Adds Eight Staff Members to Team
The Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation Adds Eight Staff Members to Team
Foundation is now fully staffed with 17 employees to carry out mission
Detroit, MI /Buffalo, NY (March 10, 2017) – Detroit, MI /Buffalo, NY (March 10, 2017) – The Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation today announced that with the addition of eight staff members, all 17 available positions have been filled. The new hires include three program officers: Kimberly Faison, Susan Dundon and Malia Xie; a communications officer: Carly Strachan; a research associate: Avery Eenigenburg; and three administrative assistants: Ebony Annette Jones, Amy Partridge and Donna Salive. (more…)
The Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation Adds Senior Advisor to Staff
The Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation Adds Senior Advisor to Staff
James Jacobs, Ph.D., brings more than 50 years of experience to the Foundation
Detroit, MI/Buffalo, NY (Feb. 24, 2017) – The Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation today announced the addition of James Jacobs, Ph.D. as a senior advisor to the president & CEO. Jacobs comes to the Foundation from the nationally acclaimed Macomb Community College, where he has spent 50 years of his career, serving as president since 2008.
“Jim’s impressive experience and understanding of workforce development will serve as an excellent resource for our staff, and help to inform future investments the Foundation will make in that sector,” said David O. Egner, president and CEO of the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation. “Additionally, Jim brings a strong connectivity to employers and organized labor throughout the region. He’s a recognized economist who understands the future of the workforce, and we’re fortunate to have him join the team as a senior advisor.”
In this new part-time role, Jacobs will advise on strategic decisions and investments the Foundation looks to make in its “Young Adults and Working Class Families” focus area. This includes finding opportunities and programs that provide skills training and education that can lead to pathways to good paying jobs and increased independence in both Southeast Michigan and Western New York.
“Jim’s passion for workforce development will be an asset to the Ralph C. Wilson Foundation.” said Macomb County Executive Mark A. Hackel. “A well trained and well educated workforce is critical to the economic future of our region and Jim’s unique expertise will be helpful in assuring that need is filled.”
Prior to his appointment as president of Macomb Community College in Warren, MI, Jacobs served as director for the Center for Workforce Development and Policy and as associate director of the Community College Research Center at Columbia University’s Teachers College.
Jacobs also spent time serving as president of the National Council for Workforce Education. He earned his Ph.D. from Princeton University and has since specialized in the areas of workforce skills and technology, economic development, worker retraining and community college workforce development.
“Jim’s career at Macomb Community College has been characterized by a dedication to accessible, relevant education and its connection to sustainable careers and economic vitality,” said Jennifer Haase, chair, Macomb Community College Board of Trustees. “We’re happy that Jim, even in retirement, will continue to lend his unparalleled expertise in growing our region’s workforce development capacity.”
Jacobs will formally join the team at the Foundation following his retirement from Macomb Community College this July.
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About the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation:
The Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation is a grant making 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 which bears his name. The Foundation has a grant making capacity of $1.2 billion over a 20-year period, which expires December 31, 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.
Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation gives $2 million to IT career program
The Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation has made a $2 million grant to the Detroit Employment Solutions Corp. to help educate Detroiters for information technology careers. The new grant will support the regional expansion of TechHire, a White House initiative launched to expand local tech sectors by building talent pipelines in communities across the country. Detroit was designated a TechHire city by the White House in 2015.
Read the full article at Crain's Detroit Business »