5/8/2025

The Community Foundation for Northeast Michigan (CFNEM) has awarded a new round of grants from its Urgent Needs Fund supporting relief and recovery efforts following northern Michigan’s historic ice storm. With the help of generous support from northeast Michigan and beyond, $78,030 in new grants was awarded to nonprofits working to meet immediate, basic needs of individuals and families in northeast Michigan most impacted by the natural disaster.

“This round of Urgent Needs Fund grants brings the total amount provided to our northeast Michigan communities to $147,330 so far,” says CFNEM Executive Director, Patrick Heraghty. “We are so thankful for the individuals, businesses, local service organizations, and philanthropic partners who have shown our communities such generosity.”

Among the donations received into CFNEM’s Urgent Needs Fund are several large gifts from foundations supporting northeast Michigan residents. Those gifts include $100,000 from the A.A. Van Elslander Foundation; $30,000 from Consumers Energy Foundation; $25,000 from Community Financial Credit Union; and $10,000 from Weyerhaeuser – Grayling OSB.

“These donations in support of our neighbors have been a huge part of our ability to get grants into our communities quickly as we work to fundraise for the needs that continue to arise,” says Heraghty. “We are seeing the layers of relief and recovery begin to emerge and evolve. We thank everyone who has donated so far and hope our communities and philanthropic partners will continue their generosity so we can keep putting these much-needed funds to work for northeast Michigan.”

Heraghty added that the effects of this natural disaster will continue to impact our communities for weeks and months ahead, and that once short-term needs have been met, the Foundation anticipates supporting communities with preparedness efforts if possible.

“As long as we continue to have support through donations to this fund, we can continue to make grants,” said Heraghty.

The Urgent Needs Fund was reactivated on April 1^st with a $25,000 grant from the Community Foundation for Northeast Michigan.

Grants provided in the most recent round of Urgent Needs Fund awards include:

• $15,000 to Northeast Michigan Community Service Agency to support sump pump replacements, tree removal for senior citizens, and washer and dryer replacements damaged in power surges.
• $15,000 to Food Bank of Eastern Michigan to provide food support for residents in the state-declared emergency counties.
• $7,500 to American Red Cross of Northern Michigan to support emergency relief services in Northeast Michigan.
• $6,250 to Forest-Waverly Township Fire Department for emergency supply replenishment.
• $5,000 to Alpena County to support the brush drop-off site for county residents.
• $5,000 to Habitat for Humanity Northeast Michigan to support critical home repairs for damage caused by the ice storm.
• $5,000 to Women’s Resource Center of Northern Michigan for gas, grocery and laundry support for survivors and families in Cheboygan County.
• $5,000 to Wolverine Community Schools to support expenses incurred while operating as a warming shelter.
• $5,000 to Benton Township in Cheboygan County for brush clean up and expenses incurred while operating as an emergency shelter.
• $4,700 to United Way of Northeast Michigan to support families in Cheboygan and Presque Isle Counties with expenses like food, gas, and other basic needs.
• $2,500 to Rogers City Area Seniors, Inc. for equipment replacement and repair while operating as a warming shelter and providing emergency services.
• $1,480 to Beaver Lake Community Church to support expenses incurred while operating as an emergency shelter.
• $600 to Harrisville United Methodist Church to restock the depleted food pantry.

Donations to the Urgent Needs Fund at CFNEM will help the Community Foundation support nonprofits on the front lines of disaster and crisis response related to the ice storm and its aftermath for immediate and long-term needs. Gifts can be made online at cfnem.org.

The Community Foundation for Northeast Michigan is a charitable organization committed to providing people who care about the future of our area with unique and effective ways of supporting their community now, and for generations to come. Led by a volunteer board of local citizens, the foundation oversees a group of permanently endowed funds from a wide range of donors. Gifts of all sizes from individuals, families, businesses, and agencies are invested in a balanced, well-managed portfolio to build endowments, enabling support for students and local community nonprofits now and forever.

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