Story by Oona Goodin-Smith | ogoodins@mlive.com
Photos by Jake May | jmay2@mlive.com
Over the past 18 months, the Ruth Mott Foundation and Community Foundation of Greater Flint have directed a combined $33,480,494 to various programs to aid both children and adults affected by Flint’s lead-in-water crisis.
On Thursday, Sept. 7, in the Northwestern High School gym, the heads of both philanthropy organizations held a public information session to explain where the money – including celebrity donations from Beyoncé and Dave Chapelle – has gone.
Addressing misconceptions
“People say, ‘You have $32 million, why are you not addressing the pipes? Why are you not addressing the roads?” said Isaiah Oliver, President and CEO of the CFGF. “We’re here to tell you we’re not stewards of public dollars – those are tasks for state and federal funds.”
Using Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha’s Flint Child Health and Development fund as an example, Oliver explained that CFGF’s mission is to raise money for the intended purpose of those establishing funds within the community foundation.
“There we are raising money for zero to six-year-olds impacted by the water crisis, and we are going to act with integrity to steward those funds to the correct place,” Oliver said.
Since January 2016, CFGF has received $32,662,194 in gifts for water crisis-related aid, Oliver said. Of that, the Flint Child Health and Development fund – which aims to serve the long-term health and development needs of Flint children exposed to lead – has raked in over $18 million.
Handy Lindsey, president of the Ruth Mott Foundation, explained that his organization – which provides around $6 million in grants each year to Flint-area non-profits targeting aid to the city’s north side – committed an additional $1 million in available grant money to address water crisis needs.
The Ruth Mott Foundation’s north side priorities, Lindsey explained, are based off public feedback received in eight community forums held in the city in 2015.
“You told us those things that are most important to you, and we’re committed to doing that until you tell us differently,” Lindsey said.
Handy Lindsey Jr., president of the Ruth Mott Foundation, speaks to more than 100 residents during a community information session for the philanthropic response to the Flint water crisis on Thursday, Sept. 7, 2017 at the Flint Northwestern High School gymnasium on the city's north side. Jake May | MLive.com
The money
Since February 2016, the Ruth Mott Foundation – which, Lindsey noted, is separate from Flint’s C.S. Mott Foundation – has directed a total of $818,300 in grant money toward water crisis-related causes.
The Community Foundation of Greater Flint has garnered a total of $32,662,194 in gifts targeted toward the water crisis and recovery.
While over $32 million has been raised by the CFGF, only about $15.9 million has already been spent in the community, Oliver said, stressing that many of the funds aim to spend dollars over a long term.
Scroll through for a breakdown of both grants from the Ruth Mott Foundation as well as donations to the Community Foundation of Greater Flint.
For children
$150,000 grant from Ruth Mott to the CFGF’s Flint Child Health and Development Fund, a supplemental resource to the ongoing pursuit of state and federal funding to aid children with health, nutrition and education interventions that support positive outcomes for Flint’s children exposed to lead.
$18,179,372 has been raised in donations through CFGF for the Flint Child Health and Development Fund, started by Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha, serving the long-term needs of Flint children exposed to lead. $3,290,700 has been invested in the community so far.
$9,000,000 raised in donations through CFGF for the Flint Kids Learn Building Fund, which was launched by the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation in efforts to construct a new early childhood facility in Flint. The amount has already been spent, with construction on the 36,000 square foot center on the grounds of Durant-Tuuri-Mott Elementary beginning in January 2017.
$1,250,000 raised in donations through CFGF for the Health of Flint Children and Families Project Fund lead prevention program, founded by the Kresge Foundation. $285,734 has been invested in the community so far.
Tegan Johnston | MLive.com
Healthy food
$210,000 grant from Ruth Mott for the Fair Food Network Double Up Food Bucks program through 2019, which allows Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program recipients to purchase twice as much fresh fruits, vegetables and dairy products that are high in Vitamin C, iron and calcium. These nutrients can reduce the absorption of lead in exposed families.
$110,000 grant from Ruth Mott to the Genesee Chamber Foundation’s North Flint Grocery Initiative. The chamber is the fiscal sponsor for the North Flint Reinvestment Corp. and Fresh Start CDC, which will be completing pre-development work for the new construction of two grocery stores in north Flint. The stores will improve access to affordable, fresh, health food for north Flint residents that help mitigate the effects of lead exposure and the challenges of living in a food desert.
$764,825 raised in donations through CFGF for the Michigan Health Endowment Fund’s Food and Safe Water Fund, aiming to create access to healthy food. $724,616 has been spent so far.
$449,436 raised in donations through CFGF for the Michigan Health Endowment Fund’s Expansion of Flint and Genesee Access to Health Food Initiative Fund, aiming to create a “Flint Fresh Mobile Market,” offering nutrition in the community and food access programs. $40,394 has been spent so far.
$152,671 raised in donations through CFGF for North American Breweries’ Flint Families Summer Nutrition Program Fund, offering weekend meal programs for Flint families. $152,703 has been spent so far.
$25,000 raised in donations through CFGF for the Michigan Health Endowment Fund Health Food and Safe Water Fund II. $17,854 has been spent so far.
Photo by Shannon Millard I MLive.com.
Water delivery
$43,300 grant from Ruth Mott to Habitat for Humanity to fiscally sponsor the Flint Water Neighborhood Project, which continued weekly door-to-door outreach and water delivery to residents in Flint’s Second Ward. The project was developed in response to concerns that some Flint residents were still drinking tap water potentially contaminated with lead. The project was piloted in the Civic Park Neighborhood, where community leaders first alerted the Ruth Mott Foundation to the concerns.
$638,536 raised in donations through CFGF for the Flint WaterWorks Fund, founded by J.B. and M.K. Pritzker, which is dedicated toward water distribution and youth employment. $638,440 has been spent so far.
Jake May | MLive.com
Public health
$200,000 grant from Ruth Mott for the Genesee Health System’s Community Support and Resiliency program through 2019, which provides mobile mental health services and increased linkages to primary care and other community support services to Flint residents. It will also provide capacity building for community providers and water crisis response workers.
$300,000 raised in donations through CFGF for the Ford Foundation’s City of Flint Public Health Advisor Fund, aiming to build the city’s public health capacity. The money was invested in full when the city of Flint hired Public Health Advisor Dr. Pamela Pugh in September 2016.
Neighborhood development
$54,839 raised in donations through CFGF for the Safe Water Safe Homes Fund, founded by Brandon Carr and providing emergency relief for homes with damaged lead plumbing.
$100,000 raised in donations through CFGF for the Neighborhoods Small Grants Program 3.0 Fund, created by the Roy & Patricia Disney Family Foundation. The fund is directed toward neighborhood projects and leadership development.
$290,000 raised in donations through CFGF for the W.K. Kellogg Foundation’s Neighborhoods Small Grants Program fund.
Jake May I MLive.com
Recovery
$10,000 grant from Ruth Mott to the United Way for an outreach coordinator to lead the Flint Action Coordination Team, a group of community partners dedicated to Flint’s recovery from the water crisis.
$220,000 raised in donations through CFGF for the Skillman Foundation’s City of Flint Chief Recovery Officer Fund, aiming to boost resident engagement, increase support services and rebuild water infrastructure. The city announced the hiring of Jameca Patrick-Singleton for the position in late August.
$1,004,362 raised in donations through CFGF for Huntington Bank’s Moving Flint Forward Fund, focusing on economic development for Flint businesses affected by the water crisis. $992,319 has been spent so far.
And more
$90,000 grant from Ruth Mott to the United Way of Genesee County to work as a community connector and resource for water crisis emergency response systems. The funds supported the flexible, on-the-ground response to the water crisis, such as transporting water to distribution centers and homes; hiring a health educator and nutritionist within the Genesee County Health Department; and programs to address the nutrition and health needs of exposed children and families.
$5,000 grant from Ruth Mott to the United Way as the fiscal sponsor for the R.L. Jones Community Outreach Center of Greater Holy Temple. The center has committed its grounds and resources to assisting residents affected by the water crisis, including distribution of water, filters, food, personal care items, and information.
$10,780 raised in donations through CFGF for Brandon Carr’s Carr Cares Fund for Flint, directed toward charitable purposes related to the Flint water crisis. So far, $675 has been spent in the community.
$122,373 raised in donations through CFGF for the Links, Incorporated Flint Area Chapter Flint Kids Matter Fund. The fund, directed toward charitable purposes related to the Flint water crisis, was founded by Members of The Links, Inc, Gamma Delta Boule Sigma Pi Phi Fraternity and the Woodrow Stanley Youth Foundation. So far, $20,127 has been spent in the community.
$100,000 raised in donations through CFGF for C.S. Mott’s Water Quality Transparency Fund, which paid for water testing by Dr. Marc Edwards.
Bruno Mars performed at The Palace of Auburn Hills on Saturday, August 12, 2017. (Photo provided by Warner Music)
Celebrity donations
Oliver said he wanted to address the many questions and rumors surrounding celebrity donations to the foundation, specifically Bruno Mars' most recent announcement of a $1 million gift to Flint.
Oliver said that while the details of the Grammy-winning singer's fund with the CFGF have not yet been finalized, Mars has expressed that he wants to play an active role in the grant-making process in the city.
Other celebrity donations to CFGF include a $50,000 gift from comedian Dave Chapelle, and $41,117 from Beyonce. Half of the Lemonade singer's Detroit concert ticket sales went to the Community Foundation, while the other half was donated to the Genesee County United Way, Oliver said.
Rapper Big Sean – who featured a Flint choir on his newest album – and comedian Amy Schumer have also donated to the CFGF, Oliver said.
In the long run
During a question and answer segment at the end of Oliver and Lindsey's presentation, several residents voiced their concerns over not seeing the benefits of the substantial donations in the community.
Oliver reiterated that the CFGF, as a “steward of funds,” is guided in its spending by the founder of its funds and that many aim to give over the long term, meaning that results will not be seen immediately.
“Our community has gone through a lot in this process, and we deserve the trust we’re asking for,” Oliver said. “But it’s going to take time. We ask that you trust us.”
Handy echoed Oliver’s sentiments, noting that the Ruth Mott Foundation has only been working in Flint’s north end for the past 18 months.
“The problems on the north side of the city, they didn’t just happen yesterday, and so it’s going to take some time to improve it, too,” Handy said.
For more information
The Ruth Mott Foundation still has $305,000 in available grant money for non-profits in relation to the Flint water crisis.
Those interested in applying for a grant can attend an upcoming fall grant information session, call 810-233-0170, or visit www.ruthmottfoundation.org to learn more.
Reports on the Community Foundation of Greater Flint's spending as well as more on its funds are available by calling 810-767-8270 or visiting cfgf.org.
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