When you choose to round up your electric bill to the nearest dollar, that spare change goes into the Cherryland Cares fund. It’s a charitable fund overseen by a group of volunteer members who review grant applications and allocate money to local nonprofits. A member’s average contribution is about $6 a year. While that may not feel like much, that money goes a long way. Here are the stories behind just a couple of the most recent recipients:

Single MOMM

The Cherryland Cares board awarded a grant to Single MOMM to help fund their Inside Out Parenting Mentorship program. The program begins with a four-week parenting class for single parents that focuses on how to observe, connect, listen, and respond to their children. After the initial classes, participants meet with a Single MOMM mentor in small groups where they can ask follow-up questions, troubleshoot parenting issues, and review what they’ve learned. Ultimately, the program aims to help families in Grand Traverse, Benzie, Leelanau, Wexford, Kalkaska, Antrim, and Missaukee counties get the support they need, whatever that might look like, in order to live healthy, happy, independent lives.

 

Grand Traverse Men’s Shed

The mission of the Grand Traverse Men’s Shed is to provide seniors in the Grand Traverse area with a place to go, something to do, and someone to talk to. Together, they work on meaningful community projects to support local nonprofits with various projects. From volunteering at Pit Spitters games to woodworking projects like repairing and replacing wooden crosses at the Onominese Cemetery, the group is grounded in giving back. The Cherryland Cares board decided to award this group a grant to help pay for a piece of woodworking equipment that will provide a safer environment for their members.