Content excerpted and adapted from a foundation press release.

The Ruth Mott Foundation announced last week it has extended its commitment to focus on north Flint for at least another five years.  

Launched in 2016, the foundation’s place-based strategy focuses on north Flint residents’ top four priorities—youth, public safety, economic opportunity and neighborhoods— which the foundation says were chosen and reaffirmed by hundreds of community members at forums across the northern half of the city. 

For the next five years of the plan, the foundation will continue to seek feedback from residents on those priorities and themes within, including blight elimination, neighborhood centers and job training, among others.

“We knew that shifting to a more focused place-based approach in Flint would require a long-term commitment—and that was before the water crisis and before COVID-19,” Raquel Thueme, president, Ruth Mott Foundation said. “As we renew our commitment to north Flint, we pledge to continue listening to the people who live and work here and directing our resources within the neighborhoods and priorities that need them the most.”

Since October 2015, when the foundation started phasing in the north Flint strategy, more than $28 million in grants have been awarded to community programs, with most going to the youth and neighborhood priority areas. 

Berston Field House was one of the first programs supported under the foundation’s north Flint strategy in 2016. Since then, the Ruth Mott Foundation has granted $510,000 through the United Way of Genesee County for Berston. The historic north Flint community center has attracted additional funds to be able to hire additional staff, build a playground and develop a fundraising plan.

Other highlights include:

•    Youth development programs outside of school hours. The foundation has funded 40 different north Flint youth programs – ranging from those that serve hundreds of participants to smaller more intensive programs – that provide safe development opportunities for youth when they’re not in school.

•    Blight elimination. In one example of a blight elimination initiative, the number of north Flint parks adopted and used has increased with the foundation’s funding to the Genesee County Parks and Recreation Commission. About 39 north Flint parks are adopted annually, and close to 1 million pounds of garbage and yard waste have been collected as part of the programs since 2016 – just one indication of the parks and gateway gardens’ increased use and maintenance. New playgrounds, picnic tables, and sports amenities have been installed in many parks with the foundation’s funding and several other sources of support.

•    Neighborhood hubs. Foundation grants have helped eight community centers open and/or operate in neighborhoods across north Flint. The hubs have seen their sources of support increase and their collective revenue more than double since 2016. Hubs include: Berston, Asbury Community Development Corp., Flint Development Center, Latinx Technology & Community Center, Neighborhood Engagement Hub, St. Luke NEW Life Center, Sylvester Broome Empowerment Village and Urban Renaissance Center.

Learn more about Ruth Mott Foundation’s focus on north Flint.