| Organization information | |
|---|---|
| Organization Name | Children First on the Lakeshore (CFL) |
| Please tell us the amount of funding you are requesting Aware to raise for your organization from the Aware annual fundraising event. | CFL is requesting $10,000 to help purchase food for children impacted by hunger in Allegan county but we will accept whatever you can afford. Your generosity is greatly appreciated. |
| If your organization received Aware funding in the previous years, how many clients were serviced and/or how many services were provided with those funds. If you receive Aware funding this current year, how many clients will be serviced and/or how many services will be provided with these funds? | Yes we received funding last year (and in previous years) and we provided weekend meals for approximately 250 children each week or over 10,000 meals in 2024. If we are lucky enough to receive funding this year, it will again go towards the purchase of food. |
| Please provide a listing of the Officers and Board members of your organization. | CHILDREN FIRST LAKESHORE GEORGE STOUTIN, Co-President GLEN MCNEIL, Co-President JOSEPH BLODGETT, Treasurer JANET SCHMIDT, Secretary JIM SELLMAN, Director JODY VOGELZANG, Director SHARON SHANAHAN, Director BIRDIE WESTER HOLLEY, Director DENISE ADAMS, Director ERIC JIPP, Director AVA TRINGALI, Saugatuck High School Board Liaison MARI VANDEPOEL, Saugatuck High School Board Liaison |
| Your Contact Information | Denise Adams |
| Phone | 248 505 2900 |
| Email hidden; Javascript is required. | |
| Scoring Criteria | |
| 1. Description of the Organization (maximum 5 points, please limit to ½ pages) | Children First Lakeshore (CFL) is a 501 (c) (3) organization dedicated to feeding children affected by hunger throughout Allegan County by providing a weekend meal backpack program in elementary, middle and high schools. CFL connects with schools where there is a need and partners with local institutions and food organizations to coordinate the purchase of food and supplies for the program. We are 100% volunteer run and each week we pack food on Thursdays and deliver to the schools on Fridays. If schools are closed on Friday we pack Wednesdays and deliver on Thursdays. We have only one goal - to provide nourishment for the children in need through our weekend and summer backpack meal program for 2025. |
| 2. Funding Request (maximum 35 points, total, please limit to 1 page) | Our need is food and providing it to the children. What is worse than a hungry child? Children need someone to believe in them and encourage them to thrive. Emotional stability is often missing when children are hungry. Every weekend too many of our local students go home and have little or nothing to eat over the weekend. We are now providing weekend food for approximately 250 children every week. We want the children to return to school on Monday ready to learn. We have support letters from Saugatuck and Fennville schools if you would like us to send them to you. |
| 3. Funding Justification (maximum 40 points, please limit to 1 page) | Our estimated 2025 operating expenses are $80,000. $75,000 for food and approximately $5,000 for administration expenses like our website, insurance, etc. Any funding we are granted from Aware will go 100% towards the cost of food. If we do not use the entire amount for food we will return it too Aware but we do not see that happening. It's also important to note that according to the USDA, food prices are expected to rise in 2025. Our program is 100% dependent upon financial support from our community. Our operating funds come from donations, private grants and from generous organizations like West Shore Aware. We purchase from Feeding America consistently (feedingamerica.org). We also purchase food and supplies from Walmart and Sam's Club and have a good relationship with Hungry for Christ, a food distribution ministry in Hamilton Michigan. |
| 4. Summary | Children First Lakeshore (CFL) is dedicated to feeding children affected by hunger throughout Allegan County. CFL connects with schools in Saugatuck, Douglas and Fennville where there is a need and partners with local institutions and food organizations to coordinate the purchase of food and supplies for the program. Each week we pack and deliver food to the schools. We have only one goal - to provide nourishment for the children in need through our backpack meal program for 2025. Our Board of Directors are all local and all volunteers. We have little overhead. No buildings. No paid staff. No expensive marketing. Simply stated, we feed children who need food on weekends. We have a very passionate board of directors committed to fight for children's basic needs. Money is critical because we need to purchase food, but that is only part of the impact. Children need real opportunities to succeed. They need hope and a good life and to be given a chance. If children are hungry, how will they succeed? This is why we are committed to providing these children food. Please consider investing in the needs of our community, with our generous board of directors and community donors. We would greatly appreciate any donation you can make. Thank you for this opportunity. |
| Application Agreement | This is an application, otherwise known as a Request for Funding (RFF), from
West Shore Aware. This RFF is a request from your organization to Aware, for Aware to host a
Fundraising Event for your organization. By completing this RFF, your organization is requesting to be considered by Aware’s membership for an Aware fundraising event to be held during the summer of this year, also known as the White Party.
If your organization is chosen for a fundraising event by the Aware membership, your organization will agree to the following terms and conditions for the said fundraising event. 1. Aware will be given and provided full credit for the fundraising event in all of you organization’s publicity and advertising for said event, to include but not limited to event posters, newspaper advertising, handouts, radio and television advertising for the event, and organizational announcements concerning the event. 2. Your organization will only use the funds raised by Aware from said event for the purpose described in the RFF submitted to Aware. 3. Your organization understands that West Shore Aware is a philanthropic organization of LBGTQ+ individuals and their supporters, and that the funds your organization receives from Aware will be coming from the West Michigan lakeshore community. 4. The funds received from Aware as a result of the fundraising event will be net, after expenses for said fundraising event are paid. 5. Aware may use the name of your organization in its own advertising and publicity as a recipient of funds.. 6. Your organization will supply Aware with written approval to hold, or be part of a fundraising event held by Aware. 7. West Shore Aware reserves the right to audit any organization that receives funding to determine whether the funds were used as described in its RFF. 8. Your organization will allow West Shore Aware to use you organization’s name on the West Shore Aware website. In addition, if your organization has a website, you will link that website to the West Shore Aware website and allow West Shore Aware to link to your organization’s site. West Shore Aware’s web site link must remain on your web site for a full year from the date of the monetary disbursement. Failure to do so will disqualify you from requesting future funding. Once you have completed the RFF and agreed to the aforementioned, please submit it. Please sign this document below, indicating acceptance of the aforementioned terms and conditions. By signing the document, you acknowledge your organization is a registered 501(C) 3 Charitable organization. |
| Signature | |
| Date | 03/30/2025 |
| Ready to Submit |
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