Muskegon, MI - January 14, 2005 << Return to Press Release Page For More Information, Call: Bob Chapla, Vice-President, Development Arn Boezaart, Vice-President, Grant Programs Community Foundation for Muskegon County Tel: (231) 722-4538 Community Foundation Announces Drive to Expand African American Celebration Fund In December of 2004, the Board of Trustees of the Community Foundation for Muskegon County established the African American Celebration Fund. This Field of Interest Fund succeeds the original African American Celebration 1992 Special Grants Fund established in 1993 as a result of a year-long celebration of African-American heritage and history. The idea for establishing this new fund was conceived by an Advisory Committee of community leaders led by Ms. Janie Brooks, Dean of Students at Muskegon Community College and founding member of the original fund advisory committee. The Committee recommended to the Trustees of the Foundation that a permanent and prominent focal point be established at the Community Foundation to help support and celebrate African American heritage and culture. Ms. Brooks states that “this fund is intended to continue the long and deep tradition of giving in the African American Community”. In particular the new fund will support programs and projects in the Muskegon region that contribute to greater appreciation, understanding and visibility of the rich and historically significant contributions of African American citizens and culture to the fabric and history of the Muskegon region. A time-limited community campaign will be conducted to further increase the assets of this endowed fund to enable it to make a greater level of grant making possible in the years ahead. Beginning with the January 14, 2005 Unity Breakfast at Muskegon Community College and continuing through the June 19, 2005 Juneteenth Day* celebration, special efforts will be made to encourage donations and gifts to the fund. During this special fund raising period, the community will be asked to help increase the endowed assets of the fund to assure a permanent community legacy able to support the celebration of African American culture in the Muskegon region. Rodney Brown, Executive Director of the Greater Muskegon Urban League, states “the fund will serve to empower giving to help celebrate African American culture and the accomplishments of African Americans in this community”. Chris McGuigan, President of the Community Foundation for Muskegon County notes “African-American philanthropists have long done important good for this community, through the community foundation, beginning, we are proud to say, with a fund established in 1968 named in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King. That heritage continues with notable individual philanthropists active in the Community Foundation today. The African-American Celebration Fund has done great work in the past and we are excited the Committee wants it to grow. This special fund will assure the permanent recognition of the important contributions African Americans have made to our community and our nation”. The Community Foundation for Muskegon County was created in 1961 to improve the quality of life for Muskegon County residents. As a publicly supported community endowment, the Foundation receives and manages contributions from many community citizens and charitable organizations that are committed to the future of Muskegon County. *Juneteenth day is the oldest known celebration of the ending of slavery in America. From its Galveston, Texas origin in 1865, the observance of June 19th as the African American Emancipation Day continues to spread across the United States and beyond. The Community Foundation for Muskegon County was created in 1961 to improve the quality of life for Muskegon County residents. As a publicly-supported community endowment, the Foundation receives and manages contributions from community citizens and organizations who are committed to the future of Muskegon County. << Return to Press Release Page