2017 Results
focus on community
Mary Frey Bennett
When I think about the Frey Foundation, I am incredibly honored that our organization is part of the fabric of the communities we serve. Core to our organization is the belief that every thread in this fabric matters. Each thread has a place and a purpose. It is only when our threads are woven together that something beautiful and interesting is created. Our combined fabric is far stronger than a single thread alone.
Strengthening community threads and weaving in those on the fray requires intention. And when I look back over the past year at the Frey Foundation, working with intentionality is one of the things that strikes me most as a point of pride.
We’ve demonstrated intention as we’ve listened to the voices in the communities we serve. Though close in proximity, north and western Michigan are different places with different systems, different opportunities, and different resources. A one size fits all approach to serving these areas doesn’t work. We’ve pushed to go deeper—to listen, understand, support solutions and build capacity in ways that honor the uniqueness of these special places.
Steven Wilson
Community is at the heart of every grant we make at the Frey Foundation. It’s a legacy we’ve built on for more than three decades. Listening to community voices is core to how we approach our work. It was instilled in us by our founders, Edward and Frances Frey, and it continues today as a new generation of Frey family trustees advances the Foundation into the 21st century.
Whether supporting the decade-long restoration of the Boardman River in Northern Michigan, or improving school readiness for young children through the Early Learning Neighborhood Collaborative in Grand Rapids, we’ve made community engagement a priority. As a result, we’ve developed meaningful collaborations that are helping us move the needle in the Foundation’s four program areas—building community, children & families, community arts and the environment.
As you read this annual report and click through to the Foundation’s website, you’ll learn how we’ve adjusted our approach to meet emerging and future needs. We are combining community voices with data and science.
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