Community Foundation for Kettering
Who is the Community Foundation for Kettering?
The mission of the Community Foundation for Kettering is for charitable and education purposes, including the promotion and support of charitable, cultural, social, educational, and recreational programs, agencies, and institutions in the Kettering community. They provide support for projects and programs that improve the quality of life for Kettering residents.
Inspired to enhance the quality of her community, Kettering resident Lucille Seitz founded the Community Foundation for Kettering. The Dayton Foundation provides oversight and guidance for the organization. The foundation supports projects that generally enhance the education and well-being of children, enrich the lives of seniors, protect the most vulnerable citizens of the community, or promote the arts. The organization applying must be a tax-exempt organization and the project must benefit residents living in Kettering, however the organization does not have to be located in Kettering. The board of Trustees reviews grant applications twice a year and is made up entirely of Kettering citizens.
How is the Community Foundation for Kettering Involved in the Miami Valley
Big Brothers Big Sisters youth mentoring programs and wrap-around services, combined with intensive mentor and family Trauma-Informed Care training in Kettering is funded through a grant from Community Foundation for Kettering. These programs enhance the physical and mental health of Kettering youth and help them to achieve academic success along with social and emotional development. BBBS Miami Valley provides managed mentoring relationships and essential supplies for Kettering youth.
The pandemic widened preexisting opportunity and achievement gaps, hitting historically disadvantaged students hardest. In math, students in majority Black schools ended the year with six months of unfinished learning, students in low-income schools with seven. High schoolers have become more likely to drop out of school, and high school seniors, especially those from low-income families, are less likely to go on to post-secondary education. And the crisis had an impact on not just academics but also the broader health and well-being of students, with more than 35 percent of parents very or extremely concerned about their children’s mental health. The fallout from the pandemic threatens to depress this generation’s prospects and constrict their opportunities far into adulthood. The ripple effects may undermine their chances of attending college and ultimately finding a fulfilling job that enables them to support a family. Unless steps are taken to address mental health and unfinished learning, today’s students may earn $49,000 to $61,000 less over their lifetime owing to the impact of the pandemic on their schooling.
Big Brothers Big Sister programming has a far-reaching positive ripple effect on family and peer relationships within the community and the economy. For the Littles in our program, mentorship distracts them from the limited vision that they have for themselves. It disputes the story they have believed to be true for themselves and their future – the story given to them through life, their experiences, environment, circumstances, and the people around them. Through mentorship, Littles become inspired and open their eyes to greater possibilities, their energy and spirit are ignited, their previous belief system is dismantled, and everything becomes possible.
How do you apply for a Community Foundation for Kettering Grant?
The application to apply for a grant can be found on Community Foundation for Kettering’s website and mailed to the address noted. The organization considers grants twice per year in April and October and only one request may be submitted per grant cycle.
About Big Brothers Big Sisters Miami Valley
Since 1958, the mission of Big Brothers Big Sisters Miami Valley is to create and support one-to-one mentoring relationships that ignite the power and promise of youth. Big Brothers Big Sisters operates under the belief that inherent in every child is incredible potential. We make meaningful, monitored mentoring matches between adult volunteers (Bigs) and local youth (Littles), ages 7 through 18, across Montgomery, Miami, Greene, and Preble counties. As the leading evidence-based mentoring organization in the Miami Valley, currently serving 344 local youth, we help children realize their full potential and build strong futures.
In addition to one-to-one mentoring, we provide group match activities focused on STEM to build confidence and self-efficacy around science, technology, engineering and math subjects and to expose them to various related career paths to help break the cycle of generational poverty. We also provide family care packages which include nonperishable food, personal care items and cleaning supplies to the youth who are in most need.
How Can You Get Involved in the Miami Valley?
We are always looking for volunteer mentors to match with youth in the Miami Valley. If you think you would make a great mentor to a child, sign up today!