"If you treat an individual as he is; he will stay as he is, but if you treat him as if he were what he ought to be and could be, he will become what he ought to be and could be." Goethe "This was my father’s favorite quote and what he believed", said Cindy Pushman. ...
Blog
Women Make a HUGE Difference in Otsego County
What kind of impact can over 100 women have on their community when they gather together for one hour? They can raise $15,000 for local efforts! On Tuesday, May 14, a dynamic group of women came together at the Otsego Resort and listened as four members were randomly...
Turning Retirement Accounts into Charitable Good
There is good news for community foundation donors in their 70s—and for the communities and causes they care about. A permanent law makes it possible to give individual retirement account (IRA) assets to charity, free from federal tax, annually. Prior to 2006,...
Mother’s Day Spotlight
In honor of Mother’s Day, we are highlighting two OCF funds: the Kathryn Tripp Scholarship Fund and the Elaine Nowicki Awesome Fund. Both funds were created by loving family members in memory of their moms. ELAINE NOWICKI AWESOME FUND When Elaine Nowicki saw an act of...
Youth Advisory Committee 2019 Graduates: Where is Life Taking Them?
It is bittersweet when each Youth Advisory Committee year comes to a close. All the hard work that has been accomplished is reviewed and celebrated. This year, the committee started a new Teachers Youth Needs Survey, which gathered information to help with...
Otsego Community Foundation Celebrates Their Volunteers
The Otsego Community Foundation (OCF) is celebrating its 25th anniversary, and Executive Director Dana Bensinger credits volunteers for the organization’s existence and continuing growth. "We have over 50 volunteers and each one of them helps achieve our updated...
Together We Are More Empowered…Join Us For 100+ Women Who Care
Over one hundred women came together last May and donated $100.00 each to the Otsego Community Foundation. That night, over $10,000 was raised to impact local non-profit efforts! These compassionate, generous women listened to four organizations tell their stories....
Grant Spotlight: Healthy Water, Happy Students
During the Community Grant Program in 2018, the Youth Advisory Committee of the Gaylord Blue Devil Wellness Center proposed the addition of water filtration/bottle filling stations throughout the high school to promote water consumption for students and reduce plastic...
Youth Philanthropy Makes an Impact During 100 Youth Who Care Event
The 100 Youth Who Care event on February 10th gave the youth who attended a voice in local philanthropy. 90 youths ages 10-19 attended this event at the Otsego County Library, organized by the Youth Advisory Committee (YAC) of the Otsego Community Foundation. “100...
Grant Focus: Women’s Resource Center of Northern Michigan
The Women’s Resource Center is committed to equality, justice, and the well-being of women. To that end, they will engage and encourage our community to work with them toward those goals. The Domestic Abuse and Sexual Assault Services Program for Otsego County...
Volunteer Spotlight on Bill and Liz Forreider
What attracted you to becoming involved with the OCF? Bill - The opportunity to impact varying needs within the community. Coming from years of service helping to protect our natural resources, I started to realize that my passion to help and serve extended beyond...
Scholarship Applications Now Open
The Otsego Community Foundation is accepting scholarship applications for graduating seniors as well as current college students starting February 4, 2019. A total of 16 scholarships will be awarded, ranging from $500-$1,500. General scholarships, as well as areas of...