Detroit Auto Dealers Association, in partnership with Community Foundation, Announce More Than $380,000 in Grants to Region’s Children and Youth
The Detroit Auto Dealers Association (DADA) Charitable Foundation Fund announced that 10 nonprofits providing services to children and youth in southeast Michigan will receive grants totaling $380,500.
The Fund includes donations from DADA’s annual Charity Preview at the North American International Auto Show. For more than 20 years, the Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan has helped grow the DADA Fund, while providing grants to local nonprofits.
“There is no better mission than to support children in need in southeast Michigan,” said Rod Alberts, Executive Director, DADA. “Each year, I’m inspired by the commitment of our dealers and the community to help organizations doing this important work.”
Since the fund was created in 1998, more than $6.4 million in grants ranging from $10,000-$50,000 have been awarded to 160 organizations. Grants support a wide range of programs including human services, arts and culture, youth development, education and healthy living.
“Our region is fortunate to have one of the most generous auto dealer associations in the country,” said Mariam C. Noland, President, Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan. “The partnership we have with DADA allows us to support the needs of many organizations serving children as they work to create positive change in the lives of southeast Michigan’s youth.”
This year’s grants include:
- Arc of Northwest Wayne County – $37,500 for a therapeutic play program and toy lending library for children with intellectual and developmental disabilities
- Care House of Oakland County – $35,000 to create a community needs assessment that will help expand child abuse prevention education to adults and school-aged children
- Detroit Parent Network – $25,000 to expand programming for families who have children with special needs, in partnership with Color of Autism
- Detroit Zoological Society – $25,000 over two years to expand the Nature Tots program which is designed to engage children and their caregivers in outdoor play at the Belle Isle Nature Center
- Easterseals – Michigan Inc. – $50,000 to expand the Miracle League of Michigan, a recreational program for youth with special needs
- Friendship Circle – $35,000 to expand a life skills and educational program for children with special needs
- Girl Scouts of Southeastern Michigan – $30,000 to expand a leadership development program for girls from low-income families in grades 6-8
- Samaritas – $43,000 for a program designed to reduce trauma for youth in foster care, by training child welfare staff and caregivers
- Services to Enhanced Potential (STEP) – $25,000 for employment and community engagement opportunities for youth with disabilities who are transitioning from school
- Starfish Family Services – $50,000 to expand trauma services in Detroit for children ages 0-5 (Wayne County)
The new grantmaking timeline for the DADA Fund of the Community Foundation will be announced next year and will be aligned with the annual 2020 North American International Auto Show activities.
The Detroit Auto Dealers Charitable Foundation Fund of the Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan was established in 1998 to support activities that enhance the lives of children and youth throughout the region. More than 160 nonprofit organizations have received grants for their work across a broad range of program areas, including youth leadership, health and human services, arts and culture, education, recreation, and healthy living.
The Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan is a full-service philanthropic organization leading the way to positive change in our region. As a permanent community endowment built by gifts from thousands of individuals and organizations, the Foundation supports a wide variety of activities benefiting education, arts and culture, health, human services, community development, and civic affairs. Since its inception, the Foundation has distributed more than $1.1 billion through nearly 67,000 grants to nonprofit organizations throughout Wayne, Oakland, Macomb, Monroe, Washtenaw, St. Clair, and Livingston counties. For more information, please visit www.cfsem.org.
Detroit Auto Dealers Association (DADA) was founded in 1907 by five local car dealers and has grown to 226-member car and truck dealers who donate their time and resources to a host of community activities. Many members participate in the NAIAS, LLC, which is responsible for the production of the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS). To find out more about Detroit Auto Dealers Association, visit dada.org. To find out more about the NAIAS, visit naias.com.