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The story of the Fremont Area Community Foundation begins in 1933 when two visionary philanthropists changed the future of Newaygo County, Michigan forever. It was 1933 when a $5,700 gift from the estate of Harry Williams established a fund to support the general well being of Newaygo County. The same year, a prominent Fremont community leader, Jacob Andrew Gerber, bequeathed more than $31,000 to a charitable fund for 'worthy poor' and 'charity patients'. Eleven years later, J. Andrew's wife, Mattie followed suit, adding $74,000 to the fund established by her husband. Little did they know these funds would someday multiply more than 345 times to be the start of one of the largest foundations in the United States. In 1951, a well-known Fremont attorney, William J. Branstrom, incorporated the charitable funds of J. Andrew & Mattie Gerber, and funds of his own, into a private foundation called the Fremont Foundation, which also functioned as the service agency for its grantmaking. In '51, Branstrom, thennn President of the Board of Directors, hired Bessie Slautterback as the Foundation's first Executive Secretary. Branstrom and Slautterback lead the Foundation for much of the 1950's and 60's, developing a broad range of programs to address a variety of human needs throughout Newaygo County. In 1969, sweeping tax laws threatened to weaken the quality of private foundations across the U.S. It was at this time that Muskegon attorney, Stephen H. Clink, helped the Foundation reorganized as a community foundation to serve Newaygo County in perpetuity, and provide its donors maximum financial benefits under the new tax laws. In 1972, The Fremont Area Foundation (TFAF) was established with $10 million in assets, combining the funds of the private Fremont Foundation with other charitable funds such as, Harry Williams, Frank Gerber, Dan & Dorothy Gerber, Marion & Charles Gerber, Gussie Gerber, Earle Johnson and William & Colleen Mee. As part of the creation of the new community foundation (TFAF), the service arm of the private Fremont Foundation was spun-off to create a new non-profit service organization, known as Newaygo County Community Services, or NCCS. Although TFAF and NCCS were 'born of the same seed', the split created two entirely separate organizations, each with their own articles of incorporation, board members and mission statements. NCCS remains the largest recipient of grants awarded from the Foundation. From 1972 to 1994, TFAF grew its assets from $10 million to $65 million, granting approximately $2.5 million annually. In August 1994, the sale of Gerber Products, Inc. to Sandoz (now Novartis), of Switzerland, nearly doubled the assets of the Foundation, which owned 1.8 million shares of stock, bringing its total assets to $109 million overnight. From '94 through the end of the century, the Foundation continued to grow, reaching almost $200 million in assets. Grant awards total approximately $10 million each year, bringing the Foundation's total grantmaking since its inception in 1972 to more than $145 million. In 2000, The Fremont Area Foundation decided to incorporate the word 'community' into it's name, highlighting its purpose to serve all residents of Newaygo County and helping to standardize names of community foundations throughout Michigan. 2007 marked the Fremont Area Community Foundation's 35th anniversary. The Fremont Area Community Foundation continues to fulfill its role as a visionary leader, supporting the needs of Newaygo County, Michigan, and fulfilling the dreams of its donors 'for good. for ever.' Leadership Milestones Board of Trustees Herman Schuiteman Robert Magee Charles O. White Stephen H. Clink Charles O. White Ted L. Johnson Kenneth B. Peirce Dr. Maynard DeKryger Donald J. Bont, Lon Vredeveld Fremont Area Community Foundation, Chairman, 2003-2005 Mary Shafer Fremont Area Community Foundation, Chairman, 2005-2006 Bob Johnson Fremont Area Community Foundation, Chairman, 2006-present
Executive Directors of the Fremont Area Community
Foundation Richard J. Bell Bertram W. Vermuelen Elizabeth ‘Libby’ A. Cherin |
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Home | About Us | Grants | Scholarships | Donor Services | Financials | Foundation Partners |
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Fremont Area Community Foundation . P.O. Box B . Fremont, Michigan 49412 . Telephone 231.924.5350 . Fax 231.924.5391 |
