History

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, then 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 reorganize 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 one of 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.

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.

Grant awards total approximately $10 million each year, bringing the Foundation's total grantmaking since its inception in 1972 to more than $165 million. 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
William J. Branstrom
Fremont Foundation (private foundation)
Founding Legal Counsel & Founding President, 1951-1964

Herman Schuiteman
Fremont Foundation (private foundation), President, 1964-1967

Robert Magee
Fremont Foundation (private foundation), President, 1967-1969

Charles O. White
Fremont Foundation (private foundation), President, 1969-1971

Stephen H. Clink
The Fremont Area Foundation, Founding Legal Counsel, 1972

Charles O. White
The Fremont Area Foundation, Founding President, 1972-1977

Ted L. Johnson
The Fremont Area Foundation, President, 1978-1985

Kenneth B. Peirce
The Fremont Area Foundation, President, 1985-1989

Dr. Maynard DeKryger
The Fremont Area Foundation, Chairman, 1989-1996

Donald J. Bont,
Fremont Area Community Foundation, Chairman, 1996-2003

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, 2006-2009

Danielle Merrill

Fremont Area Community Foundation, Chair, 2009-present

Executive Directors of the Fremont Area Community Foundation
Bessie B. Slautterback
Fremont Foundation (private foundation), Executive Secretary, 1951-1971

Richard J. Bell
The Fremont Area Foundation, Founding Executive Secretary, 1972-1978

Bertram W. Vermuelen
The Fremont Area Foundation, Executive Director, 1979-1994

Elizabeth ‘Libby’ A. Cherin
Fremont Area Community Foundation, President & CEO, 1994-present

Fremont Area Community Foundation . P.O. Box B . Fremont, Michigan 49412 . Telephone 231.924.5350 . Fax 231.924.5391