The power of new possibilities.

Starting or continuing an education requires a large commitment of time and money. With the growing financial impact of higher education, many people believe that pivoting to a new path in life simply isn’t possible. To support wellbeing in Michigan communities, the Lake Trust Foundation offers scholarships for college and trade school to support the educational aspirations of individuals in our state.

In 2022, a cumulative total value of $462,600 in scholarships was awarded through the Lake Trust Foundation and our partnership with Cleary University. Since the start of our scholarship program in 2012, we’ve awarded a cumulative total value of over $1.7 million in college and trade school scholarships.

Michigan Impact Scholarship

In addition to supporting future career goals, we also want to encourage individuals to use their skills to support needs in Michigan. Through our partnership with Cleary University, we offer the Michigan Impact Scholarship which provides a full-tuition education for up to four years at the school. Scholarship funds can be applied toward any on-campus or online program at an undergraduate or graduate level.

In 2022, Michigan Impact Scholarships were awarded to five individuals who plan to stay in the state and use their skills to support the Michigan economy after graduation. Recipients included:

  • Benjamin Hibbard - Howell
  • Jacob McKnight - Gaylord
  • Jennifer Richmond - East Lansing
  • Laura Rubio Nieto - Howell
  • Ethan Parker - Brighton

Learn more about each recipient, their plans for the future, and how this scholarship will help their careers at our Michigan Impact Scholarship blog post.

New Beginnings Scholarship

Careers in skilled trades are in high demand in Michigan. Individuals in these career fields often earn high starting salaries and can begin their careers in just a few months. Through 2026, approximately 47,000 new job openings are expected annually in professional trade careers.1

To support individuals interested in these essential careers, the Lake Trust Foundation established the New Beginnings Scholarship in 2018. Applications are open to students currently enrolled in a skilled trade program, those who wished to return to school, and those attending for the first time.

In 2022, six New Beginnings Scholarships worth $5,000 each were awarded to:

  • Felishia Smith - Grand Haven
  • Emma Thorpe - Flint
  • Allison VanHouten - Livonia
  • Jaclyn Dobbie - Brighton
  • Cameshia Crawford - Lansing
  • Katherine Rajala - Howell

Learn more about the career aspirations of our recipients and how they plan to make an impact in Michigan on our New Beginnings Scholarship blog post.

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I am now preparing to become the first woman to pursue the nation’s first woodwork manufacturing specialist apprenticeship registered through the Department of Labor. My career goal is to start a non-profit organization that retrofits existing spaces in schools and community centers to support students in learning foundational woodworking techniques.”

— Allison VanHouten, 2022 New Beginnings Scholarship Recipient

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I am now preparing to become the first woman to pursue the nation’s first woodwork manufacturing specialist apprenticeship registered through the Department of Labor. My career goal is to start a non-profit organization that retrofits existing spaces in schools and community centers to support students in learning foundational woodworking techniques.”

— Allison VanHouten, 2022 New Beginnings Scholarship Recipient

Together, Lake Trust and the Lake Trust Foundation contributed $417,662 to Michigan communities in the form of sponsorships, grants, contributions, and scholarships in 2021.

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Promoting community wellbeing.

The Four County Community Foundation (4CCF) provides services to non-profit organizations, schools, and government agencies to positively impact the quality of life in our community. In 2022, Lake Trust Foundation provided a $7,500 grant to the 4CCF Mental Health Fund for a Better Tomorrow to support mental health initiatives near Oxford High School.

According to the 4CCF, more than one in five American adults is living with a mental health condition. And despite advancements in care, many Michigan residents still struggle to get the help they need.

The Mental Health Fund for a Better Tomorrow provides financial support to nonprofit organizations delivering mental health programs in their service area. It was created in response to the tragic events at Oxford High School in 2021. The fund has supported Teen Mental Health First Aid instruction and certification; an evidence-based training that helps teens identify, understand, and respond to signs of mental health struggles among their peers.

Providing support and training to our neighbors concerning the challenges of mental health, is one way to strengthen our communities, and build overall community wellbeing.

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Closing the hunger gap.

According to the most recent data by Feeding America, over 1.1 million people in Michigan struggle with food insecurity and face hunger each day.3 Food insecurity is defined as having a lack of access to fresh, affordable food, an issue compounded by the COVID-19 pandemic and the following recession. To meet the growing needs of Michigan households, food banks like Gleaners reported distributing more food over the first 12 months of the pandemic than at any other time in their history. And this trend continues today.

With more families needing access to fresh, healthy food, we hoped to raise awareness of this issue through support. Lake Trust and the Lake Trust Foundation (through our Meals for Michigan program) contributed a combined total of $25,400 to Gleaners in 2022. This donation was able to fully fund the Hartland Schools Mobile Food Pantry for the entire year. Through this program, 35-50 households were served at each monthly distribution. In total, nearly 16,600 meals were distributed to Livingston County families through the Mobile Food Pantry. The remaining funds from our donation provided an additional 36,000 meals (for a total of 52,600 meals) to struggling families throughout Southeast Michigan.

In addition to providing a monetary donation, our team also contributed 229 volunteer hours at Gleaners. Together, we sorted and stocked food, worked in the community garden, and assisted clients at the Mobile Food Pantry.

Lending A Hand

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Summer camp fun for kids.

Love for a Child is a non-profit organization that serves children, youth, and families currently active within Michigan’s foster care system. They offer overnight camps, ongoing mentorship opportunities, and tailored resources to support foster families. In 2022, Lake Trust Foundation provided a $12,000 grant to Love for A Child’s summer camp program. The grant helped to offset the cost to send 15 children to camp.

Love for a Child Kids Camp is a one-week experience for foster children, ages 6-12, to create childhood memories in a safe, fun, and supportive environment. Kids Camps are located throughout Michigan and are hosted by a trauma-informed and trained team of volunteers. Love for a Child Kids Camp offers the traditional camp experience including activities like swimming, rock climbing, arts and crafts, bonfires and more.

After attending the Kids Camp, Love for a Child provides each child the opportunity to enter a year-long mentorship program, where they are supported with monthly sessions with a committed, trauma-informed mentor that focuses on guidance and the creation of positive memories for each child. Love for a Child also offers tailored resources to each foster family within the program to serve the greater purpose and need.

Love for a Child and the Kids Camp provide a way for foster kids to feel safe and celebrated so they can just enjoy being a kid.

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From Surviving to Thriving.

Mend on the Move was founded to encourage and support women who’ve experienced abuse. In 2022, Lake Trust Foundation awarded a $5,000 grant to Mend on the Move for their More Mending Relief Fund to help survivors set and reach new life goals.

Mend on the Move is a non-profit jewelry and leather goods studio that employs survivors of abuse in Metro Detroit as a means of earning an income, with a focus on empowerment, building confidence, and gaining independence on their journey to healing.

The jewelry is crafted from salvaged auto parts and car seat leather, symbolic of their commitment to serve survivors in the Motor City. The materials are donated by many companies in the auto industry in Detroit. Allowing Mend on the Move to decrease the amount of non-recyclable auto parts that end up in landfills every year.

Rebuilding after adversity can be challenging, but with the support of the community, we can come together stronger and achieve even more.

Mend on the Move Impact
  • Lake Trust awarded a $5,000 grant to Mend on the Move for their More Mending Relief Fund launched in 2022. The More Mending Program was launched this year and is a two-year program aimed to help the Makers set personal and professional goals, provide resources, timelines, and accountability to achieve their goals.

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“It’s amazing to see the change in women who come through our studio doors. The simple act of treating people with respect and kindness helps them begin to see themselves as worthy of it.”

— Joanne, Founder of Mend on the Move

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“It’s amazing to see the change in women who come through our studio doors. The simple act of treating people with respect and kindness helps them begin to see themselves as worthy of it.”

— Joanne, Founder of Mend on the Move

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10 years of giving back.

Over the past 10 years, members of the community have come together to golf and giveback. Because when we support each other, we can build stronger Michigan communities. On Monday, August 1, 2022, the 10th annual Lake Trust Foundation Invitational golf outing took place at Barton Hills Country Club in Ann Arbor. The golf outing fundraising event for the Foundation supports the scholarship program, community outreach programs, and grants and donations awarded to nonprofits throughout Michigan.

To help attendees understand how their presence and support makes a positive impact, we invited Jennifer, one of the 2022 Michigan Impact Scholarship recipients. Jennifer shared her plans to use the scholarship to complete her Health Care Management BBA at Cleary University and give back to her community as a Medical and Health Services Manager.

We also heard from Ne’Gyle, a Lake Trust business member who generously contributed items for the silent auction. He shared his story as the owner of Bleu Bowtique, a gentlemen’s fashion destination. Ne’Gyle has a mission to put Detroit back on the map in the clothing industry. The growth of small businesses is essential to building and sustaining stronger communities across Michigan.

Thanks to support from 25 sponsors, 148 golfers, and several other donors, the event raised nearly $134,476.

Golf Invitational Impact
  • Scholarship program: In 2022, a cumulative total value of $462,600 in scholarships was awarded through the Lake Trust Foundation and our partnership with Cleary University.

  • Community Housing Network: The Foundation helped cover housing emergencies for veterans, survivors of domestic violence, those struggling with mental health crisis, and more.

  • L.E.A.D. Foundation: Our donation to LEAD Foundation helped underprivileged athletes access food, shoes, tutoring services, mentoring, and more.

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1Going Pro With Skilled Trades. (2023). Pure Michigan Talent Connect. Retrieved from https://www.mitalent.org/skilled-trades

2Third party website. Lake Trust Credit Union is not responsible for the content, availability, security or compliance of any linked third party websites. In addition, the site's privacy policies may differ from those of Lake Trust.

3Map the Meal Gap. (2020). Feeding America. Retrieved from https://map.feedingamerica.org/county/2020/overall/michigan