1214 Columbus Ave, Bay City, MI 48708
(989) 893-5555

Behind The Scenes

Thank You!

We are so grateful for all of the donations from both individual donors and foundations that made the completion of this project possible. We wanted to take a moment to spotlight each foundation and share a bit about their history. In this time of year, giving season, consider taking a moment to support our partners by donating so they can continue to support others through various projects, grants and scholarships.

This project may have reached completion but there is always work to be done! Donate today to support building maintenance, programming and so much more!

Bay Area Community Foundation hosts a wide variety of funds to benefit Bay and Arenac counties. Funds include scholarships, donor advised funds, designated and agency funds, field of interest funds, and unrestricted funds. We maintain more than 350 funds to support arts and culture, community initiatives, education and youth, environment, health and wellness, human services, and recreation. Below you can sort by fund names or types, or you can search for a specific fund. If you need help finding a fund to donate to, please call us at 989-893-4438

Russell H. and Maxine E. Smith were life long residents of Bay County, Michigan. Mr. Smith began his 56-year banking career in 1923 as a messenger for the Bay City Bank (now Chemical Bank). He later became President of the bank and retired in 1979. He and his wife, Maxine, were active members of several community organizations and gave much of their time, money, and leadership to various community projects.
Mr. and Mrs. Smith established the Russell H. and Maxine E. Smith Foundation prior to Mr. Smith’s death in 1995 at the age of 91. The funding of the Foundation occurred after the death of Mrs. Smith who passed away in 2000 at the age of 93.

The foundation was formed to primarily grant funds to charitable organizations for the support of programs and projects which benefit the residents of Bay County, Michigan. Projects are judged for their feasibility, quality, and long term benefit to the community. Priority is given to projects that will have a multiplier effect upon the community with matching funds from other sources.

The Foundation will work actively with government, civic, service, educational, and philanthropic organizations to identify fundable projects. The Foundation further seeks to augment its financial resources through outside contributions to expand the range and scope of community projects it is able to fund.

Together with their children, Alden and Vada Dow first established a charitable foundation in 1960 to benefit the city of Midland and its surrounding communities. Today, the Alden and Vada Dow Family Foundations are made up of two grantmaking entities: The Alden and Vada Dow Fund and The Vada B. Dow Charitable Unitrust. The Foundations make grants in Central and Northern Michigan, with a particular focus on Midland, Bay, and Saginaw Counties.

The Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy’s (formerly Michigan Department of Environmental Quality) mission is to protect Michigan’s environment and public health by managing air, water, land, and energy resources.

Click on the logo to learn more about the new title and department structure.

For 100 years, Serenus Johnson Construction has been a well-respected commercial construction company that proudly services the Great Lakes Bay Region and beyond. When you hear Serenus Johnson Construction, it is a company name that proudly upholds it founder’s belief in honesty, hard work, and quality.

Click on the logo to learn their full history!

The mission of our company is to build the best product and facilities known in our industry. We entertain employee input, willingness and effort to accomplish these projects in a timely fashion. While providing our services, we carry out our daily tasks efficiently, safely and competently. With that in mind we can provide a healthy workplace environment for our employees and supply quality-completed services to our satisfied customers.

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