Alliance for a Drug-Free Shiawassee

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When our community confronts its most difficult problems, we need all hands on deck.  Substance abuse has been a persistent problem in our community affecting those of all ages, income levels, and life situations.  If we hope to reduce the prevalence and impact of drugs in Shiawassee County, we need help from all quarters of the community. The causes of drug abuse are many, and thus a broad variety of solutions are needed.  Recently, dozens of organizations, agencies, and other partners have come together to form the Alliance for a Drug-Free Shiawassee.  On Saturday, November 4 from 8:30 a.m. to noon, many people are coming together in a community action planning effort.  They are inviting participation from all at the Owosso Free Methodist Church at 1249 N. Chipman St. in Owosso.

The Cook Family Foundation believes strongly in collaboration, and we support coordinated efforts to make a collective impact in Shiawassee County.  In our community we have several nonprofits working hard to achieve their mission.  We have government agencies with professionals committed to serving local residents.  And we have many caring people, some organized by civic commitment, family, and faith. All of these are assets.  None of them is sufficient to solve substance abuse.  Even if they had more grants or volunteers, none of them alone could eliminate the destructive presence of drugs.

None of us alone is as smart or as effective as all of us together. We need not only the contributions and efforts of many stakeholders, but we need a collective plan of action to make the best use of our resources.  Coming up with such a plan is the primary purpose of the November 4 gathering.  Those in attendance will address three questions:  1) What are the problems in our community?  2) What are the barriers that keep us from solving these problems?  3) What are your suggestions for solutions?

The Alliance for a Drug-Free Shiawassee is seeking to apply for a federal grant to have Shiawassee County be designated a Drug Free Community.  Such a designation would provide the community with up to $125,000 per year for 10 years to fight substance abuse.  The stipulations for such a grant application are demanding, and require clear evidence of community collaboration.  In order build the local capacity, Shiawassee Hope and several other partners (Catholic Charities, Taylor Life Center, DOT Caring Center, Recovery Pathways, First United Methodist Church, Redeemer Lutheran Church, Salvation Army, Owosso Public Schools, Corunna Public Schools, Shiawassee County Circuit Court, Shiawassee County Prosecutors Office, Shiawassee County Sheriff, Owosso Police Department, Department of Health and Human Services, Shiawassee County Health Department, Department of Health and Human Services, and State Police MAGNET) have come together to establish the Alliance for a Drug-Free Shiawassee.  The Cook Family Foundation, Memorial Healthcare, and Shiawassee County Community Mental Health have come together to fund the work of collaboration, community planning, and professional assistance in grant application.  For more information, contact Marlene Webster at Shiawassee Hope.

 

 

Leaders and Best Nominated for Scholarships

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Thirty-four of the most academically accomplished high school seniors from the Shiawassee County region have been nominated for scholarships to the University of Michigan by the Cook Family Foundation.  One of the students will be selected to receive a four-year, full-tuition scholarship from Bruce and Jacqueline Cook.

In order to assist them with their college selection, thirty of the nominees recently attended an overnight trip to the University of Michigan where they met with admission officers, took a tour of the campus and stadium, attended a class, and had the opportunity to spend time with students from the Shiawassee County area presently enrolled at the University of Michigan.

“We want to make sure the leaders and the best among local high school students seriously consider the University of Michigan for the next level of education,” said Foundation President Bruce Cook.  “We are committed to the academic success of local students, and are committed to building partnerships with our public schools and our oldest public university.”

Each of the nominees will receive at least a $3,000 scholarship to the University of Michigan from the Cook Family Foundation.  In addition to these nominees, the Cook Family Foundation provides a scholarship to every local student who applies to the University of Michigan, is admitted, and then enrolls.  

If they apply and are admitted to the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, the following students will be considered for the Bruce and Jacqueline Cook scholarship: from Byron: Zachary Geiser, Olivia Howard, Nathan Srp, and Ian Wilsdon;from Chesaning:  Samuel Forsyth, Nicholas Kasik, Nathan Martin, and Hannah Rolfe; from Corunna:  Ramneet Chauhan, Frederick Heidt, Erin Mandley, Christopher Mars, Michael Miller, and Tyson Moore;from Durand:  Nicholas Mazzara;from Laingsburg:  Brett Baker, Cassidy Ballard, Kaitlyn Carlson, Riley Gugel, Ryan Kingsbury, Matthew Nichols, and Emma Smith; from New Lothrop:  Arthur Devota, Tristan Malone, Joseph Quaderer and Dylan Vincke; from Ovid-Elsie:  Kathryn Beeman and Jericho Herblet; from Owosso:  Jake Bacigal, Abigail Brainerd, Brendan Dewley, Josephine Hufnagel, and Damien Moore; and from Perry: Jason Taft.

Past recipients of the Bruce and Jackie Cook Scholarship have included Elizabeth Hoornstra from Chesaning in 2017, Mitchell Lawrence from Byron in 2016, Nick Miller from Laingsburg in 2015, Nolan Wendling from New Lothrop in 2014, Emily Feuka from Perry in 2013, Sam Whaley from Perry in 2012, Adam Stewart from Laingsburg in 2011, Valerie Foster from Byron in 2010, Adam Dingens from Corunna in 2009, Randy Piper from Owosso in 2008, Dan Frechtling from Perry in 2007 and Kendra Frye of Owosso in 2006.

UM Expands Financial Aid Commitment

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We would like to welcome you to the University of MIchigan

The University of Michigan has long done an outstanding job of providing financial aid to students from the Shiawassee region, and the Cook Family Foundation has extended its resources to help.  UM is committed to cover 100 percent of demonstrated financial need of in-state students through use of public grants, private scholarships, and the University’s own significant endowment.  The Cook Family Foundation helps by providing a scholarship to every student from 10 local high schools in the greater Shiawassee County area.

More info here http://goblueguarantee.umich.edu

This year, the University has expanded its financial aid commitment with the Go Blue Guarantee which promises four years of free tuition to students from families earning less than $65,000. Go to www.goblueguarantee.umich.edu for full details and qualifying information.  For students from families with more moderate incomes, the University provides grants, scholarships, and loans.  The Cook Family Foundation provides its scholarships without consideration of family income.  For many local students, UM is often the most affordable option for top quality higher education.

The Cook Family Foundation coordinates with the University of Michigan to ensure that students from the greater Shiawassee County region are able to attend this premier public university.  We work with students, parents, and counselors to help them with the admission process and financial aid.  Here is what some of these students say about us: click here to read testimonials 

If you are a top student, or know one, we would like to introduce you to the opportunities available at the University Michigan.  High school counselors would be happy to make an introduction and tell you more about working with us.  On our website, you can read our scholarship page, and review some Frequently Asked Questions.  At anytime in the process, feel free to give us a call, or send us an email.  Here is our contact info.  Also, follow us on Twitter @GoBlueGoBruce where we post lots of information about the University of Michigan and the admission process.

Nineteen top students from the Shiawassee region were awarded scholarships to the University of Michigan this year.  You can see the list of these new Wolverines, read about some special scholarship winners, and learn about the Shiawassee Scholars program in our most recent newsletter.  If you would like to be added to our mailing list, contact us.