Michigan Philanthropy Oral History Project

Reverend J. Louis Felton, Trustee of the Kalamazoo Community Foundation, and grantee Mattie Jordan-Woods, Executive Director of the Northside Association for Community Development, talk about their experiences living in Kalamazoo, Michigan and how Mattie's work in bringing the Felpausch Food grocery store into the northside neighborhood has been a significant change in Kalamazoo's revitalization.

Marsha Smith, Executive Director of Rotary Charities of Traverse City and Attorney Patrick Wilson recall the organization's history and Pat's legal involvement after the discovery of oil and gas at Rotary's camp in 1976 and the development of the organization's philanthropy. The two also talk about significant projects and partnerships, including: the Rotary Center, Traverse City Film Festival, Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy and others.

StoryCorps facilitator Jonathan Pumilia interviews Frederick S. Upton Foundation family members and trustees Priscilla Byrns, Stephen Upton, David Upton and Sylvia Wood about their family foundation in Saint Joseph, Michigan. Together they remember their father Louis Upton, one of the co-founders of the Whirlpool Corporation and how his life was an inspiration to them all as people and philanthropists.

Betsy Upton Stover, trustee of the Frederick S. Upton Foundation in St. Joseph, Michigan, and Julie Fisher Cummings, trustee of the Max M. and Marjorie S. Fisher Foundation in Southfield, Michigan talk about the influence each of their philanthropic fathers had on their lives and personal philanthropy.

Diana Sieger, President of the Grand Rapids Community Foundation (GRCF), talks with youth grantmaker Joseph Medcalf about how his experience as a youth trustee on GRCF's board and a member of their Youth Advisory Council has developed his leadership skills.

Rick Hughey, Jr., Executive Vice President/CEO of the Irving S. Gilmore Foundation in Kalamazoo, Michigan talks with grantee Bob Rowe, a musician from Renaissance Enterprises, about Bob's transformative work of bringing gospel, country and R&B music into nursing homes.

Margaret "Ranny" Riecker, President/Treasurer of the Herbert H. and Grace A. Dow Foundation in Midland, Michigan, tells Rebecca Noricks, Communications Manager at the Council of Michigan Foundations (CMF), about her family's philanthropy and her memories about founding CMF.

Fetzer Institute colleagues Shirley Showalter, Vice President of Programs, and Mark Nepo, Program Officer of Kalamazoo, Michigan, talk about each of their personal experiences with philanthropy, including several stories drawn from around the world about generosity, giving and the true meaning of philanthropy - that it is "all about love."

Colleagues Miriam Noland, President of the Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan, and David Page, Trustee, The Jewish Fund, talk about philanthropy's role in revitalizing downtown Detroit through the Detroit Riverfront Project.

Carol Morley-Beck interviews her parents Robert and Sue Morley about being the 3rd and 4th generations involved in the Morley Foundation, founded in 1948 in Saginaw, Michigan, and the causes and organizations they've supported over the years including Interlochen Music Camp, YMCA and Toledo Junior League.

Olivia Maynard, President of the Heron Oaks Foundation in Flint, Michigan, talks with her husband Olof Karlstrom, Treasurer, about the influence of her Swedish mother's volunteer work in Detroit on her understanding of philanthropy, their intentions for their children to manage the foundation in the future and how the Heron Oaks Foundation is partnering with the public and private sector to revitalize downtown Flint.

Former Council of Michigan Foundations' Youth Philanthropy Associate, Kari Pardoe, talks with her mentor Russell Mawby, Chairman Emeritus of the W.K. Kellogg Foundation in Battle Creek, Michigan, about the youth philanthropy movement in Michigan and Russ's perspectives on giving time, talent and treasurer for the greater good.

Youth grantmakers and Michigan Community Foundation Youth Project members, Tara Kutz of the Community Foundation for Delta County, and John Donkersloot of the Community Foundation for Holland/Zeeland talk about how each of them got involved in Youth Advisory Councils and the ways youth can and are making a difference in their local areas.

Youth grantmakers Breannah Alexander of the Saginaw Community Foundation, and Katelin Griffin of The Eaton County Community Foundation talk about their involvement in their local Youth Advisory Councils and what philanthropy means to them as young people trying to make change.

Mike Gergely, Co-Trustee of the Fetzer Institute Memorial Trust, talks with friend Bruce Fetzer, Treasurer of The Fetzer Institute in Kalamazoo, Michigan, and great nephew of John E. Fetzer, about John Fetzer's legacy, including: his radio station business accomplishments, spirituality, ownership of the Detroit Tigers and the Fetzer Institute's work in the world.

Friends and colleagues Carol Goss, President & CEO of The Skillman Foundation, and Gerald Smith, President & CEO of YouthVille Detroit, talk about their philanthropic influences (Russ Mawby, parents, YMCA), the creation of the Detroit Youth Foundation from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation's youth initiative, and both of their commitment and work to improve the lives of children and youth in the City of Detroit, Michigan.

Husband and wife Charles and Betty Gross talk with friend James Feeney, about each of their involvement as trustees of the Maurice and Dorothy Stubnitz Foundation, an independent foundation in Adrian, Michigan, supporting causes like the local symphony. They also discuss their hopes for the foundation's future.

Father and daughter pair John Colina, President, and Jomie Goerge, Trustee, of the Colina Foundation, talk about why John created their family foundation in Southgate, Michigan, what he's learned along the way, and their family's ongoing commitment to early childhood issues.

Carrie Pickett Erway, Senior Community Investment Officer at the Kalamazoo Community Foundation, tells colleague Deborah Higgins, Program Associate at The Fetzer Institute, about how she entered the field of philanthropy as an intern and ended up as program officer. Carrie also talks about grantmaking's challenges - like turning down grantees - but also positives like participating as a facilitator at a local Challenge Day activity at Bangor High School.

Longtime friends Mondenna Jamshidi and Joshua Engberts talk about PeaceJam - a project supported by The Fetzer Institute of Kalamazoo, Michigan and others - and the healing role it has played in Joshua's life as he dealt with a difficult childhood and adolescence.

Rotary Charities of Traverse City Trustee Edward Downing and Former Trustee George Bearup reflect on 25 years of Rotary's work - from the early years and how oil changed the organization to incubating other organizations like the community foundation, NorthSky Nonprofit Network, Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy and others.

Bonnie Allen, attorney at the Center for Healing and the Law, interviews her colleague Tom Beech, President & CEO of The Fetzer Institute in Kalamazoo, Michigan, about his history in philanthropy and what he's learned along the way, including: dialogue being the most important aspect of philanthropy; the most effective work is done by people who are passionate about what they do; that the power that comes from having philanthropic dollars can be difficult; and that storytelling is critical to the work of philanthropy.

Kathryn Agard, Executive Director of the Dorothy A. Johnson Center for Philanthropy and Nonprofit Leadership and James Kelly, Co-Chair of Learning to Give, talk about their involvement in creating Learning to Give - a Council of Michigan Foundations supporting organization educating youth about the importance of philanthropy, the civil society sector and civic engagement.