Annually, The Arbor Financial Caring Committee identifies community initiatives that need our support. This year's initiatives focused on helping our local youth and providing food to our community. The committee was founded in 1998 and is a staff-led team of volunteers that have dedicated time and energy to serving local charities throughout West Michigan. In 2023, the Caring Committee donated over $20,000 to local charities! Our Caring Committee is excited to share with you what they accomplished this year. 

Supporting Our Youth Initiatives

This year, at the beginning of the school year we wanted to help children feel confident and comfortable entering the new school year. We partnered with local organizations in both the Grand Rapids and Kalamazoo area to help purchase thousands of new shoes for local youth. We also had an amazing group of staff volunteers help fit children with the perfect pair of shoes to enter the school year feeling great. 

• First Day Shoe Fund ($5,000) 
• In the Image ($3,000)
• Three Rivers Eagles ($2,000)
  

Summer camp and education are a foundational part of child development. When brainstorming how we could help our youth thrive this year we channeled into our relationships with our local schools and summer camps and provided $2,500 to help local Kent and Ottawa county students have the opportunity to attend Camp Blodgett this Summer. We also worked closely with our local schools to provide $5,125 of essential back to school and playground supplies. View the list of schools below! 

• Hudsonville Public Schools
• Wyoming Public Schools 
• Kalamazoo Public Schools 
• Heritage Christian Academy
• Otsego Public Schools 
• Paw Paw Public Schools 
• Portage Public Schools 
  
• Godfrey Lee School Classroom and Playground Wishlist ($1,000) 

Lastly, we worked closely with local organizations to provide the best Christmas Ever to local children in the Grand Rapids and Kalamazoo Area. Our staff collected new toys throughout the month of November and early December to provide to local children. Once donations closed for our staff, we then had the opportunity to purchase an additional $1,200 of toys and gifts. Children from 0-17 got to enjoy the magic of Christmas. 

• God's Kitchen - 100 Toys 
• YMCA Domestic Assault Program - 50 Toys 

Provide Food and Supplies to Our Local Community 

We also had a focus on helping those around us in need. In doing this, we worked closely with local shelters to help provide needed materials to individuals staying at their organization. Our staff donated 350 pieces of clothing to help keep our neighbors safe and comfortable. This year, we also focused heavily on helping make sure that no one in our community goes hungry. To do this we worked with local charity. Many suggested we do a fundraiser through Feeding America as this organization helps many of our local community food pantry. We also had many amazing staff members help serve food in downtown Kalamazoo's Bronson Park with God's Kitchen. 

• God's Kitchen – ($2,000)
• Feeding America – ($2,000)
• Westwood Neighborhood Pantry – ($1,000)

To raise funds for donations and supplies the Caring Committee partners with team members of Arbor Financial through the Casual for a Cause Day initiative. Casual for a Cause Day is supported by participating Arbor Financial employees that donate $5 from every paycheck. As donations begin accumulating, the Caring Committee takes funds and donates to areas of need within the communities we serve. These areas of need are voted on annually by staff. 

"I am so thankful to our staff and the local organizations we work with for all of the hard work and life changing support they provide. It makes me proud to see how much our staff cares. Everyday they exemplify the core values of do the right thing, work together, be creative, and have fun. I can't wait to see all we can do together in 2024!" says Scotty Brewer, Grand Rapids District Manager and Committee Chair of the Arbor Caring Committee.