Officials from Macomb Community Action today announced that their organization will receive a $1 million gift from Ballmer Group, which is one of the largest philanthropic grants ever awarded to Macomb County. These funds will be used to support a variety of projects that will:
- Help reach new residents that are eligible for public services
- Increase partnerships across health and human services
- Improve service delivery for residents in crisis
- Enhance family stability and self-sufficiency of Macomb residents
- Increase the coordination of municipal investments into community development
Macomb Community Action first connected with Ballmer Group through a donation made at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in spring 2020. This new $1 million gift is part of Ballmer Group’s mission to expand economic mobility and opportunity for children and families across the United States.
“Community Action Agencies play an important role in addressing the systemic roots of inequity across our country,” said Kylee Mitchell Wells, executive director, Ballmer Group – Southeast Michigan. “Organizations like Macomb Community Action are on the ground, working hand-in-hand with individuals and families, and we believe that they have the ability to effect real change for people in need.”
Mitchell Wells added, “It’s also essential to invest in Macomb County, in order to support prosperity across southeast Michigan, and we are excited to be a leader making new investments here.”
Macomb Community Action is one of the largest Community Action Agencies in the state of Michigan. It promotes a unique and comprehensive approach to service delivery - working to connect clients to other organizations and offering a broad range of programs. These include case management, action planning, goal setting and family success coaching in addition to traditional direct delivery services like housing assistance, utility assistance, food pantries and large-scale volunteer programs.
“Macomb Community Action works tirelessly to both help residents when they are in crisis, as well as to develop new and innovative approaches to invest into prevention that reduces the number of people that fall into crisis,” said Ernest Cawvey, director, Macomb Community Action. “The support of Ballmer Group will allow Macomb Community Action to both continue its essential services as well as invest into new approaches and partnerships that respond to the most pressing needs of our communities.”
Macomb Community Action will announce specific projects and opportunities associated with Ballmer Group’s grant at a later date. To learn more about the organization, visit mca.macombgov.org/MCA-Home.
Visuals and b-roll from recent Macomb Community Action events and service distribution sites are available here.
About the Ballmer Group:
Ballmer Group is committed to improving economic mobility for children and families in the United States, funding leaders and organizations that have demonstrated the ability to reshape opportunity and reduce systemic inequities. We focus on multiple impact areas and systems that can impact economic mobility - such as early learning, K-12 education, college and career pathways, housing, health, and criminal justice - and we support leaders and organizations that focus on undoing systemic racism and the barriers it has created. Ballmer Group is both a national and regional funder – we have a presence and invest deeply in southeast Michigan, Washington state, and Los Angeles County. Ballmer Group was co-founded by philanthropist Connie Ballmer and her husband Steve Ballmer, former CEO of Microsoft, founder of USAFacts, and chairman of the Los Angeles Clippers. Learn more at www.ballmergroup.org and on Twitter @BallmerGroup.
Original source can be found here.