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It’s that time of year again – time to sift through the charitable requests to determine which nonprofit organizations to support at the end of the tax year. The task can be a daunting one, but one made easier by local community foundations, which are increasing in numbers across the country.
Community foundations are charitable organizations that may administer a number of endowed funds primarily for local purposes, to solve community or regional problems, and to improve the lives of people in their geographic area. On the Mid Shore, Mid-Shore Community Foundation (MSCF) is one of the largest grant makers in Caroline, Dorchester, Kent, Queen Anne’s and Talbot counties, distributing $688,833 to 170 non-profits in fiscal year 2006.
Over the past two years, several new funds have been created at MSCF that have had significant impact on enriching the minds of students on the Mid Shore. These funds have included the Michael C. Stone Memorial Award Fund, the Nicholas E. Bramble “Ironman” Foundation, the Charles H. Thornton Family Fund, the ACE Mentor Program of Maryland’s Eastern Shore, and the Friends of the Grape Endowment Fund. Charles T. Capute, Esq., chairman of the Board for the Mid-Shore Community Foundation, comments, “The generosity of several individuals in our communities has created these unique funds to fill the gap in education for students living on the Mid Shore. Through these funds students have access to a wide range of educational opportunities that otherwise may not have been available to them.”
Both the Michael C. Stone Memorial Award Fund and the Nicholas E. Bramble “Ironman” Foundation were established to honor two Talbot County young men who passed away, the former due to an automobile accident and the latter due to a valiant fight with leukemia. The Michael C. Stone Memorial Award provides an annual scholarship to a graduating senior who has excelled in the Drafting Program at Easton High School. The Nicholas E. Bramble “Ironman” Foundation awards annual scholarship(s) to graduating seniors from St. Michaels and Easton High Schools who participate in some form of high school athletics.
The Charles H. Thornton Family Fund and the ACE Mentor Program of Maryland’s Eastern Shore were both founded by local philanthropist Dr. Charles H. Thornton. The Charles H. Thornton Family Fund supports nonprofit organizations which address the educational needs of Mid-Shore residents. The ACE Mentor Program of Maryland’s Eastern Shore is a local chapter of the national ACE Mentor Program whose mission is to enlighten and motivate students toward architecture, construction, engineering, and related careers, and to provide mentoring opportunities for future designers and constructors. In addition to annual scholarships to selected graduates of the program, the fund supports an after-school program for high school students interested in architecture, engineering, and construction management.
The Friends of the Grape Endowment Fund supports the capital, operational, and programs needs of the Chesapeake Culinary Center in Denton, MD. The Center, when completed will be a multi-functional building providing space for career training and job placement, vocational programs for the area public schools, after-school activities for at risk children, and continuing education classes. The building will also house banquet facilities, conference rooms, a fine dining restaurant, office space, a performing arts center, and a shared-use commercial kitchen incubator.
For additional information on these funds or other year-end giving opportunities, call the Mid-Shore Community Foundation at 410-820-8175.
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