Christmas will come early this year for six organizations in Genesee County that help those struggling with their most basic needs this winter.

The C. S. Mott Foundation announced a package of grants totaling $800,000. The news grants are going to agencies that have received Mott support in the past, and severaal will help to sustain year round services. Those receiving funds include:

  • Carriage Town Ministries, which will receive $65,000 to provide meals to the homeless.
  • Catholic Charities of Shiawassee and Genesee Counties, which will receive $325,000 to enable the North End Soup Kitchen to provide food, including a hot meal, to those in need; to help fund a 24-hour warming center near downtown Flint; and to support the agency's St. Christopher Medical Transport program.
  • The Food bank of Eastern Michigan, which will receive two grants totaling $150,000 for providing food to area pantries and to help with the distribution of 850,000 diapers.
  • Resource Genesee, which will receive $60,000 to help residents meet their most basic needs and connect with other community programs and services.
  • The Salvation Army of Genesee County, which will receive $150,000 to assist county residents with rent and utility payments that will enable them to stay in their homes.
  • Shelter of Flint, Inc. which will receive $50,000 to support programs that assist and provide shelter to homeless women and families.

William S. White, chairman, president and CEO of the Mott Foundation, said "as the community continues the hard work of crafting and shaping its future, we're mindful that many residents still struggle to meet such basic needs as food and shelter. These grants may not permanently erase those challenges in Genesee County, but they can help provide our most vulnerable residents with some much needed stability and security."

The Charles Stewart Mott Foundation has invested more than $821 million in the greater Flint area since 1928, including $41 million in 2013 alone. For more information, visit their website at www.mott.org.

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