September 4, 2026
Three Scholarships Awarded to Barry County 4-H Members
This year 3 scholarships were given to Barry County graduating seniors pursuing post-secondary opportunities. The students receiving these scholarships have shown dedication to the Barry County 4-H program. 4-H is a U.S.-based network of youth organizations whose mission is “engaging youth to reach their fullest potential while advancing the field of youth development.” Today 4-H offers a diverse range of topics and interest areas. 4-H is also the largest youth development organization in Michigan.
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September 4, 2026
Travis Wenger Memorial Scholarship Awarded to Carson Woods
Carson Woods of Thornapple-Kellogg Schools received the Travis Wenger Memorial Scholarship. Carson is a fourth-year student at Michigan State University pursuing a Bachelor of Landscape Architecture. He is a member of the MSU Landscape Architecture Club and the MSU Izzone, and serves as a student assistant for LA 231: Site Engineering.
September 4, 2026
Two TAEF Mom’s Scholarship Recipients Selected
The Thornapple Area Enrichment Foundation is pleased to announce Cloe Oliver of Hastings and Rebecca Pruess of Delton as the 2026 recipients of the Mom’s Scholarship. Developed in memory of Virginia Hoover Harrison Root, a well-respected Barry County mother and teacher who went back to school in 1972 at age 65 and attained a BS from Western Michigan.
September 4, 2026
Barry Community Foundation Awards $2,200 to Fund Teens Against Tobacco Use Program in Barry County Schools
The Barry Community Foundation has awarded a $2,200 grant to the Barry County Community Mental Health Authority (BCCMHA) to support the Teens Against Tobacco Use (TATU) program, a peer-led education initiative aimed at preventing and reducing nicotine and tobacco use among youth in Barry County.
Removing the stigma of mental illness is the first step to finding resources that can help improve mental health care in our county. While several resources are available, making those resources accessible becomes increasingly important to our community, neighbors, friends, and family. The Barry Community Foundation generously funds programs designed to improve the health of our residents, including fostering and supporting programs designed to provide mental healthcare. Nowhere is mental healthcare more critical than supporting our children, and this is why we partner with Corewell Health Foundation to fund great ideas that improve access and provide services to our schools.
The Barry Community Foundation has always made education a priority. From providing classroom grants to generous scholarships, we know education is a key ingredient to fostering a healthy and vibrant community. This is why the board of directors, affiliate foundations, and the staff at BCF support several initiatives and programs for students. These four programs demonstrate just a fraction of the impact on communities and in our schools.
The Barry Community Foundation strives to be a trusted agent for positive change in our community. We have extensive expertise in managing funds, which makes us crucial in collecting, distributing, and filing requirements with government agencies. The commitment to transparency and accountability is demonstrated through annual audits, guaranteeing the integrity of contributions and payments.
