St. Clair Inn Fund Awards First Grant
Posted on December 17, 2019
The Community Foundation is proud to partner with the St. Clair Inn to award the first $4,500 grant from the funds collected celebrating the Inn’s grand opening.
Lelito’s Legacy Foundation Donor Advised Fund will receive and then match the $4,500 grant. A total of $9,000 will be used to benefit more than 115 students in 15 local middle school and high school athletic programs who cannot afford pay-to-play fees.
“All youth should have access to sports regardless of if they can afford to play or not,” said Tim Lelito, founder of Lelito’s Legacy Foundation. “Many families pinch pennies to keep their child(ren) in the game and it’s one of Lelito’s goals to be able to free families from some of that financial stress.”
“We pride ourselves in helping our community youth overcome obstacles that may prevent them from being able to participate in sporting activities,” said Lisa Motte, board president of Lelito Legacy Foundation. “We feel very passionate about the benefits the kids receive from being involved in sports; keeping them in a positive, healthy and safe environment. That is the Legacy we want to carry forward.”
“We want to give back to the community that has so greatly supported us in the restoration of The Inn and helped to provide the funds for our first grant that will have double the impact, thanks to the match from Lelito’s Legacy Foundation Donor Advised Fund,” said Jeff Katofsky, St. Clair Inn owner. “Our partnership with the Community Foundation is based on a common goal… doing all we can to support our community. It’s hard to find a stronger partner in that effort.”
“I love when we can connect like-minded donors to increase the impact of local gifts,” said Jackie Hanton, vice president of the Community Foundation. “Jeff Katofsky has a passion for giving back to local youth, especially through sports, and Tim Lelito was looking to double the impact on local students who could not afford pay-to-play fees. It’s a perfect collaboration for our student athletes in need.”
Lelito’s Legacy Foundation is a registered non-profit organization that aids student athletes by eliminating financial barriers and creating healthy opportunities for deserving youth. Their programs are open to all student athletes and their grants stay in our Thumb Coast region.
The Community Foundation is the largest Foundation serving Michigan’s Thumb Coast region with assets of approximately $75 million. It is the Foundation’s mission to help donors achieve their goals by connecting them with like-minded donors and partners striving to improve our quality of life and increase our regional vibrancy and prosperity.
