Last June, when CDF announced the creation of the Clarkston Community Trust, CDF did so by asking a few “what if” questions. What if residents had the opportunity to determine for themselves the use of financial resources for the betterment of the entire community? What if a fund existed that was devoted solely to community transformation – an exclusively local fund? What if…?
Now, nine months, over 200 attendees (not counting the dozens of various volunteers and facilitators who assisted with the Community Trust process), two community events, and three Next Steps meetings, later, the community has answered the “what if” question and identified a project to fund. Residents have participated, deliberated, prioritized, and, ultimately, decided. The Trust will allocate over $50,000 to an After-School Collaborative to support the various after-school programs existing or planned in the community; to provide technical, staffing, and other resources to collaborative members for program enhancement and/or expansion for the benefit of all students in the Clarkston area.
CDF would like to thank the Trustees who have given considerable time to the process, and who have served the community well in their Trust administration and project identification tasks. CDF would like to thank all of the volunteers and donors who have supported the process along the way. And, CDF would like to thank the residents who invested, engaged and participated in the Trust over the course of the past six months.
The Trust has entered, now, into the next phase of the Trust process, namely, the important program design and planning work necessary for effective and appropriate implementation of the After-School Collaborative. If you are interested in the advancement of educational opportunities for Clarkston residents and would like to assist the Trustees in the design and implementation of the After-School Collaborative, please contact us and we will get you connected.