2009 Promising Projects — Community Capital Projects

Despite the dedicated effort of experienced staff and volunteers, Catherine’s Care Center (Catherine’s), a local provider of healthcare to lower income, uninsured individuals and families, turns away more than 200 patients each month for lack of capacity. Because Catherine’s is the only affordable option for many of these patients, they often forego care until there is room or until their condition deteriorates enough to land them in an area hospital emergency department. This dilemma further burdens an already fractured community health care system and can heighten a family’s health and economic risks.

Catherine’s received Frey Foundation funding to help renovate 6,500 square-feet of donated space in a former parochial elementary school for use as an expanded clinic. The planned improvements will transform vacant classrooms into exam rooms, lab, reception area, office space and storage, greatly expanding Catherine’s capacity to provide healthcare to the medically underserved.

The Alano Club of Charlevoix has operated in northern Michigan for nearly 25 years, providing an alcohol and drug-free environment for 12-step recovery programs. In each of the past four years the club has experienced steady increases in group meeting attendance. As a result, their meeting space is beyond capacity much of the time and some meetings are too large to allow everyone to participate during the session – a key element in recovery.

With the help of philanthropic support including a grant from the Frey Foundation, the Alano Club of Charlevoix added an additional 840 square feet to their current 722 square foot, one-story facility complete with a full basement beneath the new addition for utilities and storage. The addition doubled their convening space, and increased handicap accessibility. The construction of the new space was completed in partnership with the Charlevoix Public Schools Building Trades Program.