{"id":59607,"date":"2025-07-17T15:41:14","date_gmt":"2025-07-17T19:41:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/starr1.wpenginepowered.com\/?p=59607"},"modified":"2025-07-17T15:41:23","modified_gmt":"2025-07-17T19:41:23","slug":"marshall-community-foundation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/starr.org\/2025\/marshall-community-foundation\/","title":{"rendered":"Marshall Community Foundation Awards Historic $100,000 Grant to Expand Local Career Pathways for Young Adults"},"content":{"rendered":"

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE<\/strong><\/p>\n

Marshall, MI \u2013 [July 15, 2025]<\/em>\u00a0\u2013 The Marshall Community Foundation<\/a> has awarded a historic $100,000 grant to Starr Commonwealth to expand its F.O.C.U.S. Forward<\/em><\/a> program (Forging Opportunities for Career Upskilling and Success), which provides comprehensive wraparound support to young adults overcoming barriers to employment and education.<\/p>\n

At a check presentation ceremony, Shannon Tiernan, Executive Director of the Marshall Community Foundation, celebrated the partnership:<\/p>\n

“Breaking down barriers to work is among the top priorities from our 2025 community survey, which will help\u00a0guide our strategic investments in the coming years. This grant is the largest in the Foundation\u2019s 57-year history, and it will have a generational impact for local young people who deserve every chance to succeed.”<\/em><\/p>\n

Elizabeth Carey, President and CEO of Starr Commonwealth, shared moving examples of how F.O.C.U.S. Forward<\/em> is already transforming lives, including helping a formerly homeless student find housing, graduate high school, and secure full-time local employment.<\/p>\n

“This investment is not so much an investment in Starr as it is an investment in our community partnership and the youth we serve. It ensures that the next young person who needs housing, food security, transportation, child care, counseling, and someone who believes in them will get that support on their path forward,”<\/em>\u00a0Carey said.\u00a0“We are honored to be part of this historic commitment to our community\u2019s future.”<\/em><\/p>\n

Launched in Summer 2024 as a pilot program with state and local partners, F.O.C.U.S. Forward<\/em> serves youth ages 16\u201324 in Marshall and throughout Calhoun County, offering wraparound supports coupled with workforce training and mentorship to help them build stable, independent futures.<\/p>\n

About Starr Commonwealth<\/strong>
\nStarr Commonwealth has been dedicated to healing trauma and building resilience in children and families for more than a century. Learn more about Starr and F.O.C.U.S. Forward<\/em> at\u00a0www.starr.org\/focus-forward<\/a>.<\/p>\n

About the Marshall Community Foundation<\/strong>
\nFor over 50 years, the Marshall Community Foundation has connected donors and nonprofits to strengthen the Marshall area through strategic philanthropy and community investment.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Marshall, MI \u2013 [July 15, 2025]\u00a0\u2013 The Marshall Community Foundation has awarded a historic $100,000 grant to Starr Commonwealth to expand its F.O.C.U.S. Forward program (Forging Opportunities for Career Upskilling and Success), which provides comprehensive wraparound support to young adults overcoming barriers to employment and education. At a check presentation ceremony, Shannon […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":36326,"featured_media":59611,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"content-type":"","om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_kad_blocks_custom_css":"","_kad_blocks_head_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_body_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_footer_custom_js":"","footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"coauthors":[13],"class_list":["post-59607","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-articles"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nMarshall Community Foundation Awards Historic $100,000 Grant to Expand Local Career Pathways for Young Adults - Starr Commonwealth<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Marshall, MI \u2013 [July 15, 2025]\u00a0\u2013 The Marshall Community Foundation has awarded a historic $100,000 grant to Starr Commonwealth to expand 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