Foundation

AAUW Wyandotte-Downriver Foundation History

The AAUW Wyandotte-Downriver Foundation, Inc. began in 2010 and is a 501c3 tax exempt organization. It is a registered public charity in Michigan. As such, all donations made to the Foundation are entitled to be listed as charitable donations on your tax return.

As the philanthropic arm of the AAUW WD Branch it has provided funds for the following scholarships and activities.

1. Scholarships: Baker College, Wayne County Community College, Lawrence Tech University, Henry Ford College and Roosevelt Wyandotte High School all receive $2500 scholarships for girls from the downriver area who will be attending these colleges. Roosevelt High School is given the Kathleen Bain Scholarship. She is a former teacher at Roosevelt High School and created the trust of which the Foundation (as beneficiary of the trust) has used since 2010 to fund its scholarships and activities. New this year is the Academic Scholarship which can be used to attend any college. Information on this scholarship can be found on the AAUW-WD website. For the other college scholarships monies go directly to the college/university of the recipient for her college costs.

2. National Conference for Women Student Leaders (NCCWSL) is a leadership conference for college women that teaches leadership skills. This conference is in June and all transportation and conference fees are paid for up to three girls.

3. STEM Savvy is a symposium held in May for Middle School girls to increase their interest in pursuing a career in science, technology, engineering and math. All Downriver school districts are invited to send students for a day of inspirational and hands-on activities. Lunch is provided and a goodie bag. In the past generous contributions from the Haley and Sickafus families to the Foundation covered the costs for the STEM program.

4. The Foundation, until 2015, held a book sale at Southland Mall every fall. The money raised would be given to the National AAUW Educational Fund. When the book sale became unfeasible this great money raiser ended. However, the Named Gift Award given by the Foundation to one or two members of the branch every year for a significant contribution to the Branch donates $1500 to the National AAUW Educational Opportunities Fund in their name.

The AAUW Wyandotte-Downriver Foundation is the beneficiary of the Kathleen Bain Trust. The Trust Administrator distributes money to the Foundation every October for the upcoming year to be used for scholarship awards and activities. The Trust will receive funds annually for the next several years as set forth in the Trust.

Through our Foundation the AAUW Wyandotte-Downriver Branch is having a major impact on the future of young women in the Downriver communities through scholarships, conferences, activities and donations. Please keep the Foundation in mind as a destination for your charitable giving. The Foundation will provide you with a letter to acknowledge the amount of your donation and you will receive an honorable mention in the yearbook for that year if you so choose. Be sure to inform your tax preparer about your donations to the Foundation.