Strategies, Goals, Objectives

The Chalfonte Foundation's primary program goal is to provide spiritual, psychosocial, recreational, and educational support to children and their families in need, with a focus on offering safe, fun, and meaningful programs and activities. Our strategies to achieve this will be to collaborate with local organizations, groups, and individuals to identify the unique needs of each community we serve. We will seek to develop long-term relationships with our partners to ensure sustainable solutions that address the root causes of poverty. We will also work to raise awareness of the importance of providing children with opportunities to grow, learn, and have fun. Additionally, we will strive to be transparent and accountable in all our operations and use our resources effectively to maximize our impact. Our primary objective is to provide free programs and activities to children, their families, and communities in need. Through our actions, we aim to improve the lives of children and their families by providing them with the tools, resources, and experiences they need to thrive.

How We Achieve Our Primary Objective

Programs

  • Weeklong camps for teenage boys and girls at Chalfonte House in Elk Rapids includes swimming, boating, camping, hiking, ziplining, horseback riding, and more. The free weeklong summer camps include transportation to and from camp, food, lodging and more. Weekend arts and music camps in Detroit.

  • Day and weekend retreats include Mom’s and Dad’s Weekends, for parents who experienced the death of a child; family and group retreats for rest and relaxation, health and healing, and educational and creative arts and cultural retreats. Retreats are held at the Detroit, Elk Rapids, and Torch Lake locations.

  • Residencies are for aspiring and established artists, chefs, performers, farmers, and social and cultural innovators, inventors, and designers. Residencies range from days to years and include access to facilities, equipment, tools, and other resources at the Detroit, Elk Rapids, and Torch Lake locations.

Projects

  • The 84 Ambassadors program empowers 84 youth ages 16 to 25 from Michigan's 83 counties and the City of Detroit to serve as Ambassadors for their communities. These Ambassadors will use digital platforms to share information about their counties and attend an annual conference to meet other Ambassadors. In the process, they’ll learn about social and cultural issues, and work on goals to break down prejudices and promote cultural understanding.

  • "Mixture of Four" is a talk show for kids set to air on the Detroit Broadcasting Company. Hosted by four dynamic fifth-grade boys from Detroit, the show features segments on arts and dancing, video games, food, and puppetry and performing arts. The young hosts bring fresh perspective and passion as they share their experiences and insights from special guests. The show hopes to inspire and entertain young viewers while showcasing the talent and culture of Detroit.

  • GROW (Girls Rule Our World) began as a summer camp for girls and young women and soon became an “organization” of its own. GROW fosters and promotes relationships and opportunities for girls and young women ages 12-25. GROWtv will provide an online channel for original news, music, sports, community interest stories and other content created by and for girls and young women from around the world. Scholarships and apprenticeships are offered in all areas of the visual, performing, and broadcast arts.

Activities

  • Culture Kids is for children ages 2-12 and their parents or guardians to gather regularly for arts and cultural events such as around the world potluck dinners, museum outings, adventure centers, theater and music events, art, music, food, and gardening classes, nature hikes, parks, playgrounds, pools, and more.

  • The Clubs support the three major funding priorities and activities of the Chalfonte Foundation which are in the areas of arts & culture, food & agriculture, and health & healing. All to benefit children and their communities.

  • The Chalfonte Foundation offers a unique and diverse selection of events at its two locations in Detroit and Elk Rapids. Attendees can enjoy dinner events, concerts, movie nights, forums and lectures, game nights, artist salons, family art and music classes, and more. The Foundation also has plans to host camping events at both the Detroit and Elk Rapids locations. The Elk Rapids location overs beach party events, while the Detroit location offers walking tours of its neighborhood in the Detroit Cultural Center.