About Mary Thompson Foundation
Mary Thompson Foundation’s recent giving is centered on aid and services for older adults, with a pattern of direct, generally flexible support to Michigan organizations. The largest listed grants include $20,000 to Pope Francis Center in Detroit and $20,000 to Motor City Mitten Mission in St Clair Shores, both in 2023, followed by $17,500 to Wings Home in Allegan. That mix shows a funder that backs senior-serving and broader community organizations across the state rather than one narrow service model.
The foundation’s recipients range from senior councils and hospice-related providers to community groups and social service agencies. In 2024, The Helm in Grosse Pointe Farms received $15,000, while Alpena Area Senior Citizens Council received $14,000, showing support that reaches both metro Detroit and northern Michigan. Other grants went to Little Brothers in Hancock, Evangelical Homes of Michigan Foundation in Saline, and Salvation Army in Detroit. The foundation also funds nonprofits working with transportation, food access, companionship, and related services for older adults. Its public grant activity is entirely within Michigan.
What Mary Thompson Foundation Funds
A clear thread in Mary Thompson Foundation’s giving is elder services delivered through practical community organizations. For senior support, it awarded $14,000 to Alpena Area Senior Citizens Council in 2024 and $7,000 to Shiawasee Council on the Aging in 2024, both for general purposes.
The foundation also supports services that connect older adults to daily care and stability. It gave $10,500 to Evangelical Homes of Michigan Foundation in 2024 and $7,500 to Lourdes Inc in 2024, reflecting a medical and nursing-care orientation. Food and basic assistance appear as well: Crossroads of Michigan received $10,000 in 2023, and Salvation Army in Detroit received $10,000 in 2023 and $6,000 in 2024. Transportation and companionship-related support are part of the mix too, alongside grants to animal companionship programs and other senior-focused service providers.
How Mary Thompson Foundation Gives
Mary Thompson Foundation’s recent grants cluster around small, discretionary awards. The typical grant size sits at $5,000 at the 25th percentile, $5,500 at the median, and $10,000 at the 75th percentile. That distribution is consistent with a program that makes many modest grants rather than a few large commitments.
The foundation appears to use recurring support for some recipients: The Helm, Pope Francis Center, Motor City Mitten Mission, Wings Home, Little Brothers, Detroit Opera, Gilda’s Club Metro Detroit, Alpena Area Senior Citizens Council, Salvation Army, and Community Homeworks all appear more than once in the recent-grants list. It funds nonprofits rather than individuals and does not make program-related investments. The grant program accepts unsolicited applications and, for previous grantees, requires a feedback/testimonial form with hard-copy supporting documents.