The Joe D. Pentecost Foundation awards grants to many worthy organizations, and is committed to supporting programs that advance higher education, health and opportunities for youth and adults in our community.

Joe’s Kids

Michigan State University Athletics and the Joe D. Pentecost Foundation have teamed up to create Joe’s Kids. Joe’s Kids, which is named in honor of the late Joe D. Pentecost, provides opportunities for Lansing area youth to experience the color and pageantry of Spartan athletics.

The H.O.P.E.(Helping Other People Excel) scholars who are invited to Joe’s Kids Day begin their visit by eating breakfast at Case Hall, followed by a tour of the Clara Bell Smith Academic Center. The scholars are then escorted to Spartan Stadium by Michigan State student-athletes to enjoy watching an MSU football or basketball game. The Joe D. Pentecost Foundation’s goal is to provide the opportunity for underprivileged children in the Lansing area to attend MSU events and experience MSU campus life.

“By providing opportunities for underprivileged children in the Lansing area to experience college and attend MSU events, we hope to provide the encouragement and motivation they need to take that next step.”

H.O.P.E.

Helping Other People Excel

The Joe D. Pentecost Foundation is proud to support the H.O.P.E. program, which provides two years of tuition at Lansing Community College to any Lansing H.O.P.E. scholar who graduates from high school. The Foundation chose the H.O.P.E program because of the benefits it provides to the community, and because we believe it has motivated the kids to stay in school, stay out of trouble and go to college.

H.O.P.E. scholars are selected from four Lansing schools: Gardner, Otto, Pattengill and Pleasant View. The schools select at-risk sixth graders as an incentive for them to excel in middle school and high school. Each participant must meet specific criteria for excellence, including academics, attitude and behavior in school.

RISE Recovery Community

The Joe D. Pentecost Foundation proudly supports the RISE Recovery Community and Club RISE, which provide a new and current way for recovering addicts to live in society drug and alcohol free. RISE serves individuals ages 18 and up who are coming out of detox, treatment, hospital, jail or prison, along with those who are homeless or on the street, including veterans, to provide much-needed structure in order to transition back into society.

The club is central to the sober-living community, and is conveniently located within walking distance of all RISE homes. The club is handicap accessible and open to the public for anyone in recovery, and serves as a place to gather for sober activities and self-help meetings. Club RISE also hosts community events throughout the year including sober tailgates, holiday celebrations, and much more.

The Aitch Foundation

The Joe D. Pentecost Foundation is a proud contributor to The Aitch Foundation, founded to raise awareness of and generate charitable contributions for research into early detection of hidden cancers.

Other organizations that have been granted funds from the Joe D. Pentecost Foundation include: