(Community Matters 193) BCCF Hands Off Beloved Kool Center to a New Owner

Mary Muliett with the Battle Creek Community Foundation talks about the recently announced Kool Family Community Center ownership transition and why Senior Care Partners P.A.C.E. is positioned to keep senior services stable and growing. Muliett also talks about the latest developments with the Community Foundation's community-informed mission and three-year strategic plan. 

Episode Resources

Battle Creek Community Foundation Website

Kool Family Community Center Website

Senior Care Partners P.A.C.E. Website

ABOUT COMMUNITY MATTERS
Former WBCK Morning Show host Richard Piet (2014-2017) returns to host Community Matters, an interview program focused on community leaders and newsmakers in and around Battle Creek. Community Matters is heard Saturdays, 8:00 AM Eastern on WBCK-FM (95.3) and anytime at battlecreekpodcast.com.

Community Matters is sponsored by Lakeview Ford Lincoln and produced by Livemic Communications.

Transcript

Welcome And Where To Listen

Richard Piet 0:01

This is Community Matters. Happy you're with us for our weekly visit with uh voices from Calhoun County, a service of Lakeview Ford, Lincoln. We're here on 95.3 on Saturday mornings, and then of course BattleCreekPodcast.com anytime. And now, wherever you get podcasts, whether it's Apple or Spotify or Amazon, one of those, just type Community Matters Calhoun County, in the podcast search engine, and up we come. And you can follow us there and get little alerts when these episodes come available.

Why The Cool Center Transition

Richard Piet 0:34

You may have caught it in some of the news reporting of late, the Battle Creek Community Foundation announcing an ownership transition of the Kool Family Community Center. Mary Muliett, CEO at the foundation, is here to talk about that. Hello, Mary.

Mary Muliett 0:51

Well, hello, Richard. Thanks for having me.

Richard Piet 0:54

Thank you. This is um uh pretty interesting, and uh the new owners, uh, I suppose that's the word, uh, the the new owners who will uh carry on the Burnham Brook tradition, right, are poised and ready to do that. But talk a little about maybe the history of this a little bit and where this all came from.

Mary Muliett 1:14

Yeah, well, you're alluding to it. So yeah, originally Burnham Brook Community Center, right? Um, uh who was a strong partner in the community and a real asset for our seniors and for community generally. They had some struggles 18 years ago, and the Battle Creek Community Foundation stepped in to support, took on ownership and management of um the community center, uh, which then moved to being known as our Kool Community Family Center. And 18 years later, here we are. I'll say back when uh BCCF came in to support uh Burnham Brooke, the intention was always to find a nonprofit partner to take the baton and carry it forward for the center itself. And 18 years later, here we are, uh still managing and stewarding. And so I came onto the Battle Creek Community Foundation just a couple of years ago, as you know, Richard, um, and have been open in talking to nonprofit partners about Kool and about the future of the Cool Center. It's a valued asset in our community. It's the senior center for Battle Creek, offers room rentals, right, for events, as you well know, and um membership for the gym and membership to be part of the programming there. And uh, I'll say very intentional. And over time, having conversations with senior care partners pace has resulted in senior care partners pace purchasing the Kool family center. As of last week, I think we're saying now, I think it was. It all feels like a whirlwind, Richard. And um, and they will be, yes, the owners and managing the programming for the center. What's really amazing is they're coming in and this becomes part of their strategy now as well, which is the community portion of that center remains. The senior programming that we have been building, the gym memberships, the memberships to Kool, the room rentals, all of that remains for the community. And uh I know I'm probably answering some of your questions, so I'm gonna keep going because I'm so excited about this for the community. Um, and Battle Creek Community Foundation has committed to three years of um some grant funding to help them, right, with the with the kickoff and the startup here in the beginning to keep those programs going um and keep them seamlessly going for the community because we're so committed to the community and we want our seniors to not feel any difference except maybe a couple changes of faces. So um we're pretty excited about the future and the longevity of the center for the community.

Sustainability And Financial Strength

Richard Piet 3:47

Well, you you started to allude to where my mind was going, the notion that for 18 years the community foundation has maintained this uh community asset, and it takes a few bucks to do that, right? So so now the new proprietors have to be on stable ground to that end, and you probably were concerned about that.

Mary Muliett 4:13

Well, we definitely were looking for a partner that we knew could financially continue on what has been built up, right? And so absolutely on my mind, in every effort that we uh become become a part of, I'm always thinking about sustainability for our community. So um senior care partners pace is a strong organization. They're regional, um, in fact, they're quite large. Um, they've been in the community for a long time. I wish I knew the exact amount of years, Richard, um, for your show, but um they've been here and they've been in the Kool center the entire time for Battle Creek. And so um, you know, they are really doubling down on Battle Creek as their as their main hub. So um serving regionally seniors, but they're also doubling down on really wanting to become a community, grassroots community provider out of the center. So I couldn't ask for a stronger partner or a partner that was more positioned for what we've been building at the Kool center for seniors. I think it's just wonderful. And it's happening at a time of strength. So yes, it takes some dollars to keep uh building in good shape, as we have with the Kool center. And it takes some dollars to get programming turned back around, which we did. Um, but I'll tell you, Kool is thriving from a financial standpoint, um, had one of its best financial years yet, just this last year. So it's being handed off at a time of strength and at a time where I can feel really good about what we've built, that that someone can take it forward and it's not a burden, it's a growth.

Richard Piet 5:46

And uh the connection with senior care partners, having been there this amount of time, probably inspires confidence, I would imagine. Somebody has been invested.

Mary Muliett 5:56

Absolutely. They have quite a large portion of the building that they're already providing their services from, and so this is just um an expansion for their team to be supporting the whole building and the community-based programming, as well as the programming they've been doing a long, long time.

Naming Rights And What Stays

Richard Piet 6:15

So the name, Cool Family Center. Of course, uh, the Cool Family was an important contributor to that, Tim and company. Is there a chance the name would change? Was this part of the sales process when you talked about it? Did that come up at all?

Mary Muliett 6:32

Um, there, you know, we might have had some conversations, Tim, with the family to make sure they knew we were in consideration. And, you know, Tim, as a ever professional and supportive of all community efforts, stakeholder, understood what we were doing, supported it, made sure his mom knew what we were doing. And um, you know, the name stays at this time. However, you never know. And that wasn't something I can write into a purchase agreement, right? That the name must remain. And so I'm really excited to see where senior care partners uh pace takes their work forward and how they um potentially leverage this really exciting time for them in fundraising. I so you never know. And the family was just wonderful about hearing where I was going and what we were thinking, and and Tim was nothing but gracious. So um, so today remains. Uh tomorrow, I can't tell you because it's really in their hands. It's in the senior care partners' pace uh hands. And um, what what I can tell you remains because we're coming in as a funder for the next three years, all the programming we've started over the course of the last 18 years, and that's it's really been booming in the last two years that we've been seeing more and more seniors in the building, that remains because I'm funding it. So um, so we are putting those grants forward um for that work to help keep that solid as senior care partners' pace settles into this new role. I think it's pretty exciting for them.

Richard Piet 8:01

Sure. I presume that when you thought about this, you know, there was 18 years to to think about it, but that you wanted to uh uh enter into an agreement with someone you felt confident about were hearing that was true, and then you probably knew there was gonna have to be some some additional funds to help keep it stable in the onset here. That was expected, would you say?

Mary Muliett 8:30

Um, I would say that uh since I've been contemplating it, so not for the full 18 years has not been my contemplation for 18 years. It's been my contemplation for the last couple since I've been with BCCF. And I absolutely understand when a nonprofit starts something new or acquires or purchases or you know, any of those movements that are big, I do know that that's uh in the first few years some of the hardest time to keep everything steady and stable. And so as I had these conversations with their organization, I felt like it was the right thing to do as a funder and to keep them whole as they step into their new role and really um support keeping things steady for the community.

Refocusing The Foundation’s Core Role

Mary Muliett 9:13

I I think this also is what um what I've been really thinking about into in the last two years is the role that BCCF has for this community. And while we absolutely supported the Cool Family Community Center and did that work really well, that's not really our role. As a community foundation, our role is really about moving donors to action with us, right? Creating impact and community, growing our endowments so that our kids' kids, the generations that come long after you and I are here, can experience support in the charitable space in our community. And so to have too many extra things that are outside of our role detracts from our ability to do that in an excellent way. And so we just really are doubling down on the core commitments of who we are. And this is one of those decisions and transitions that squarely places us into the community foundation and funder role for the community. It allows us to move the capacity that we were using to run the Kool center. That capacity gets doubled down into our core commitments of grant making, scholarships, and working with donors in our philanthropic services.

Richard Piet 10:26

So you're not looking to buy another building.

Mary Muliett 10:28

No, Richard, we're not. We're not looking for another building. I, you know, and I genuinely like as someone who, when I was boots on the ground social worker in Calhoun County, I went to trainings at Burnham Brook, right? Like genuinely, I personally and professionally care about the Kool center and its success. And I just I see how our seniors are coming together and building relationship today in the center, and we want that for tomorrow. I do believe we've found the right partner that can keep this going. Also, very aligned around the values that they hold and that we hold around serving all. So their value around um inclusive spaces and building equitable systems. Um, that was part of the conversation too. We want this center to be for all in our community, and so do they, and they are super committed to that. There, there might have been a few questions to make sure, right? We were all aligned before this moved forward. Just a few, just a few, maybe over the course of a long conversation.

Richard Piet 11:30

Yeah. Well, uh, congratulations on that. It uh sounds like senior care partners understands the history here and the value, and so having them uh step up is uh the right feeling, the right uh connection you were trying to make.

Mary Muliett 11:47

Yeah, and they already live in the building, right? So, I mean that just makes it even more warm, I think, is they've lived in the building the whole time, in fact. And so um, they know this um building in and out, and they know our community, and they are here to build their strategic movement around serving community and in a community-centered fashion. I think it's just brilliant, and so I'm excited to see where it goes, right? With a team that literally is built, their role is providing services to this community. And so, again, when we think about the roles we're all in, when we do them really, really well, the community benefits every single time.

Richard Piet 12:24

All right, and I'd be remiss if uh we parted company before just seeing how things are going in general. I know this is hard work, isn't it? Uh trying to meet needs in a community and uh and plan financially in so many ways when there's lots of opportunity to do that. How are you feeling today?

Mary Muliett 12:44

Hard work isn't the right, isn't the right words for me. This is really a purposeful uh role that we are in for our community every day. And I'm finding the role that I'm in for the community just brilliant and exciting. And yes, it may be at times exhausting, right? And I love the exhaustion because we're getting so many things done and really, really looking at our forward-facing, where we're headed. You know, we again, this movement with Kool just it leans into actually some of the places we're headed in our strategic plan. We talk a lot about um making sure we're focusing our capacity in the right role in the right place as a community foundation. And so I'm finding it invigorating. So there might be a day or two you see me and I'm tired. I it doesn't happen very often. And I'm human and our team is human, but our team is just we have the we have the most passionate team for for our community, and we are all committed and really being with the community in every step of the way. So, so yeah, much more to come.

Mission Refresh And Strategic Plan

Mary Muliett 13:49

And I don't know, do you want to talk a little bit about where we're headed with the strategic plan?

Richard Piet 13:53

Yeah, I do. In fact, I was gonna say, you know, when you got on board, it takes a little time to get your footing and uh and absorb it all, but you've been there a little while now. So now you're ready to start looking forward. What does that look like right now?

Mary Muliett 14:09

Yeah, well, we've done some really Kool work over the last uh better part of the year. We brought in some expert consultants to sit with our community in focus groups and in interviews and really ask the community, how is the Battle Creek Community Foundation doing? What do you love that they do? What would you like to see different? Where do you want to see them go? And so community voice really drove for us a mission refresh. So we have a new mission statement. I'd love to share it with you. So I think I'm I think I'm gonna.

Richard Piet 14:42

Yeah, I'd be right.

Mary Muliett 14:42

Um our refreshed mission statement is connecting people, ideas, and resources to expand opportunity and create lasting community benefit for today and tomorrow. And it really encompasses the purpose of a community foundation and what we do every day. And that came from the community. That the community helped us get those words on paper. And then the community helped us to define a vision statement and five values that we're gonna live into with our community, and all of that, all of that work, then built to a new three-year strategic plan. So uh let me know where you want me to go with that. But I could talk about this for hours, Richard. And I know we don't have that long.

Richard Piet 15:25

Well, that's okay. Uh, we'll we'll split it up, is what we'll do, and we'll continue to check with you on this because this is important. So these the mission, the vision, the values, this helps reaffirm the direction and then uh produce a strategy. And you're in the middle of that now.

Mary Muliett 15:48

We are, we are, and even the movement and transition of Kool is part of that strategy, right? Again, really focusing on being who we are for the community as the community's community foundation. We're talking about that every day. And yeah, we have five different areas that we're gonna really hone in on over the next few years. We've already started the work, so I hope the community is seeing us do some of this already, but um, really working to strengthen trust and build relationships, focus our impact around grant making and scholarship. You know, scholarships, we're looking at students aren't just needing books and tuition anymore. Now we're talking about the total cost of attendance with our donors. So focusing that impact is super important in the years to come. We're really talking about growing our funds, and we have 12 community opportunity funds that we're gonna, we're softly sort of talking to community about right now. We really want to go big and go live with those to really help the community understand how a collective donations and and movement into those funds could really grow something amazing for the community over time. Uh, we're talking to our donor-advised fund donors about growing and building DAFs because that is a vehicle for us that helps get more dollars to our nonprofits. We're talking about being a healthy and vitality for our organization, being just thriving as an organization so that um we can focus external in all of our efforts going forward. And then, and then finally, like back, it wraps it all back to Kool, really calibrating our community leadership role. So we've done a lot of things for a long time, and where we need to put our capacity and our focus really matters right now. And it's critical times that our nonprofits feel as supported as they can. And we don't need to do what a nonprofit's here to do. Instead, we're going to support and bolster the nonprofit sector. That's really a commitment we're making.

Nonprofit Support Through Tools Not Programs

Richard Piet 17:44

The community leadership role should be what? I mean, just really broadly for a community foundation.

Mary Muliett 17:52

Every community foundation is unique. And because community foundations have so much ability to move laterally in lots of different ways for the community, um, there are times and seasons when a community foundation might step in and run the Kool center, right? We have to be mindful of that. How many we take on at one time so that we don't lose the focus on our core commitments as a community foundation of grant making scholarships and donor services, right? Um, how many, uh, what the community needs at the time is always um something we have to evaluate. And if we are stepping in, are we in forever or is this a season? Because what we are in forever is grant-making scholarships and donor services. That is a commitment forever of every community foundation, right? So those things have to remain front and center, even when we take on a leadership role, like supporting the Burnham Brook Now Cool community center, when they find themselves in a struggle. However, what I would say to you, saying all of that, every community foundation looks different. So, Mary, but what are we doing at the Battle Creek Community Foundation? That's the question, right? Uh, no problem. No problem. I've got that. Really, what we're focusing on at Battle Creek Community Foundation is how we can come in, at least at this time. Again, it could be for a season, it could be forever. At this time, what we see is helping our nonprofits with um building acumen around risk and financials, with you know, understanding about fundraising. Um, what we're trying to really leverage and do for the community is be an expert that can bring folks from sometimes even out of our community into the community to help build the nonprofit sector from a supportive space, not a doing space. And so our first sort of example of that in the last two years has been the nonprofit convenings we've held, the little mini conferences once a year. Yeah. Uh, I think we talked about that on your show once. So that's an example. We're bringing experts, like renowned experts from across the state, to speak on different topics. And the nonprofit sector is letting us know what they want us to be the topics each year. So we're um we're collecting that information and then we're we're creating a free little mini conference for our nonprofits, their board members, their team members, um, can all come enjoy breakfast or lunch. I think actually nonprofits are asking for it to be later next year. We'll see. We'll see. I don't, that's probably too early because my team hasn't compiled all the data, but it'll be lunch or breakfast and then have really lovely learning sessions and networking time.

Richard Piet 20:28

All right. And try to focus on some kind of a uh a way in which to energize them and and educate them and walk away with some new tools, perhaps.

Mary Muliett 20:37

Yeah, really just trying to bring new tools to all of our nonprofits. Yep. So that is a leadership space that I can say BCCF is committed to in the current time and and near future because we see that need. We're hearing that need from the nonprofits. The very first conference we did launched because of feedback from the nonprofit sector. Um, we were hearing from nonprofit leaders that they wanted more information and learning about fundraising. That was two years ago, right? They wanted to understand better how to develop donors, better how to build sponsorship packages, et cetera. And so that was the first year conference focus. And and folks loved it so much that we said, well, we're doing it again, right? As long as the community sees benefit and it's a value add, we're here for that. And that's part of the leadership role we'll be in, is really bringing forward those opportunities, more so than bringing forward new programs that we're we're not doing programs, you know, we're not gonna bring new programs forward. That's our nonprofit sector's role. We're gonna bring the experts and the tools forward for the nonprofits to benefit from so that they can be excellent in their role as well.

Richard Piet 21:48

All right. Well, appreciate this update. And

Bridge And Build Sessions Plus Wrap

Richard Piet 21:50

we'll look forward to uh how things sort out as you codify your strategic plan further.

Mary Muliett 21:55

Yeah, absolutely. Um, and I I'm excited for the community to hear about it. We've even been doing some community talking sessions, we've called them our bridge and build sessions, so that we can be totally transparent about where we're headed and also gather some community input about hey, tell us how how we would look if we were living these values every day for you because we wanna we want to know what the community wants to see from us.

Richard Piet 22:17

All right, and the link to the website will be in the show notes for this episode, so you can click through and perhaps do just that. So communicate.

Mary Muliett 22:26

The mission statement, vision statement, and values is right on that website. The new and refreshed. So please take a look and let us know.

Richard Piet 22:34

Okay, all right, good, and congratulations on the uh Kool family center ownership transition. And uh we'll talk again soon, Mary.

Mary Muliett 22:43

Thanks so much for having me, Richard. It was great spending time with you.

Richard Piet 22:46

Mary Muliett, CEO of the Battle Creek Community Foundation on Community Matters.