Former Standish Elementary School Receives State Grant to Become Community Center

The Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity has provided a $1.1 million grant to a former Standish elementary school which is being converted to a comprehensive community center.

The Sunrise Community Resource Center will support residents of Arenac and surrounding counties with services including before and after-school educational activities, licensed full-time childcare, access to career and workforce training, programming for seniors and more. The former school has been used since 2018 by the Arenac Community Center.

The Michigan Health Improvement Alliance (MiHIA) will serve as the fiscal agent and fiscal sponsor for any subsequent grant applications and fundraising activities for Sunrise, and it will work with the school district, along with community organizations and businesses to evolve the Sunrise Community Resource Center into a sustainable organization, governed by an independent board, appointed by the school district superintendent.