Foundation mission
and history
Little Brothers - Friends of the Elderly Upper Michigan Foundation is a non-profit organization whose purpose is to help ensure the future of Little Brothers - Friends of the Elderly Upper Michigan Chapter and its ongoing work in relieving isolation and loneliness among the elderly.
While the Upper Michigan Foundation was officially incorporated as a separate 501 (c)(3) non-profit in 2015, the concept of a local foundation began in 1990 when all wills and trusts were designated to be put aside to preserve the future of the chapter.
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Today, the Foundation includes a Main Fund and three restricted Endowed Funds, each designated for a specific program or need of the chapter.
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To date, the Upper Michigan Foundation has paid out more than $1.8 million to our local chapter.
Michael J. Aten, Chapter and Foundation Founder
Many of the elderly live in isolation up here. We're their support system.
In 1982, Mike Aten brought Little Brothers to Houghton County as the organization’s first rural chapter. After volunteering for Little Brothers in Chicago from 1971-1978, then working for them in the Twin Cities, the opportunity arose to do a rural expansion site.
With Mike’s passion for the mission of the organization and his education in Community Organizing, he did the research and the proposal emphasizing the needs of elderly people in the U.P. compared to similar rural counties in Appalachia and Mississippi Delta.
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Mike served as the Executive Director from 1982 until retiring in 2013. Mike then spearheaded the creation of Little Brothers – Friends of the Elderly, Upper Michigan Foundation, as a separate non-profit to secure the future of the Chapter. This follows the strategic plan of an endowed fund developed by the board in 1990.
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Mike has many hobbies and skills including e-biking, camping, traveling, carpentry, architectural drawing, mechanical work and being with family and grandchildren.