Youth Philanthropy

BEAM lights the way for a brighter future

Bettering Every Aspect of Marshall County (BEAM) is a youth organization working to prove that Marshall County’s young people are willing and able to make a difference in the community. Annually eighteen youth from each high school with students living in Marshall County come together under a common commitment to change the future of Marshall County. BEAM was established in 2008 under the guidance of Bruce Jennings, Bremen High School Principal, and with assistance from the Marshall County Community Foundation. As the first county-wide youth philanthropy group, BEAM helps prepare young people to be active, lifelong community citizens by giving opportunity to serve, give, lead and engage in local issues and strategic grantmaking activities. In addition to fundraising activities, BEAM community service projects include helping with Potawatomi Wildlife Refuge Clean-Up and building a new playground in Culver, removing an invasive plant species from Centennial Park in Plymouth, serving to clean up the Yellow River, planting and maintaining a vegetable garden for senior citizens in Bremen, volunteering at the Boys and Girls Club, participating in a Bowl-A-Thon for Special Olympic Athletes at Marshall-Starke Development Center, visits to Miller’s Merry Manor, and raking leaves in the fall for the disabled. Through grant distributions to K-12 students, BEAMers encourage Marshall County youth to “pay it forward” and improve the quality of life in their communities. Their first grant award to a Bremen Elementary/Middle School fourth grade class funded a birdhouse and birdfeeder project for construction and placement on the school campus.