The Worthington Family Foundation 2013 distribution was divided among the following organizations:

The Au Sable Institute of Environmental Studies has offered environmental education to K-12th grade students in the Grand Traverse Bay region for 35 years. The Environmental Education Program uses field courses to help students develop the knowledge, skills, and character they need to be effective environmental stewards. Since 1979, they have taught 120,000 students from 34 school districts. To improve their high-quality day programs, develop new field programs, and expand in-class instruction, they need new program supplies. They were awarded $21,000.00 for creating outdoor learning shelters.

Barnabus, Incorporated is an organization with a covenant relationship with the Presbytery of Detroit. For 30 years they have been picking up the wreckage and salvaging the lives of victims of the on-going cultural war against marriage and family. Baranabus, Inc. was awarded $15,000 to fund their Woodworking/Carpentry program.

Camp Westminster on Higgins Lake in Roscommon, MI. The disbursement of $25,000 will be used to complete the update the Van Dusen Lodge for year round use.

The Friends of the Chelsea Library Chelsea, MI hosts an annual Authors in Chelsea day-long collaborative program between the Chelsea District Library and Chelsea School District. As of 2013, it is a one-day event where three authors or illustrators come to the rural community of Chelsea, Michigan to conduct writing and illustrating workshops in the Chelsea Elementary Schools during the school day. Authors work directly with 2nd, 4th, & 6th grade students in small classroom groups. Additionally, area children, their families, and the public at-large are invited to Chelsea District Library in the evening to meet and talk to the authors/illustrators and to have their books signed. Both events take place at no charge to the schools or to area families. The evening event is open to the public. The Friends of the Chelsea Library was awarded $12,500 to expand the program to all elementary grades as well as the 6th grade.

Michigan Opera Theater in Detroit, MI provides students opportunities for exploring the arts through a variety of high quality and affordable education and outreach programs. Each year, thousands of elementary school students experience opera and the arts through programming Michigan Opera Theater designs specifically for young children. Michigan Opera Theater was awarded $25,000 to:

• Create accessible, affordable, and relevant opera and cultural arts experiences for elementary school children.
• Tap the children’s creativity and imagination.
• Teach the children about the arts and academics.
• Inspire the next generation of artists and opera and cultural arts audiences.

The Michigan Philharmonic from Plymouth, MI is a fully professional orchestra with high quality programs including award winning educational programming for young people. It serves three school districts and reaches over 5000 students annually. The Michigan Philharmonic was awarded $10,000 to fund their classical outreach program for third and fourth grades.

Michigan State University Opera Theater in East Lansing, MI provides students opportunities for exploring the arts through a variety of high quality and affordable programs. They were awarded $20,000 which will be used to support for education and costuming.

The Old Town Playhouse in Traverse City, MI, is a volunteer based organization promoting quality community theatre experiences for the people of Northwest Michigan by providing educational opportunities and entertainment in the theatrical arts. They were awarded $20,000 which will be used:

• Treasure Island instructor
• Young Company Broadway actress/film production company
• Summer technical director and interns for Youth Summer Camp
• Youth ScholarshipsWorthington Punch Cards
• 72 Booster seats

SEEDS of Traverse City, MI established to foster local solutions to global issues. They bring a holistic perspective, making connections between ecology and social justice. SEEDS was awarded $24,500 to fund:

• Full Scholarships for 100 students for 1 week of camp
• the Youth Empowerment Program for travel and materials

The West Virginia Symphony Orchestra is a state-wide orchestra that offers concerts and programs at the Clay Center for the Arts and Sciences in Charleston, WV, as well as locations throughout West Virginia and bordering states, to serve over 200,000 West Virginians each year. The West Virginia Symphony Orchestra was awarded $13,000 to help fund their Student Centered Arts Learning Environment (SCALE) project

The Wharton Center educational programs and strategic collaborations help to integrate the performing arts and the artistic process into the lives of many, especially our young people. The creative activity of Wharton Center is defined by how we use world-class performers who grace our stages - as teaching artists in classrooms, as advocates for the creative process, and as innovative partners in the co-creation of new work and news ways of expressing ourselves and the world in which we live. The Worthington Family Foundation is pleased to award $2,000 to the Wharton Center to benefit their the set, costumes, and props for their production The Shape of a Girl.