Von Voigtlander Family Foundation

04/28/2026

On April 16, the von Voigtlander Family Foundation proudly sponsored Paws and Applause, an annual fundraising event that brings together the Paws With A Cause community in Southeast Michigan for an evening of celebration and meaningful impact.

Paws With A Cause is a national nonprofit dedicated to empowering individuals and communities by providing custom-trained assistance dogs that deliver confidence, comfort, and life-changing support.

In addition to learning more about the organization’s mission, guests heard powerful stories illustrating the profound impact these dogs have on the lives of individuals with physical, medical, and emotional challenges. One especially moving account came from Emma Gabites, who shared how her assistance dog, Quake, saved her life. During a medical emergency, Emma lost consciousness in a snowbank, and Quake stayed by her side, using his body heat to keep her warm until her sister was able to find her.

Paws With A Cause truly transforms lives and strengthens communities. It was an honor to sponsor this inspiring event and support such an extraordinary organization.

04/10/2026

The von Voigtlander Family Foundation is saddened to share that our friend and mentor, Jacquelin “Jacque” Moody, passed away on April 7.

Jacque was the inspiration behind the creation of our charitable foundation, encouraging us to begin this journey and playing an instrumental role in its establishment. Since our inception in 2013, she faithfully served as the Foundation’s Secretary/Treasurer, offering her guidance, dedication, and unwavering support.

A lifelong lover of horses, Jacque was an active member of the Michigan Quarter Horse Association. She was also a passionate supporter of the Michigan Equine Scholarship Fund, a 501(c)(3) charitable organization dedicated to encouraging and investing in qualified youth and the children of military veterans through equine-related therapy programs.

Those wishing to honor Jacque’s memory may consider making a donation to the Michigan Equine Scholarship Fund at:
https://www.mesfund.com/

Jacque’s kindness, vision, and commitment to helping others will continue to inspire our work for years to come. She will be deeply missed and fondly remembered.

12/02/2025

🌟 Announcing Our 2025 Grant Recipients 🌟

Each year, our Family Foundation is humbled by the number of incredible organizations working to make a difference in our communities. This year, we received more than 100 grant requests—each one representing meaningful work, passionate people, and important missions.

As a small, self-funded foundation, selecting recipients is never easy. While we wish we could support every organization that applies, we focus our giving on four key areas that reflect our family’s values: Veterans, Youth Empowerment, Animals, and Recreation & Conservation. We are honored to support the following organizations whose work inspires us and strengthens our communities.
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Supporting Veterans and their Families
We proudly awarded grants to organizations dedicated to serving those who have served us all:
• Folds of Honor in loving memory of Lawrence Henderlong
• Fisher House
• Blue Star Service Dogs
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Youth Empowerment
We believe in investing in the next generation and supporting programs that help young people learn, heal, and thrive:
• Children's Healing Center
• Whitmore Lake Community Scholarship Fund
• Bottomless Toy Chest
• Educate Youth
• YMCA of Greater Michiana
• Realities for Children
• Special Olympics Colorado
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Animals & Animal Welfare
These organizations are making a life-changing difference for animals and the people who rely on them:
• Paws with a Cause
• Elevate Equine
• Humane Society of Huron Valley
• Leader Dogs for the Blind
• NOCO Humane
• Animal Friends Alliance
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Recreation & Conservation
Protecting natural spaces and ensuring access to the outdoors remains a core part of our mission:
• TART Trails
• Grand Traverse Conservation District
• Kalamazoo Nature Center
• Woldumar Nature Center
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We extend our heartfelt gratitude to all the organizations that applied, and to those working tirelessly in our mission areas every day. Your dedication and passion inspire us.

Though we are small, it is our privilege to contribute in ways that bring lasting impact—and we look forward to continuing this work in partnership with our community.

Thank you for helping us make a difference. 💙

12/06/2024

As we reflect on the accomplishments of 2024, we are proud to share the success of the grants we have issued this year. Through our self-funded initiative, we awarded twenty-one grants, supporting vital projects that benefit youth, animal welfare, military veterans, and the preservation of nature and recreational spaces.

Our grants have been directed toward organizations and initiatives that align with our core values of empowering youth, enhancing animal welfare, supporting military veterans, and preserving natural spaces for future generations. Each project funded was chosen with the goal of creating lasting, positive change in the community.

• Youth Empowerment: Grants were issued to WLPS Community Scholarship Fund, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Southeast Michigan, Cassie Hines Shoes Cancer Foundation, ChadTough Foundation, Children’s Healing Center, Educate Youth Ypsi, Guiding Harbor, North Star Reach, Ronald McDonald House Charities of Ann Arbor, YMCA of Greater Michiana, Special Olympics Colorado, and Realities for Children.

• Animal Welfare: Elevate Equine Assisted Therapy, Humane Society of West Michigan, Paws with a Cause, Animal Friends Alliance, and NOCO Humane were supported by grants this year.

• Support for Military Veterans: Our Foundation issued a grant to Special Operations Warrior Foundation.

• Nature and Recreation: Supported organizations in this area were TART Trails, Howell Nature Center, and Woldumar Nature Association.

These grants have made a tangible difference in areas where support is most needed, and we are honored to have contributed to such meaningful work. Our approach ensures that every dollar invested is helping to build a brighter, more sustainable future for all.

As we move into 2025, our commitment to these key areas remains steadfast. We will continue to issue grants that address the most pressing needs and create opportunities for growth, healing, and sustainability. We are excited for the continued impact our grants will have in the year ahead.

While we received many requests for funding this year, we regret that we could not fulfill every application. The volume of requests exceeded our capacity, but we are grateful to have learned about so many incredible organizations and causes working to make a difference. The passion and dedication of these groups inspire us, and we look forward to keeping them in mind for future opportunities.

09/08/2024

A Fall Evening With Big Brothers Big Sisters.

07/18/2024

06/22/2024

On Thursday, June 20, we attending the grand opening celebration of the Children's Healing Center's southeast location in Ypsilanti. As one of the founding donors, we were honored with a "bubble" on the donor wall of their beautiful new facility, which is set to open on July 8. Check out the amazing work they do at https://childrenshealing.org/ .

06/22/2024

On May, 22, 2024, we were honored to present a $1,000 scholarship to Reily Henderson at the annual Whitmore Lake High School Senior Awards Night. This is the eighth year that our Foundation has awarded a scholarship to a deserving Whitmore Lake High School graduate entering the trades.

12/08/2023

Tuesday was Giving Day at the von Voigtlander Family Foundation! In our 10th year of giving, we were overwhelmed with the amount of requests for grants and had to make some difficult choices. Our Foundation usually limits our grants to Michigan and the states where we live, play, and work. We wrote checks to 15 deserving organizations. Working from our home and the office, grants were made to Animal Friends Alliance, Barn Sanctuary, Blue Star Service Dogs, Children’s Healing Center, Freedom River, Friends of Camp-Mak-A-Dream Michigan Chapter, Educate Youth Ypsi, Leader Dogs for the Blind, Mid-Michigan Children’s Museum, NOCO Humane, Paws With a Cause, Ronald McDonald House Charities of Ann Arbor, Special Olympics Colorado, U P Foster Closet of Dickinson County, and Washtenaw Camp Placement. In addition, donations were made earlier in the year to Big Brothers Big Sisters of Southeast Michigan, Cassie Hines Shoes Cancer Foundation, TART Trails, and Whitmore Lake Public Schools Community Scholarship Fund. These organizations support our mission, and we are happy to support them!

11/23/2023

We finally made it down to Houston and saw the bench we sponsored in Buffalo Bayou! The second picture is the view of downtown Houston from the bench.