Support of School Programs

Help the Parks, Help the Community


St. Joseph County Parks has a variety of funding sources available to educators to offset the cost of park program fees and transportation costs for natural and cultural history interpretive programs.

The Grant and Scholarship programs have become a vital source for area educators, as they are faced with budgetary constraints and restrictions placed on offsite experiential trips.

Young students learning to bird watch with “recycled” binoculars

Students Viewing Nature

We Need Your Help


To continue offering these fee reductions to educators, we need your monetary support. Any dollar amount is appreciated to supplement these programs to give kids a hands-on, one of a kind experience in the outdoors. Keep the spark in young minds ignited and fuel these funds for the future.

How to Make a Contribution


Your donation can be sent to Bendix Woods County Park by downloading the Parks Donation Form (PDF). Simply fill it out and include payment. Checks can be made payable to St. Joseph County Parks. Indicate which funding opportunities you wish to support.

Opportunities for Support

School Scholarship Fund

This fund enables teachers to apply for a scholarship receive up to 50% off the cost of the program.

Transportation Assistance Grant

The Friends of Bendix Woods and Spicer Lake offer a grant program to provide transportation cost assistance to school groups to travel to the County Parks for an interpretive program. Grants are offered on a first-come first-served basis. Limited funds are available for this grant.

Educational Supplies Program

The supply program allows program staff to purchase educational items to enhance natural and cultural history interpretive programs, such as binoculars for birding and art supplies to use in creative programming for children and adults.

Wish List

Our wish list is ever evolving. These items can be dropped off at any of the County Parks:
  • Black Oil Sunflower Seed
  • Cheese Cloth
  • Copier Paper
  • Hybrid Vehicle (a big wish on our list)
  • Knee, hip and chest waders
  • Paper Plates, all white, any size
  • Scotch Brite Pads
  • SOS pads
  • White vinegar
  • Work gloves, youth and adult sizes
  • Yarn
Other items we could use: 1st Aid Supplies to include; non-latex gloves, cold packs, band aids, adhesive tape, antiseptic ointment, gauze pads, alcohol wipes and sting sticks.

St. Joseph County Parks Foundation

You can provide additional support to the County Parks and all its programs by joining, or contributing to, the St. Joseph County Parks Foundation, a 501c3 corporation.
Foundation Logo 2016