Joan Powell Goodwine Make A Difference Fund

Joan Powell Goodwine Make a Difference Scholarship Fund was established in memory of Ms. Goodwine, a mother, grandmother, mentor, and so much more. Ms. Goodwine was involved in everything that her children and grandchildren did, from their academics to their athletics and everything in between. She always had a passion for working with children and making sure that they knew that someone cared about them. She was an advocate. Her compassion and dedication to making a difference went beyond the spaces she was in .

She also volunteered her time with many different activities and organizations throughout Middletown for over three (3) decades. She was a role model and mentor for all ages. Ms. Goodwine was the person that always made everyone feel like they were somebody special, that they made a difference!  She encouraged everyone to be the best version of themselves. She was diagnosed with Stage 4 Cancer on March 6, 2015 and passed on April 1, 2015. She continued to be a shining light even through sickness. Her legacy continues to live on through her children and grandchildren as well as the recipients of this scholarship.

We are surrounded by amazing, outstanding, remarkable, trailblazing people in our community. These are individuals who mentor, who share, and who lead; those who step forward to serve their communities; and those who appreciate all who have helped forge the path before them and who are committed to helping our youth who will come after them.

Representative Kai Belton and her friend, Felicia Goodwine, are just two such people. Kai had an idea of what she wanted to accomplish but she wasn’t quite sure how to bring that idea into reality. Working with the Community Foundation, she originally established the Middletown Women’s HerStory Leadership Fund, a scholarship Fund to support a graduating Middletown High School student who demonstrates leadership potential and a commitment to creating a positive impact in our community.

Her life-long friend Felicia Goodwine was raising funds each year to support a scholarship in her mother’s memory for young people who truly care about their community and find ways to give back to their neighbors and friends.

They realized that, together, they could continue Joan’s legacy of giving back and making a difference and support remarkable, passionate, community-minded youth committed to making a difference in their community. Kai’s goal is to support and encourage young women to follow their passions and aspirations, and Felicia’s desire to share the incredible legacy of her mother’s commitment to Middletown youth and her neighbors and friends merged into one incredible scholarship fund at CFMC – the Joan Powell Goodwine Make A Difference Fund.

This scholarship will support a graduating senior attending Middletown High where Ms. Goodwine’s daughter and 2 grandchildren graduated from. The recipient of this scholarship will be someone who makes a difference in their community no matter how big or small and lets others know that they make a difference too!