The Joseph N. and Rosemary E. Low Foundation donates $50,000 to United Way of Southwest Michigan
The Joseph N. and Rosemary E. Low Foundation has a mission to support nonprofit charitable, educational, and religious organizations within a 100-mile radius of Niles, Michigan.
The Joseph N. and Rosemary E. Low Foundation, created in 2023, recently donated $50,000 to United Way of Southwest Michigan. Joseph and Rosemary Low were long-time residents of Niles, and the donation was made in memory of Wilma V. Low.
“We are deeply grateful for this extraordinary gift from the Joseph N. and Rosemary E. Low Foundation. The outstanding support and commitment we receive from our major donors is crucial in allowing United Way of Southwest Michigan to tackle our communities’ most pressing issues,” said Sharon Polfus, Director of Major Gifts at United Way of Southwest Michigan. “Because of their leadership and generosity, United Way is able to create opportunities that lift up our neighbors and make a positive impact in Southwest Michigan.”
Foundation Advisory Board Chairperson, Dr. John N. Low, who is the son of Joseph and Wilma Low and the stepson and nephew of Rosemary, bestowed the gift to United Way. John was raised in Niles, Michigan and graduated from Brandywine High School in 1974.
“It is my honor and privilege to serve on the committee that is making annual charitable distributions,” John Low said. “As an Associate Professor in Comparative
Studies at The Ohio State University, I maintain a close connection to southwest Michigan. I had long talks with both Joe and Rose about their intentions and desires for this foundation and United Way of Southwest Michigan was exactly the kind of organization of good people doing great things that they wanted to support.”
“Wilma and Rose were proud citizens of the Pokagon Band of Potawatomi, as am I,” Low said. “While I teach at The Ohio State University, my full-time residence is in New Carlisle, Indiana, where I look forward to retiring with my wife Barbara in the future. Although I live just across the state line, Niles and southwest Michigan will always be home for us.”
John Low is also the director of the Newark Earthworks Center at The Ohio State University. Low received his Ph.D. in American Culture at the University of Michigan and also earned a graduate certificate in Museum Studies and a Juris Doctorate from there. He received a bachelor’s degree from Michigan State University, a second bachelor’s degree in American Indian Studies from the University of Minnesota, and a master’s degree in Social Sciences from the University of Chicago. He serves on the Chicago History Museum Board of Trustees and The Ohio State University Press Editorial Board.
To learn more about Low, visit johnnlow.com.
ABOUT UNITED WAY
United Way of Southwest Michigan fights for the Health, Education, and Financial Stability of every person in every community. We have the influence and relationships to make sustainable change a reality. By harnessing resources from corporate, nonprofit, and public partners, we provide immediate assistance to our most vulnerable populations while addressing the root causes of our community's longstanding challenges and changing lives for the better. To join the fight—through giving, advocacy, and volunteering—visit www.uwsm.org.
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