Mission and Goals
The Britt Perrotta Sommerfield Trust is a charity founded in memory of Britt Sommerfield in 2009 after she passed away as the result of an eating disorder at the age of 26. The mission of the trust is to encourage people to excel and succeed in life through education and healthy living. Consequently, the trust focuses on supporting two main groups through scholarships: graduating seniors of Lakeland High School in White Lake and eating disorder recovery groups proving counseling, nutritionists, and other resources in Michigan.
Britt was the Valedictorian of the Class of 2000 at Lakeland High School and then went on to graduate from the University of Michigan. It is in this spirit that an annual scholarship is presented to a Lakeland High School graduating senior in order to help them continue their education. We are proud to report, since 2009, the trust has awarded over $60,000 in scholarships to more than 15 students. They, like Britt, have plans to attend the University of Michigan, and model her dedication to education, interest in extra curricular activities, philanthropic heart, & leadership skills. These students are truly inspiring.
Additionally, since Britt struggled with the personal battle of an eating disorder, the trust also began supporting eating disorder support centers which work to help individuals recover from the disease. Scholarships are based on need to individuals seeking treatment for this disease but who could not otherwise afford the cost. To date we have donated nearly $10,000 in these types of scholarships.
In 2017, we also began spreading awareness to young people about the dangers of eating disorders and the tragedy they can cause. We now host two presentations annually to the freshman health classes at Lakeland High School in White Lake, MI. We talk to them about eating disorders, tell Britt’s story, and encourage healthy body images and healthy coping mechanisms for stress. This has been a very well received program so far and we hope to grow awareness from here!
