Building Community: Stepping Up to Serve At-Risk Youth
As a former educator, Cathy O’Connor has always had a heart for serving kids. This passion for children took her service in a...
Building Community: SEEDS Ecology & Education Centers
One light bulb, one recycling bin, and one classroom at a time – this is the mindset at SEEDS Ecology & Education Centers about changing the world. It is also a testament of their commitment to action.
Building Community: Generations Ahead
Grand Traverse area residents have been quietly aiding these young people for over 40 years through Generations Ahead. This nonprofit organization provides a comprehensive support system for teen parents and their children.
Building Community: After 26 Depot Café
In the summer of 2008, the After 26 Project obtained tax-exempt status, and the After 26 Depot Café opened five years later in the historic Ann Arbor Railroad building in downtown Cadillac.
North Sky Raptor Sanctuary
Those who find an injured bird of prey will be delighted to make another discovery: The North Sky Raptor Sanctuary in Grand Traverse County, a well-equipped ally.
Spirit Journey
Programs that address this tumultuous history for Native Americans are still lacking in Michigan, with one beautiful exception: Spirit Journey. It was the vision of Brandon Ahmicasaube Smith, who conceived of the organization in 2012 after a conversation with his parents about providing summer programs that could empower participants in unprecedented ways.
Kalamazoo Cat Cafe
The Kalamazoo Cat Café and Rescue opened its doors in 2017. Café director Abbey Thompson was already spearheading local adoption events when she happened to visit Catmosphere Cat Café in Sydney during a post-grad school trip to Australia. It was this experience that inspired her to further action.
Van Hoosen Museum
Dr. Bertha Van Hoosen, a notable former owner of the Van Hoosen Farm, is a great example deserving of such recognition. A world-renowned surgeon in the late 1800s, Van Hoosen overcame significant challenges and criticism before launching her private practice – and she confronted similar challenges throughout her career.
Audrey Wiggins’ Legacy and the Future of Medicine
Audrey Ann Wiggins led such an impactful, albeit brief, life that her parents decided to start an organization in her name to provide hope, love, and normalcy in support of medically fragile children and their families.
Leelanau Outdoor Center
The benefits of leading a comprehensive program like Leelanau Outdoor Center manifests itself perhaps most prominently in the way kids come out of their protective shells. They learn to take risks, make friends, and be less concerned about perceived failures; it’s a real confidence builder.