Stories

Feature Story OnPoint provides care at its facilities and also via mobile crisis response.

OnPoint’s mobile crisis team brings help to Allegan County residents with urgent mental health needs

OnPoint’s Community Mental Health Mobile Crisis Intervention Program is available 24/7/365 with a supervisor and two clinicians on-call at all times. 

Feature Story From left: Dennis Young, Tom Sikkema and Melinda Young.

Ride YourWay fills niche for wheelchair-accessible transportation service in West Michigan

Last year demand for Ride YourWay grew nearly ten-fold. The company now has seven wheelchair-accessible vans and one ambulatory sedan to serve clients from Muskegon to Kalamazoo.

Longform Susan Sheppard, COO of Arbor Circle, which recently facilitated a statewide collaboration to better support medically fragile foster children.

Michigan project highlights needs of medically fragile foster children

A recent collaboration is working to address the many challenges faced by medically fragile foster children, who may live with chronic disorders or developmental disabilities.

Feature Story LowellArts Program Director Laurel Conrad is proud of the mission the nonprofit has upheld over the years.

LowellArts: Connecting local artists to audiences for decades

Inspired by a visit from the Artrain USA program in 1976, LowellArts hasn't slowed down since. The nonprofit has been connecting artists and audiences in the little town of Lowell for decades.

Development News Orgnanicycle plans to double composting effort and expand locations served in 2023.

Could compost be Grand Rapids’ next craft beer? Grand Rapids composter to double impact in 2023

Orgnanicycle plans to double composting effort and expand locations served in 2023

Feature Story Michigan musician Kait Rose

Kait Rose, one “Bad Mother,” making her voice heard throughout West Michigan

Michigan musician Kait Rose is becoming more comfortable with herself and her music and expanding her horizons in 2023 with The Band of Thorns.

Feature Story Alejandra Gomez, UNI education initiatives director

Bringing education and enrichment to Southwest Detroit youthQ&A with Alejandra Gomez: Nonprofit Journal Project

When she was 12 years old, Alejandra Gomez, started participating in afterschool activities in Southwest Detroit at United Neighborhood Initiatives. Today she leads afterschool and out-of-school programming for the agency, bringing creativity, heart and expertise to her work with young people.  

Partner Content Third-grade students at Neinas Dual Language Learning Academy in Detroit trying a yummy fruity roll-up tasting.

Detroit Public Schools Community District Farm-to-School initiatives grow through SNAP-Ed

The DPSCD Farm-to-School initiative increases the amounts of locally grown fruits, vegetables, and legumes used in school breakfasts and lunches.

Feature Story It's not a matter of if, but when a cybersecurity breach will occur, and many small businesses are not prepared with the necessary staff to implement good cybersecurity.

Cybersecurity pros are in high demand, but who will fill the roles?

It's not a matter of if, but when a cybersecurity breach will occur, and many small businesses are not prepared with the necessary staff to implement good cybersecurity. Here’s who can help guide us to a cyber secure future.

Feature Story Eastman kids and grandkids hamming it up for the camera.

Foster care fosters hope for Michigan’s most vulnerable children

Michigan's community mental health agencies, CMHs, provide mental health care for the roughly 10,000 children in Michigan’s foster care system. Here is how Genesee Health Systems and Sanilac County CMH are working hard to help foster children in their counties thrive.

Feature Story Sonia Brown

Empowering community members to eat healthierQ&A with Sonia Brown: Nonprofit Journal Project

Sonia Brown, known as Auntie Na, is rehabbing a house to be much more than a food pantry to serve Detroit’s west side. Nutrition education around healthy food shopping, meal preparation, and growing vegetables will take place at the “nutrition home,” located in the beloved neighborhood known as Auntie Na’s Village.  

Longform Berrien County Health Officer Guy Miller, Corewell Health South Medical Group and Continued Care Vice President Melinda Gruber, and Region IV Area Agency on Aging CEO Christine Vanlandingham at the Berrien County Health Department.

Here's how a collaboration in Southwest Michigan helped older adults avoid hospitalization for COVID

Health care providers repackaged existing community services that enabled older adults to stay in their homes if they came down with COVID, or return home more quickly if they were hospitalized.

Feature Story Call line staff working in the team room at Summit Pointe’s First Step Urgent Care.

Community mental health agency call lines connect Michiganders with local crisis care

A call to a local community mental health crisis line can sometimes be more direct and offer services that may not be available when calling 988 or MiCAL.

Longform Tina Swanton, Michigan Health Improvement Alliance (MiHIA) executive director of community impact and strategic partnerships, and MiHIA CEO Heidi Tracy at Hidden Harvest and East Side Soup Kitchen in Saginaw.

Despite agricultural hub, Michigan's Thumb has high food insecurity. Can collaboration change that?

The Michigan Health Improvement Alliance is taking a new approach to addressing food insecurity in the 14 heavily agricultural counties it serves in central and eastern Michigan.

In The News Enterprise Pocket Park in downtown Farmington.

Downtown Farmington announces plans for new universally accessible pocket park

“This project will breathe new life into an underutilized space by creating a pocket park with an inclusive and accessible design that the entire community can enjoy,” says MEDC Executive Vice President of Economic Development Incentives Michele Wildman.

Feature Story Helm Ad

Issue Media Group launches new publication ‘The Helm’’ serving Greater Sandusky Region

Issue Media Group is excited to announce the company’s latest online news platform – The Helm Sandusky. This publication will tell the stories of investment, innovation, entrepreneurship, and individuals that are shaping the Greater Sandusky Ohio region.

Feature Story The iBill Talking Banknote Identifier, is a small, handheld device that quickly identifies the bill’s denomination.

Currency readers available for Michiganders who are blind or visually impaired

Michiganders who are blind or visually impaired can now apply to receive an audible currency reader at no cost through the Michigan Braille and Talking Book Library.

Feature Story Kay Walvoord is the CEO of the Holland Symphony Orchestra (Courtesy photo)

Holland Symphony President Kay Walvoord strikes a high note

The leader of one of Holland’s preeminent music institutions for more than 30 years, Kay Walvoord is described as a passionate visionary. She works to broaden HSO’s appeal among community members who did not grow up with classical music performances. That initiative to infuse diversity, equity and inclusion has resulted in more community collaborations. 

Feature Story Children share a holiday greeting in Sign Language during their photo with Signing Santa. (DHHS)

Signing Santa brings inclusive holiday cheer to kids with hearing loss

 For more than a decade, DHHS has hosted Signing Santa for children who are deaf and hard of hearing so they can more fully experience the holiday tradition.

Feature Story Robert Sheehan, executive director, Community Mental Health Association of Michigan

Here’s good news for Michiganders’ mental health: Community mental health delivers cutting-edge care

Michigan's community mental health agencies lead the nation in innovation, serve all 83 counties, and help Michiganders of all ages access the mental health supports they need.