Helping Horses Heal at HopeWell Ranch

Therapeutic riding dates all the way back to ancient Greece and continues into modern day in our local community. At HopeWell Ranch, many community members depend on horseback riding as a method of healing. HopeWell serves six counties in total, but most participants live here in Isabella County. The organization works with individuals with various physical and mental challenges: muscular skeletal issues, neurological disorders, brain injuries, memory problems, self-esteem issues, PTSD, traumatic backgrounds, anger issues, attachment problems, and learning disabilities. Many low income children and adults will be assisted in their healing process through bonding with horses, some of which have also experienced trauma.

New grain room at HopeWell ranch being stained

Balancing the multitude of individuals needing resources, and providing excellent care to the horses can be challenging for staff. In the fast paced environment of HopeWell Ranch, it can be difficult to be well-organized and efficient while feeding the animals.

The Hersee Family Fund, Theunissen Family Fund, and Summit Petroleum Fund made it possible to build a new grain room at HopeWell Ranch. This room is in a central location for feed distribution and has improved the overall nutrition and living conditions of the horses used in therapy programs. HopeWell horses are the center of healing for the many individuals that attend sessions, which is why the condition of these animals is crucial. HopeWell Ranch was able to install a set of used kitchen cabinets in the interior of the grain room for much needed supply storage. Additionally, they stained the exterior of the room and installed an exit door.

The ultimate goal of this project is to provide a healthier environment for the horses that make a difference in the lives of so many community members. HopeWell Ranch was able to complete this project and improve the lives of their horses and the individuals they serve.

Trikes for Tykes at the Isabella Child Development Center

For the past fifty years, the Isabella Child Development Center has been providing free preschool services for eligible three and four year old children. Since opening its doors in 1969, the school has served over 1,200 students. After an assessment by the Michigan Department of Education, the ICDC was named a five star preschool. Because of their team of caring teachers and staff, the community’s endless support, and the treasured parental input, the Isabella Child Development Center has become an invaluable place for young learners.

Kids riding trikes at Isabella Child Development Center

Funds provided by the Women’s Initiative Fund and the Fisher Companies Community Impact Fund allowed the Isabella Child Development Center to purchase three additional tricycles, a wagon, and stepping stones for their students. Tricycles have been a long-time favorite for the children at the ICDC, and now students have more opportunities to utilize them. The tricycles encourage outdoor and active play as well as help the children develop their gross motor skills. They are gaining coordination and balance while learning to navigate around obstacles, which helps strengthen their cognitive skills. In addition, the very popular trikes are a great way for kids to learn important social skills, such as waiting for their turn. The children have even begun to practice helping others through play. When riders are “out of gas,” non-riders help fill them up with imaginary fuel.

Prior to the purchase, the ICDC had one tricycle for every three children. Now they have one for every two children. More tricycles mean more development through play, and according to the students, more fun too!

Clothing INC's Donation Shed Receives an Upgrade

Clothing INC’s mission is to distribute new or gently used clean clothing to anyone in need. Their doors opened in 2013; in that year, 4,771 articles of clothing were gifted to 235 people. Now, their reach has skyrocketed to gifting over 101,000 clothing items to 4,279 people – and the center is expected to continue growing. Clothing INC serves a wide range of populations including: veterans, low-income households, homeless individuals, those recently released from incarceration, children in foster care, and many more in need.

Donation of clothes in bins at Clothing INC

After moving into the Strickler Nonprofit Center, Clothing INC’s appointments and donations quadrupled, allowing them to serve even more individuals in our community. However, success has also brought new challenges, particularly with clothing collection. Picking up boxes, bags, and loose articles of clothing that have been deposited through the drop doors of the donation shed proves to be challenging for several senior volunteers at Clothing INC. The sheer volume of donations has resulted in the shed needing to be emptied 2-3 times daily. It was clear that a solution was needed to alleviate this problem, and to make their system more efficient.

Funds provided by the Barbara L. and George W. Dunn Family Fund allowed Clothing INC to purchase laundry carts for the donation shed. These carts provide an accessible solution for volunteers at varying ability levels and ensures cleaner donations since the donated clothes will be kept off the floor. One volunteer was inspired to become a donor and gifted an additional cart to the facility. These carts are invaluable tools for the organization and the great work they do.

New Storage Containers Bring Clothing, Hats, Scarves, and Happiness to Clothing INC

For five to six months out of the year, Michiganders face treacherous winter weather, forcing us to bundle up in our winter gear. Clothing INC is making winter living more bearable for people in need. In the past year, they served 1,419 girls and 930 boys in sizes newborn to 18. Clothing INC understands their role in providing these resources for the community.

Organized clothing in bins at Clothing INC

The Kellogg Youth Fund provided funding for new containers that will improve accessibility to clothing for youth served by Clothing INC. By attending staff meetings to inform teachers of the online ordering hub and delivery to the school’s office, Clothing INC hopes to encourage more young people to take advantage of these resources. Since opening in October 2013, Clothing INC has clothed 4,279 people in our community. The impact these resources have had on the community is clear. Students are excited when they receive a new coat, hat and mittens. Teachers from local elementary schools have utilized this resource to ensure that students have winter gear for the playground. Now open five days a week, Clothing INC continues to increase their impact on the community.

The overall goal of this grant funded project was to ensure that those in need have the necessary winter apparel to learn, work, and enjoy the winter season here in central Michigan.

Inspiring Confidence in Girls Through Running

Girls on the Run (GOTR) of Central Michigan inspires girls to be healthy, confident and connected through engaging lessons that focus on building life-long social skills and healthy lifestyle habits. The program serves girls in 3rd-8th grade. During the 2019 spring season, 119 girls from Isabella County participated in Girls on the Run and 40% of those girls requested financial assistance to do so. 

Two girls near the finish line during the 5K Celebration Run.

Thanks to the Kellogg Youth Fund, Women’s Initiative Fund, and Jerry M. and Marilyn A. Morey Community Fund, more than 50 girls received scholarships to participate in this life-changing program. The curriculum focuses on standing up to peer pressure, making critical decisions, being intentional about choosing friendships, identifying and handling comfortable and uncomfortable emotions, demonstrating respect and responsibility towards self and others, as well as healthful living, eating and activity. After watching her own daughter grow through GOTR, one Isabella County mother said, “The program taught the girls valuable life lessons about being healthy and building their confidence with curriculum which creatively integrates running. […] My daughter had an amazing experience due to her selfless coaches and a friend running with her, encouraging her to cross the finish line!”

Girls on the Run

Girls on the Run of Central Michigan hosted teams at Fancher, McGuire, Renaissance, Sacred Heart, St. Joseph the Worker, Shepherd, and Winn elementary schools, along with a Heart & Sole team at Shepherd Middle School. GOTR hopes to expand their program to additional schools once they are able to recruit more volunteer coaches.

Making Ends Meet with the Infant Pantry

Stack of donated diapers at the Infant Pantry

Too many parents are in the position of having to choose between buying diapers or food for their children. Babies need both. Thankfully, the William Ellis Brockman Infant Pantry provides supplemental food, diapers, and care items to local parents trying to make ends meet.

 With help from the William Ellis Brockman Infant Assistance Fund, the Community Compassion Network was able to purchase and distribute much-needed items for local families. Over the course of four months, 631 babies were served through the Infant Pantry. Each child received diapers or training pants, diaper wipes, a personal care item, and formula or food, depending on age and need. Almost half of the families helped were led by single parents, and many reported diapers and care items as significant needs. The support was critical during the summer months, when need increases.

Volunteers assist in packing diapers for Isabella County families in need.

 Proper nutrition is critical in the first three years of life. Studies show that inadequate nutrition early in development often leads to permanent physical and cognitive impairments. It is the Infant Pantry’s primary goal to help keep Isabella County infants and toddlers healthy.

Changing the Lives of Children at Mary McGuire through Mentorship

For many children, one strong role model can be the difference between thriving and simply surviving. Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Great Lakes Bay Region is on a mission to provide at-risk youth in our community with supportive relationships. They recently transformed their one-to-one mentoring program at Mary McGuire Elementary through innovative curriculum and mentor training, spurring a greater impact for mentors, mentees, and families.

The new curriculum includes themes focused on empathy, growth mindset, reflective listening, resilience, self-esteem, confrontation skills, and gratitude by presenting them in a fun, kid-friendly way over the course of 24 weeks. Whether making breathing wands to discuss controlling emotions or teaching empathy by making blankets for a nonprofit, the weekly lessons cultivated skills in children who are less likely to learn them in their everyday lives.

Big Brothers Big Sisters working on art with Mary McGuire students

With help from the Kimber and Judy Dewitt Family Fund, Myler Family Community Impact Fund, and Kellogg Youth Fund, Big Brothers Big Sisters was able to provide their 23 Bigs (volunteer mentors) with the knowledge, tools, and support necessary for success in their matches at Mary McGuire. They accomplished this through a full-day training that discussed successful mentoring practices and focused on empathy, reflective listening, and effective confrontation. In addition, each Big received a Mentor Training Guide which included mentor mini lessons, weekly curriculum lessons, skills sheets, and outcome surveys.

Big Brothers Big Sisters also involved Central Michigan University in mentorship and education. Medical students provided eight days of lessons about healthy eating and the effects of sugar, including a Big/Little relay to encourage physical activity. In addition, a college student group facilitated Valentine’s Day activities with mentors and mentees.

At-risk youth in these programs reported improved success at school, higher self-esteem, and increased social acceptance. After these promising results, Big Brothers Big Sisters is working to expand the program to other schools and create a more sustainable funding model so more children in our community can experience the benefits of mentorship.

Supporting the Next Generation of Fathers, Husbands, and Community Leaders

You always expect your parents to be there in your life. Unfortunately, for some young men in Isabella County that is not their reality. Under the guidance of Brian Pruitt, program operator for Power of Dad, fatherless young men from around Isabella County were able to come together and learn valuable life skills from father figures within the community. After nine successful years in Saginaw, Pruitt decided to bring this mentoring program to Isabella County.

This program received funding from the Kellogg Youth Fund, a permanently endowed fund of the Mt. Pleasant Area Community Foundation, to provide young men with important life skills and memories through seminars, group outings, and parenting time. Power of Dad hopes to encourage young men to become good fathers, husbands, and citizens. The young men that participated used three workbooks to learn different life lessons. Along with the workbooks, the young men attended a Central Michigan University football game, went fishing, ate meals together, and attended monthly seminars. At the end of the five-month program, there was a graduation ceremony to honor the young men.

Although there are similar programs to the Power of Dad, such as Big Brothers Big Sisters, one difference stands out from the rest. Once the young men have graduated from the Power of Dad program, they are able to come back and mentor the younger generation of participants. This allows the graduated men to give back by passing their knowledge and experience on to the boys that now fill their shoes.

Power of Dad logo

Computer Classes of the Digital Age

We live in such a digital age, it is common for high school students to take a computer class to fulfill graduation requirements, and the students at Montabella High School are not an exception. Montabella High School wanted to expand the educational criteria in their Computer Applications class and help broaden their students’ technological horizons. The goal was to provide an additional program that would push the students’ creativity and knowledge of using different programs.

Receiving funds from the Montabella Community Schools Education Fund, a permanently endowed fund of the Mt. Pleasant Area Community Foundation, the school was able to purchase a program license for the Adobe Premiere Elements 18 and headsets with microphones. This computer program will aid students as they practice their video editing skills and learn how to add voice overlays and audio tracks to enhance their videos.

Although it may not seem like much, these students will bring these real skills with them into their futures. Students will be able to use this technology to benefit community members, the school, and especially themselves. This class may lead some to take further classes at higher education levels or even follow a career in the film industry.

Students learning in computer classes at Montabella High School

Students learning in computer classes at Montabella High School

Custodial Grandparent Support Program

It is not always easy growing up in a non-traditional household. The Custodial Grandparenting Support Program, developed by Christian Counseling of Mid-Michigan (CCMM), was created for both custodial grandparents and their grandchildren to establish a healthy home environment. This program helped families receive counseling that allowed them to better communicate as they learned to cope with the absence of one or more biological parent(s). Both the participating grandparents and grandchildren were able to acknowledge the improvement in their relationships because they had a space to talk about problem areas and learned how to live within their unique family.

The Healthy Youth Healthy Seniors Fund of the Mt. Pleasant Area Community Foundation helped to make the program’s first year possible. The CCMM was able to serve approximately 20 people from multiple families. Most of the grandparents ranged in age from 50 to 85 and the grandchildren ranged from 6 to 17. Although each family’s case is different, the wide range of participants allowed the program to help families deal with a variety of home/life issues. By the end of the program, four different counselors had held more than 30 sessions with participating families.

Through the program, CCMM discovered that custodial grandparents were in need of more support than the grandchildren. The grandchildren were able to better adjust to a new living arrangement, while the grandparents had a more difficult time. CCMM saw the positive effects of this program, and while it has officially ended, the care of the grandparents and grandchildren will continue. The families that participated are welcome to continue receiving counseling and CCMM has no intention of turning away those seeking help based on their inability to pay.

Christian Counseling of Mid Michigan logo

Maintaining a Vibrant Environment at the Mt. Pleasant Discovery Museum

Remember the joy of getting a new toy as a child? The Mt. Pleasant Discovery Museum was able to bring that joy to the community when well-loved toys were replaced with brand new versions. Annually, the Discovery Museum has 50,000 visitors, which causes wear and tear on the exhibits. Stuffed animals get torn, wooden toys are cracked, and continuous use of the plasma ball decreases its efficiency. These damages can lessen the overall experience for museum guests.

The Kellogg Youth Fund provided funding for replacement exhibit supplies. The Discovery Museum staff was thrilled to see the excited reactions from guests as damaged toys were replaced with new versions. Some new features include: Japanese sandals and origami paper for the One World exhibit; wooden fruits and vegetables for the Farmers Market and Smoothie Station; and new camping supplies for the PleasANT Park exhibit. Along with replacing the damaged toys, the Museum was able to repair the light table and has additionally begun work on a custom train table.

The ultimate goal of this project was to provide updated educational tools for guests and bring a little added joy to each museum visitor. Each day the Discovery Museum opens their doors to every family and school, regardless of socioeconomic status. Overall, the Discovery Museum was able to revamp the exciting exhibits for new and old guests alike.

New display toys and stuffed animals for the Mt. Pleasant Discovery Museum

Home Away from Home

The Ronald McDonald House of Western Michigan’s (RMHWM) mission is to provide families of children and youth seeking medical and mental health treatment in the Grand Rapids Community with no-cost accommodations to provide a “home-away-from-home” experience. The program helps support families with accommodations such as, temporary housing, meals, transportation, laundry, and more. Families are invited to stay at the house until their child is discharged from the hospital, which can range from a few days to over a year. The RMHWM can host 17 families each night, roughly 35-45 people.

The Community Impact Fund, the Kellogg Youth Fund, and the Missy and Doug LaBelle Family Foundation Community Impact Fund, all endowed funds of the Mt. Pleasant Community Foundation, made a grant to the RMHWM to provide support to Isabella County families requiring hospitalization of a child. Each night at the house costs an estimated $125 in lodging alone, a cost that no family pays. Although there is a waitlist, due to the urgency or unexpected nature of hospital trips, the RMHWM is unable to plan exactly how many families will utilize their services during any given time. This has caused the RMHWM to plan long term and use a three year average to predict future costs.

Not only does this program help reduce financial strain, 50% of families that stayed at the RMHWM said they were able to make meaningful connections with other families and staff at the house. The RMHWM plans to continue supporting families across Michigan by providing a no-cost option so that they may focus on what is most important— their child’s health.

Ronald McDonald House of Western Michigan campus

STEM Lab Created to Further Educate Shepherd Public Schools Students

The updated STEM Lab is the newest addition to Shepherd Elementary School. It serves to educate and protect young students. The Shepherd Community Fund in Honor of Robert Bates, Kellogg Youth Fund, David B. and Susan K. Keilitz Family Fund, and Michael D. and Dianne Morey Community Needs Fund helped make the funding possible for the STEM Lab improvements throughout the Summer of 2018. More than 800 students, ages 5-12 years old, have been able to utilize the STEM LAB this year, learning more about the changing world of technology around them.

There is now a 6 x 6 Lego wall, and a two sided activity center, consisting of a 3 x 4 foot framed pegboard and a 3 x 4 foot magnetic whiteboard. Students can learn from a magnetic whiteboard table, charge electronic devices, and experiment with data coding. Shepherd Elementary School was also able to buy two iPads, four Amazon Fire Tablets, several Lego and Knex education kits for different grades and abilities, two Dash robots and two Botley robots. These new tools encourage dexterity, hand-eye coordination, problem-solving skills, and working with advanced technology. The Dash robots respond to sounds and voices. The little robots encourage interactive learning while being fun to use. The Botley robots help teach children quick and fun lessons about coding and help guide them through various STEM skills.

The addition of a door to the Lab, as well as a wall in the back of the room, will help protect students in case of emergencies, such as a lock down. As jobs in STEM fields continue to grow, this lab will help expand the students’ knowledge of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.

New STEM lab for Shepherd Elementary students

Shepherd Elementary students in their new STEM lab

The Junior Farmer Program offers Hearts, Hooves, Healing, and Hope to Young Students

After school activities are fairly common for students nowadays. For some students that might be little league baseball, gymnastics, or a music lesson. HopeWell Ranch wanted to offer a different type of after school activity to five Weidman Elementary students. With backpacks in hand, the fourth grade students headed to HopeWell Ranch to spend an hour and a half working hands-on with animals, learning to garden, and participating in team building exercises. After 32 weeks the students were congratulated with a graduation ceremony and received a certificate for their newly gained “Awesome Jr. Farmer” status.

The David B. and Susan K. Keilitz Family Fund helped to support the first year that HopeWell Ranch hosted their Junior Farmer Program. HopeWell Ranch co-owners, Ty and Jodi Stuber, coordinated with the Weidman Elementary At-Risk Teacher, Angela Dey, to find students that were qualified to participate. The activities at the ranch helped these students come out of their shells, move past fears, and work on problem solving skills. After seeing the success of the pilot program, HopeWell is planning on expanding the program to other schools.

Each of the 21 sessions were broken down into five topics— equine, fowl (chickens and ducks), rabbits, goats, and gardening. Within these topics the students learned about animal care, animal breeds, and animal lifestyles. The students read books and/or related articles about the animals. Along with that, the students completed journals and worksheets to write about their experiences. Overall, HopeWell Ranch provided these students with skills and memories that will be ingrained for years to come.

Crafts from the Junior Farmer Program at HopeWell Ranch

American Red Cross Supports Families Before and After Disaster Strikes

The American Red Cross mission is not limited to just drawing blood. They are always prepared to help communities and families in need when the unexpected happens. In their Home Fire Campaign, the American Red Cross has made it their goal to help families in Isabella County be better prepared to deal with unexpected home fires. Fires at home are one of the most common disasters experienced every year and it can leave families with absolutely nothing. With this campaign, the American Red Cross hopes to help families be better prepared to deal with disaster before and after it strikes.

With funds provided by the Kay Smith Family Fund, the American Red Cross was able to inspect 36 homes and install 84 new fire detectors. Along with this, staff and volunteers helped educate families on how to create a home escape plan and what to do in the event of a home fire. Due to the suddenness of home fires, it is important that families are able to follow predetermined plans, helping to ensure their safety. Once the fire has been extinguished, the American Red Cross is there to support families looking for housing, necessities, and support.

Through continued funding, the American Red Cross plans to expand the Home Fire Campaign and assist as many families as possible. This campaign has already proven its importance as it is responsible for saving the lives of 511 people across the nation, including 10 Michigan residents. Unfortunately, the American Red Cross has come across countless unprepared homes and victims of house fires. The ultimate goal of this program is to save lives.

American RedCross member caring for home fire survivor

Earthquake Tables Shake Up Science Lessons at Sacred Heart Academy

You would never expect an earthquake to hit Mt. Pleasant, but with the addition of three new “Tremor Tables” Sacred Heart Academy students are shaking up standard science lessons. Students in grades 7 through 12 are learning about engineering, math, physics, and earth science with a new hands-on approach. These tables help simulate earthquakes in a fun and safe way. Students can experiment by constructing their own buildings, test seismic wave effects, compete in Science Olympiad tower testing, and more.

The Kellogg Youth Fund has helped make these “earthquakes” possible for students in their exploration of STEM sciences. Sacred Heart Academy was able to expand their STEM Lab resources by purchasing the three Tremor Tables, add-on packs, and other related supplies. These fun new tools have helped encourage students to expand their knowledge of our planet. Although the new Tremor Tables are primarily used in the 7 through 12 grade classrooms, the new tools are also available to K through 6 grade students.

Since September of 2017, students have experienced how these natural events can shape our planet. Sacred Heart Academy students no longer have to create mini-earthquakes by hand. These tables have opened up a vast number of scientific experiences and memories that can help shape future careers for these young students, or future seismologists.

Earthquake tables at Sacred Heart Academy

Protecting Future Generations

Having a newborn is a whirlwind of emotions: excitement, love, and unfortunately, stress. New parents all of over the world feel the same way every day. The Isabella County Child Advocacy Center (ICCAC) is here to help families that need a little extra support. ICCAC partnered with Cribs for Kids to provide families with a “Safe Sleep Survival Kit.” This kit includes a Graco Pack and Play (with top bassinet), a Halo SleepSack, a Pack n' Play crib sheet, a pacifier, educational material with a safe sleep message and baby's first book. Not only does this kit help families in need, it ultimately saves lives.

The Women's Initiative Fund provided funds to ICCAC to ensure families in need have access to these lifesaving kits. For 33 years, ICCAC has worked to provide safe environments for families with children. The survival kit program is an extension of that goal. Many local human service agencies and local hospitals teamed up with ICCAC to select 10 Mt. Pleasant families to receive the Safe Sleep Survival Kits.

This practice of providing sleep kits is new to our community. The goal of the program is to reduce the number of infant deaths that occur due to unsafe sleep practices. With the success of this program, there is hope to continue to protect those that cannot protect themselves.

Safe Sleep Survival Kits for new parents and newborns

Summer Writing Camp for Michigan Youth

During the summer break students often find themselves looking for ways to occupy their leisure time. The 2018 Chippewa River Writing Camp was able to provide an educational experience for 12 upper elementary school students from the Mt. Pleasant area. The eager students, led by two elementary teachers, explored the Central Michigan University campus and learned how writing and technology can intersect. During their four days together, the students saw several great features of the university’s campus, including the botanical garden, museum, and Park Library.

With support from the Kellogg Youth Fund, the camp was able to support students with demonstrated need to continue their education through scholarships. The fund was also able to provide stipends for the two teachers that led the young students. The goal of this camp is to help engage students in their creative writing abilities, while also exploring a college campus and utilizing what it has to offer.

The Chippewa River Writing Camp set a goal to reach 20 students. They plan to reassess the program with the hope of spreading the information more widely to perspective participants. In 2018 the Chippewa River Writing Camp was able to provide 12 students with memories that will impact them for years to come as they continue in their education and passion for writing.

Youth participating in Chippewa River Writing Camp