The Charles Stewart Mott Foundation has awarded a $250,000 grant to Genesee County Habitat for Humanity (Genesee Habitat) to be used for replacing the roof on their building. Genesee Habitat is located at 101 Burton St. in Flint. The building houses the main offices and is also used for holding financial education and homebuyer education classes, apprenticeship classes and is home to the Habitat ReStore. “We are extremely grateful to the Mott Foundation for their generosity,” says Executive Director Thomas Hutchison. “With the grant funding we are able to make the necessary roof repairs to our building and are now in a stronger position to be better able serve others.”

Rebecca’s Reason, a nonprofit organization, was founded in July 2016 by Sarah Curtis, Executive Director. The mission is to provide financial assistance to families who have lost a child or their child has been diagnosed with a life-limiting illness. The organization was named to honor the brief life of Curtis’ daughter, Rebecca Anne. This is what happened and how it began.

Genesee County Habitat for Humanity (Genesee Habitat), is proud to announce a Ribbon Cutting to be held on April 30 at 3:30pm at 315 Sylvan Court in Flint. The event acknowledges the launching of the “Almost Home” program and the completion of the townhomes.  Genesee Habitat is one of only a few of the 1,200 affiliates nationwide approved for the program. “Almost Home” serves as a safe, affordable living option for families in queue for a Habitat home. The recently completed townhomes on Sylvan Court will serve as housing for the program.

Well of Hope (WOH) is a nonprofit organization located in Flint. It was founded in February 2005 and incorporated in 2006. Since then, the organization has offered programs that help break down barriers to education for children and unify families, according to Chia Morgan, Program Coordinator and Treasurer. Morgan’s father, Will, is the president and her mother, Debra, is also involved in the organization.

He had big shoes to fill … but Tony Tucker, former owner of Krystal Jo’s Diner in Flint, hit the ground running when he replaced Chris Hamilton as executive director of Old Newsboys of Flint last year. Hamilton passed away unexpectedly on March 1, 2019.

It isn’t very often that one hears about a nonprofit organization founded and operated by kids. Snuggle Sacks was founded in August 2015 by Stacy Daul’s three children: Addisyn, Jaxson and Sheridan. Based in Fenton, this group’s goal is to increase awareness of homelessness in our communities and provide survival kits for those in need.

Thanksgiving is the time of year to be grateful and to celebrate the simple things in life – family, friends, food. It is also the time of year to reach out a helping hand to those less fortunate and this year, there are local area organizations and businesses with plans to do so. With the country still dealing with the pandemic, the procedures of the giving may change, but the spirit is still the same. Everyone deserves a holiday.

Members of the Junior League of Flint will swap their purses for grocery bags from Oct. 18-24 to highlight the fact that when a child is removed from a home in police protective custody, (and in subsequent moves within the system) often their belongings are put in trash bags.

September is Hunger Action Month, a national movement to raise awareness about hunger in the United States and the policies and systems that can combat it. This year, the efforts are even more pressing, especially in Michigan, according to a recently released press statement. Due to the global pandemic, Feeding America predicts Michigan’s statewide food insecurity rates will increase from 13.6 percent to 21 percent this year.

September is Suicide Prevention Month and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) wants to remind Veterans and their loved ones through the “Be There” campaign that small actions can make a big difference to Veterans experiencing difficult times.  During this and every month the Detroit VA Medical Center remains committed to spreading awareness of suicide prevention to Veterans and their supporters and connecting them to the resources they need.

Kristen Sobanski of Fenton knew she wanted to help children in need. She searched for a service organization to join, but struggled to find one that fit her vision. “My passion was to help children in need,” said the mother of four. Her husband Eric asked her, “Why don’t we start our own organization?” So, in 2014, the determined young couple co-founded Delivering Hope for Kids, which provides food assistance, coordinating with the Food Bank of Eastern Michigan, to help feed needy kids in the Fenton area. “We had the passion and the commitment to do it,” she remembers. “And there are Fenton area children at risk for hunger. We want to make sure their bellies are full.”