Nonprofits that receive state and federal grants would have access to short-term interest-free loans to bridge them over until they get reimbursed under legislation pending in a House Committee. The Michigan Nonprofit Association supports it. Sponsors include lawmakers from Kalamazoo, Norton Shores, Interlochen, Ludington, Walker, Dearborn and Ann Arbor. By Sonja Krohn.
Food banks take heavy hit from soaring gas prices
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Food banks are taking a heavy hit from soaring gas prices, which are taking a big bite out of funds available for food, baby formula and other necessities. We talk about the impact on food banks in Jackson and Fowlerville By Lillian Williams.
East Lansing
EL residents voice homelessness solutions after City Council vetoes one camping ordinance, passes another
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After the six-hour council meeting that ended at nearly 1 a.m., East Lansing City Council reached a decision on ordinances designed to address public camping after postponing the vote for nearly three months. The council voted down Ordinance 1566—which would have introduced jail time for temporarily living in a public space—but approved Ordinance 1565, making the use of parking structures for shelter a civil infraction with up to $100 in fines.
Michigan food banks see increased demand
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Michigan food banks are seeing higher demand amid rising costs of energy, housing and other basic needs. We talk with executives at Kentwood-based Feeding America West Michigan and Traverse City-based Goodwill Northern Michigan. By Cristian Vazquez.
Energy
Federal program can help nonprofits cover costs of clean-energy projects
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Across Michigan, religious institutions, local governments, schools and nonprofits are turning to a federal program called Elective Pay to help pay for solar panels and other clean-energy projects. We talk to program “ambassadors” in Lansing and Ann Arbor, a Michigan Tech expert and Michigan Saves. By Bauyrzhan Zhaxylykov.
Education
Canines For Change builds from one corgi to full community
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What started 20 years ago as an experiment with one corgi in one Lansing classroom has blossomed into a statewide nonprofit organization with 75 service and therapy dogs serving schools, hospitals, 911 call centers and community events. By Tessa Cosco.
Arts & Entertainment
ELPL serves as a community time capsule for more than 100 years
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For more than a century, the East Lansing Public Library has been a place where stories, learning and community come together. The East Lansing Public Library opened in in 1923 with just $26 and a small collection of borrowed books, launched by the women of the Child Study Club. In those 100 years, the ELPL building has become a physical time capsule of East Lansing, showcasing both its history and the lives of its modern residents.
Greater Lansing Community News
Canines For Change builds from one corgi to a full community
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The first thing people will notice when they walk into Canines for Change isn’t barking, but instead a sense of calmness that fills the room with a dozen wagging tails ready to work. Here, every dog is a part of a mission that began with a single corgi and Founder Nikki Brown, who felt the Lansing classrooms were missing a furry friend.
Celebrating its 20th anniversary this year, Canines for Change has grown into a statewide nonprofit organization with 75 service and therapy dogs serving schools, hospitals, 911 call centers and community events. These dogs are more than just pets. They are a lifeline for many families. Executive director and founder of Canines for Change and Michigan State University alumna Nikki Brown has been at the forefront of the organization’s mission.
Agriculture
End of critical food security survey leaves East Lansing facing data gap
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After nearly three decades, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will end its annual Household Food Security Report, a long-running survey tracking hunger and food insecurity nationwide. For communities like East Lansing, where many residents already struggle with rising food costs, the loss of this data could have serious local consequences.
East Lansing
East Lansing searches for CDBG housing support applicants
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The city of East Lansing is one of many cities across the country that benefit from a federal initiative called the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG). CDBG is a federal program that provides grants to cities to help low-income residents with housing and other needs. East Lansing uses these grants for several programs that create affordable and safe housing.
Nonprofits and robots help reduce food waste
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With the goal of cutting food waste by 50% from 2005 levels by 2030, The Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy is helping fund NextCycle Michigan, a program that gives grants and advice to small companies looking to reduce food waste. We talk to an EGLE expert and leaders of two Metro Detroit startups, one using robot food delivery vehicles and another bringing unused food to people in need.