Katie Wendel, director of planning and advocacy at Area Agency on Aging 1B, which recently launched a voucher program to help unpaid caregivers afford respite care.

Finding temporary care is a challenge for Michigan’s many unpaid caregivers, but help is available

Approximately 1.7 million Michiganders are unpaid caregivers, and they often desperately need a break from that work. Resources, like a new voucher program to pay for respite care, can help.

First-time homebuyer in Portage gets help from program funded with Kalamazoo County housing millage

The future can be intimidating for a person in their early 20s, but for Blaise Boulding it's off to a secure start. With help from a program that assists people to get ready to be a homeowner she now has her own small house in Portage.

Battle Creek Holiday Vendor Pop-Up to showcase local food and art

Join the On the Ground Battle Creek team to celebrate its 5th Anniversary during the first-ever Holiday Vendor Pop-Up event, featuring local artists and food artisans, on Dec. 7 at 32 West Michigan Avenue, Battle Creek.

A number of financial incentives for post-secondary education help those interested in an early education career.
Michigan busca crear una mejor trayectoria profesional para los educadores de la primera infancia

Mientras Michigan trabaja hacia un programa PreK para Todos o PreK for All, que ampliará las opciones voluntarias de preescolar para que cada niño de cuatro años en Michigan pueda acceder a una educación preescolar gratuita en 2027, una preocupación que Meyers y otros educadores preescolares plantean es el desarrollo de la fuerza laboral para los maestros de educación preescolar. 

More than 500 students, staff, teachers, and volunteers participated in a Mental Health Fair and Walk at Detroit’s University Prep Art & Design Middle High School in October.
Michigan’s community mental health agencies work hard to prevent youth suicide

Michigan’s community mental health agencies (CMHs) and organizations across the state understand that asking questions and having conversations about mental health and suicide is a very significant step in prevention. 

Dr. Colleen Allen, AAoM president and CEO cuts the ribbon.
Autism Alliance of Michigan celebrates grand opening of new Grand Rapids location

On Thursday Nov. 16, the Autism Alliance of Michigan (AAoM) celebrated its new Grand Rapids-area office with a grand opening ribbon cutting and open house at its location within the Special Olympics Michigan Unified Sports & Inclusion Center, about 10 miles south of Grand Rapids proper. 

Why a Kalamazoo nonprofit is ending subminimum wages for workers with disabilities

Since its inception, MRC Industries, a nonprofit that serves people with developmental or intellectual disabilities in Kalamazoo County, has paid its workers a subminimum wage. But no longer. MRC dropped its 14(c) certification in September.

Copper Country initiative emphasizes fresh and local foods

In the western Upper Peninsula, the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community strives toward the goal of food sovereignty, strengthening the community's ability to produce more of its own fresh and local food sources. 

Road to Healing: Indigenous woman shares her story of surviving Michigan’s Holy Childhood

The Road to Healing Tour is giving indigenous boarding school survivors throughout the United States an opportunity to publicly share stories that many had suppressed out of fear and shame. In honor of Native American Heritage Month, Southwest Michigan Second Wave will feature three of these women's stories.

Derek Jeter, Cal Ripken Jr. dedicate $5M Kalamazoo Central H.S. ballfields

Fulfilling dreams takes work and patience. Ask Derek Jeter, baseball Hall of Famer and Kalamazoo Central High School graduate. He worked hard to become a shortstop for the Yankees — and to give his alma mater top-tier baseball and softball fields. For the Kalamazoo community, the fields are also a dream come true.

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