“We have to have more safe places like this where we can enjoy each other's company and food. We are human, we have feelings and we need to support each other to provide a better living for our community."
"We really don’t say ‘No’. We’re talking about not having a lot of rules and regulations. That’s exactly what this shelter is. You can come in intoxicated and we’ll take care of you."
The Centers for Disease Control recommends adolescents avoid energy drinks due to risks of dehydration, heart complications, anxiety, and insomnia. Yet up to 40% of adolescents report consuming them. Why? VoY Writer Sophia Pell set to find out.
“I don’t want a car. They’re isolating for one thing. I can’t tell you how much fun it is to ride a bus and talk to people. It’s just so calming to be taken somewhere."
Hangups about our bodies are common, especially in teens who identify as female. Sometimes, these dislikes evolve into obsessions and distortions. VOY Writer Lila McCarthy talks to a Battle Creek therapist about body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) — what it is and how to address it.
The SHARE Center of Battle Creek feeds 100 people a day and offers a variety of free services through its drop-in center. But some people still don't know it exists. Enter Friends of the SHARE Center who are raising money and spreading the word.
A total of 15 Battle Creek area nonprofits are among 1,373 nonprofits throughout Michigan that are sharing in a $35 million pool of funds administered by the Michigan Nonprofit Association. These funds are aimed at nonprofits affected by COVID-19, especially those who work with underserved populations.
St. Thomas' Laundry Love is focused on those who are “struggling to make ends meet,” says Deacon Trish Harris. “There are people who have asked me, ‘How do you know if I meet the qualifications?’ We have no qualifications. We want them to know that we see you as an important person and we’re coming to you with love."
Fluffy Butt Farm, 25 acres in Bedford Township, is home to a lot of fluffy butts (100 chickens, 30 goats, seven cows, four breeding pigs, dogs, cats, and kittens). Owned by pilot Chris Wolters and his flight attendant wife Tawney who sell their meat and produce at local farmers' markets, the couple is enjoying this growing chapter of their adventurous lives.
“I say to other survivors, what happened to one of us happened to all of us. We met in Harbor Springs and we bonded together,” says Sharon Skutt, an indigenous survivor of a Michigan boarding school. “The more I speak about it, the more healing there is."
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