Partner Spotlight: Haven House—Providing Hope and Stability for Families
Building Stronger Families Together At the 100 Families Initiative, we believe that lasting change happens when organizations work together. This month, we are proud to highlight Haven House, a trusted partner dedicated to helping families experiencing homelessness find safety, stability, and hope. Haven House has been an invaluable collaborator in our mission to move families […]
Building a Cathedral of Hope: Unity in Stability
Our July 100 Families Initiative Alliance Meeting brought together nonprofit organizations, churches, government agencies, businesses, and community leaders around one shared goal: helping families move from crisis to stability. A Lesson from St. Peter’s Basilica I opened the meeting by sharing a personal story about visiting St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome with my children. As […]
Jane’s Story: Rebuilding a Cathedral
How a Community Can Restore Hope, One Brick at a Time A Little Girl Full of Dreams When I first met Jane, she was only five years old. She would come to my clinic with her mother and siblings. She was full of laughter, curiosity, and endless questions. Life was an adventure. She dreamed big, […]
Measuring Lives Changed Through Collective Impact
Why Data Matters Every number represents a person. Every statistic represents a family. Behind every data point is a story of resilience, partnership, and hope. At our recent 100 Families Alliance meeting, we shared the latest outcomes from our work together. These numbers remind us that when a community unites around families in crisis, lives […]
Building Stability Together
Celebrating Our Partnership with the Lansing Housing Commission Affordable housing is more than a roof over someone’s head—it is the foundation upon which families can begin rebuilding their lives. Recently, I had the privilege of attending the grand opening of two new affordable housing developments by the Lansing Housing Commission. Together, these developments will provide […]
Building a Cathedral, One Brick at a Time
Why Collective Impact Is More Than Collaboration—It’s a Shared Vision Three Bricklayers, Three Perspectives At our recent Alliance meeting, I shared a story that has stayed with me for years. A traveler came upon three workers laying bricks. Curious, he asked the first man, “What are you doing?” The man replied, “I’m laying bricks.” He […]
Understanding Trauma: Why It Matters in Our Work
100 Families Initiative – Ingham County Alliance At our recent Alliance Meeting, we explored a topic that affects nearly every family we serve: trauma. One of the most powerful moments of the discussion was examining brain images that demonstrated how trauma can physically affect brain development and function. Trauma is not simply an emotional experience. […]
Working Together to Strengthen Families
The Power of Collaboration in Action One of the greatest reminders of why collaboration matters is the story of “John.” John moved to Lansing from North Carolina with his girlfriend and their young child, hoping for a fresh start. But over time, life began to unravel. The relationship broke down, his girlfriend was incarcerated, their […]
Workforce, Dignity, and Hope
Welcoming Amirika Richardson and Made In Amirika Addressing One of the Greatest Barriers One of the greatest barriers many of the families we serve face is the challenge of stable employment. Without consistent income, families often struggle to maintain housing, provide for their children, and move toward long-term stability. Employment is more than a paycheck—it […]
Expanding Hope into Eaton County
Eaton County