MISSION CONTROL: How One Michigan Nonprofit Is Redefining Giving with Jessica Johns

When it comes to tackling poverty across Michigan, few organizations have captured the spirit of collaboration and innovation quite like **Storehouse for Community Resources**. Featured on the *Mission Control* podcast with host **Paul J. Schmidt**, Executive Director **Jessica Johns** shared how this remarkable nonprofit has grown from a humble idea into a statewide force for good—connecting resources, organizations, and communities in ways that truly multiply impact.

### A Mission That Multiplies Good

At its heart, Storehouse has a clear and ambitious purpose: **to decrease poverty and increase prosperity in communities across Michigan.** It’s a mission rooted in practicality and powered by faith. Instead of focusing solely on direct aid, Storehouse bridges the gap between abundance and need—redistributing essential goods from manufacturers, retailers, and big-box stores to nonprofits, schools, and churches that serve people every day.

Think of it as a *Costco for nonprofits.* Inside Storehouse’s **35,000-square-foot warehouse**, partners push carts through aisles stocked with bedding, hygiene products, clothing, and office supplies—all available at a fraction of retail cost. Every cart filled saves local nonprofits dollars that can be reinvested directly into their programs and people.

As Jessica explains, “You’re literally shopping for the supplies you need. The space is designed to make giving efficient—and even a little fun.”

### From Classroom to Community Builder

Jessica’s journey to this role began far from warehouse floors. A former **teacher**, she spent years in the classroom, witnessing firsthand how poverty limits opportunity. Growing up in a large family herself, she understood what it meant to make do with little—and that empathy became her compass.

“I grew up in poverty,” she shared. “It was always inside me to want to give back.”

That calling deepened while volunteering at a Michigan food bank, where Jessica noticed a glaring need for personal care items. When a broker offered to donate these products—but only to a registered nonprofit—she and her friend **Nora Rooter** took a leap of faith and founded Storehouse.

They had no warehouse, no funding, and no experience. What they *did* have was determination, community spirit, and a belief that God had placed this work on their hearts.

### Building a Warehouse of Hope

From its early days in a borrowed church facility to its current bustling warehouse, Storehouse’s growth has been fueled by both ingenuity and grit.

The first truckload of donations—sourced through a partnership with **World Vision**—arrived overflowing with everything from shoes to pillows. At first, the sheer volume was overwhelming. Then, within days, another nonprofit called needing pillows for families in crisis. The alignment felt like fate. “There was probably more here than we realized,” Jessica said.

Moments like that cemented the organization’s model: acting as a **connector**, not a competitor, within Michigan’s charitable ecosystem. By equipping other nonprofits with the materials they need, Storehouse empowers them to do more of what they do best.

### Scaling Across Michigan

What started as one truckload of supplies has evolved into a statewide network. Storehouse now serves **over 40 counties**, with a goal of reaching all 80 in the coming years. Expansion isn’t just about opening new buildings—it’s about building relationships.

Jessica spends time at Rotary meetings, community events, and nonprofit roundtables, spreading the word and inviting people to tour the space. Once visitors see the operation in person, they rarely forget it. “Once you come, you find it intriguing,” she said. “You go back and talk about it.”

That word-of-mouth momentum has carried Storehouse into new communities across Michigan, proving that good work travels fast when it’s rooted in authenticity.

### Faith, Family, and Leadership

Jessica’s leadership style draws directly from her teaching background. One principle has guided her from the classroom to the warehouse floor: **“Model, model, model.”** She believes in showing, not telling—whether it’s leading a team, welcoming volunteers, or fostering collaboration between nonprofits.

Volunteers remain the heartbeat of Storehouse. Some have been with the organization since its very first shipments, and many corporate and college groups now join in for team-building days of sorting, packing, and organizing goods. Jessica calls them “the OGs,” a testament to how integral they’ve become to the mission.

Beyond Storehouse, Jessica finds balance in family life. A proud mom of three boys, she recharges by hiking, traveling, and unplugging outdoors. “Just being outside and enjoying nature,” she says, is her way to reset after days filled with constant motion.

### Technology and the Next Chapter

As Storehouse grows, Jessica envisions technology as the key to deeper impact. A custom inventory and tracking system already allows the team to monitor thousands of donated items, right down to the last pillow. The next phase? A **statewide digital platform** that matches community needs with available resources—connecting donors, distributors, and nonprofits through real-time data.

She also dreams of expanding into **housing and workforce support**, sourcing larger materials like flooring and fixtures to help families achieve long-term stability. “If we want to support sustainable housing,” Jessica says, “we need to gather those other resources, too.”

### The Power of Community

Nine years in, Storehouse stands as proof that generosity scales best when powered by collaboration. Every shipment, volunteer hour, and saved dollar creates ripples of impact across Michigan.

Jessica’s favorite moments are the quiet ones—when she overhears other nonprofit leaders talking about Storehouse’s impact without realizing she’s in the room. “That’s when it really hits,” she says. “We’re making a difference out there.”

Her message, and Storehouse’s philosophy, is simple but profound: *If we lean in and work together, our collective impact will always be greater than what we can do alone.*

To learn more, visit **[storehousemi.org](https://storehousemi.org)** or follow Storehouse for Community Resources on **LinkedIn** and **Facebook**. And to hear Jessica’s full conversation with Paul J. Schmidt, check out the *Mission Control* podcast—where stories like hers remind us that every act of giving begins with connection.