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More Than a Resource Center: How Child and Family Charities Is Meeting Families Where They Are
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Every day, families across Greater Lansing face difficult decisions.

Do you pay the electric bill or buy groceries? Do you replace household essentials or put gas in the car? For many households, stretching a budget means making impossible choices.

That’s why the Family Growth and Resource Center at Child and Family Charities exists.

Serving more than 200 households every month, the center provides access to food, household essentials, personal care items, and other critical resources at no cost. But what makes the Resource Center special isn’t just what people receive. It’s how they receive it.

At Child and Family Charities, support starts with dignity.
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*A Place Built Around Community Needs*

The Family Growth and Resource Center has become a trusted resource for individuals and families navigating challenging circumstances. While many programs focus on immediate assistance, the Resource Center takes a broader approach by helping reduce financial pressure while connecting people to additional services that can create lasting stability.

For many visitors, the impact is immediate.

By providing access to basic necessities, families can redirect limited financial resources toward housing, transportation, childcare, healthcare, and other critical expenses. A small amount of support can create a significant ripple effect throughout a household.

The center’s mission is simple: help meet essential needs while creating pathways to additional support.
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*Restoring Choice Through Dignity*

One of the things that makes the Family Growth and Resource Center unique is its approach.

Rather than distributing pre-selected items, the center allows visitors to choose the products that best fit their household’s needs. Families can visit once each month and shop for the items that matter most to them.

That choice matters.

Every family is different. Every household has different priorities. By giving individuals the opportunity to select what they need, the Resource Center helps restore a sense of independence and control during times that can often feel overwhelming.

It’s a simple concept, but one that reflects the values at the core of Child and Family Charities: treating every person with respect and recognizing their ability to make decisions for themselves and their families.
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*Powered by Generosity*

The Resource Center operates through the generosity of donors, community partners, and supporters who believe everyone deserves access to basic necessities.

Because of those donations, visitors often find items they may not otherwise be able to afford. Whether it’s personal care products, household supplies, food, or specialty items, the variety available helps meet real needs while creating moments of relief and excitement for families walking through the doors.

The impact of those donations goes beyond the products themselves. Each contribution sends a message that someone in the community cares. Every shelf stocked, every item donated, and every volunteer hour invested helps strengthen the support network available to local families.
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*More Than Supplies*

The Family Growth and Resource Center is often the first step in a larger journey.

Many individuals who visit the center discover additional programs and services available through Child and Family Charities. While picking up essential items, they may learn about counseling services, housing support, youth programs, family services, or other community resources that can help address longer-term challenges.

Staff members provide information, brochures, and referrals that connect individuals to the support they need. Sometimes a person comes in looking for groceries and leaves with access to mental health services. Sometimes a conversation leads to housing assistance. Sometimes a simple visit opens the door to a broader support system.

That’s where the Resource Center becomes much more than a place to pick up necessities. It becomes a gateway to hope, healing, and stability.
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*Building Stronger Communities*

At its core, the Family Growth and Resource Center represents what happens when a community comes together to support one another. The center doesn’t just address immediate needs. It helps strengthen the fabric of the community by ensuring people have access to resources, connections, and opportunities to move forward.

This approach reflects Child and Family Charities’ longstanding commitment to creating environments where individuals and families can thrive. Rather than focusing solely on short-term solutions, the organization works to build systems of support that empower people and create lasting change.

The Resource Center serves as a reminder that community care isn’t complicated. Sometimes it looks like a shelf stocked with essentials. Sometimes it looks like a referral to counseling. Sometimes it looks like a conversation that lets someone know they’re not alone.
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*Hope in Action*

The impact of the Family Growth and Resource Center can be measured in the more than 200 households served each month. But its true impact is found in the stories behind those numbers.

It’s found in the parent who leaves with one less thing to worry about. It’s found in the individual who discovers a new resource that changes their future. It’s found in the families who feel supported, valued, and connected to a community that cares.

Every day, Child and Family Charities continues to demonstrate what hope in action looks like. And for hundreds of local families each month, that hope begins at the Family Growth and Resource Center.

*Communities In Schools of Michigan Shoots for the Stars at the 2026 Leadership in Education Dinner*
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Some events raise funds. Some events celebrate accomplishments. And then there are events that do both while inspiring an entire community to dream bigger. That was the story of the 2026 Leadership in Education Dinner hosted by Communities In Schools of Michigan (CISM).

Held at the elegant The Henry Hotel in Dearborn, this year’s annual gathering embraced a celestial theme appropriately titled “Shoot for the Stars.” From the moment guests arrived for the cocktail reception to the final moments of the after-hours celebration, the evening served as a powerful reminder of what happens when educators, advocates, donors, and community leaders unite around a shared mission: helping students succeed.

And by all accounts, the mission was accomplished.
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*An Evening Built Around Impact*

Every year, Communities In Schools of Michigan brings together supporters from across the state to celebrate the work being done to remove barriers to learning for students facing challenges both inside and outside the classroom.

The Leadership in Education Dinner has become one of the organization’s signature events, providing an opportunity to recognize educators, community partners, and champions who work tirelessly to help young people thrive. This year’s event elevated that tradition with a theme that encouraged attendees to look beyond today’s challenges and focus on tomorrow’s possibilities.

The atmosphere was filled with energy from the very beginning. Guests gathered during the cocktail hour and networking reception, reconnecting with colleagues, meeting new supporters, and sharing stories about the students and schools that inspire their work. Conversations filled the room as educators, business leaders, nonprofit partners, and community advocates came together with a common purpose.

While the evening offered plenty of opportunities for celebration, the heart of the event remained focused on impact.
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*Stories That Matter*

One of the most powerful aspects of any Communities In Schools event is the storytelling. Numbers and statistics help explain the need, but stories reveal the human side of the mission.

Throughout the dinner program, attendees heard firsthand accounts of how Communities In Schools of Michigan is helping students overcome obstacles that can stand in the way of educational success. From addressing basic needs and improving attendance to providing mentorship and connecting families with critical resources, the organization continues to create pathways for students to reach their full potential.

Each story served as a reminder that success in education rarely happens alone. It takes teachers. It takes families. It takes mentors. It takes community partners. And it takes organizations willing to step in and provide support when students need it most.

The evening celebrated those partnerships while highlighting the extraordinary difference they make every day across Michigan.
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*Reaching for the Moon*

The celestial theme wasn’t simply decorative—it reflected the ambitious spirit of the organization and the people who support it. Guests embraced the “Galaxy Glam” dress code with enthusiasm, bringing sparkle, shimmer, and creativity to the evening. The room felt appropriately star-filled as supporters gathered beneath the theme of reaching higher and aiming further for Michigan’s students. The symbolism couldn’t have been more fitting.

Communities In Schools of Michigan has spent years helping young people pursue goals that sometimes seem out of reach. Whether it’s graduating high school, attending college, entering the workforce, or overcoming personal challenges, the organization believes every student deserves the opportunity to succeed. That belief was woven throughout every moment of the evening.

The event wasn’t just about celebrating what has already been accomplished; it was about investing in what comes next.
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*Community Makes the Difference*

One of the recurring themes throughout the evening was the power of community. No single organization can solve every challenge facing students today. Real progress happens when schools, nonprofits, businesses, donors, volunteers, and community leaders work together toward a common goal.

The Leadership in Education Dinner showcased exactly what that collaboration looks like. Sponsors provided critical support. Donors invested in future opportunities. Advocates amplified the mission. Community leaders demonstrated their commitment to educational success. Together, they helped create an evening that will have an impact long after the final dessert was served.

The funds raised during the event directly support Communities In Schools of Michigan programs that help remove barriers to learning and provide students with the tools they need to succeed in school and beyond. As educational needs continue to grow across the state, those investments become even more important. Every dollar raised helps create opportunities for students who deserve every chance to succeed.
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*A Night to Remember*

As the evening came to a close, attendees stayed to enjoy music, desserts, and continued conversations with fellow supporters. There was a sense of celebration in the room, but also a sense of momentum.

The work continues. The need remains. And the community remains committed.

Reflecting on the evening’s success, Communities In Schools of Michigan President and CEO Mallory DePrekel expressed gratitude to the sponsors, donors, and supporters who made the event possible. Her message perfectly captured the spirit of the night.

“You helped us shoot for the stars, and we’ve reached for the moon.”

It’s a fitting sentiment for an organization that spends every day helping students believe bigger things are possible.
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*Looking Ahead*

If the 2026 Leadership in Education Dinner demonstrated anything, it’s that Michigan’s students have an incredible network of supporters standing behind them.

Communities In Schools of Michigan continues to prove that when communities invest in students, remarkable things happen. The evening celebrated achievements, strengthened partnerships, and raised critical resources—but perhaps most importantly, it reinforced a simple truth: when people come together to support young people, the possibilities are limitless.

And sometimes, reaching for the stars is just the beginning.

Lansing: We’re Making It Happen — Child and Family Charities Brings a Classic Back to Life

Some songs have a way of sticking with a community long after the final note fades. For Lansing residents, “Lansing: We’re Making It Happen” is one of those songs.

Originally created in 1994 as a promotional jingle for the City of Lansing by Bob Kolt and Kolt Communications, the tune became a familiar reminder of the pride, energy, and optimism that defines Michigan’s capital city. More than three decades later, Child and Family Charities decided it was time to give the classic a fresh spin for 517 Day.

And they didn’t hold back.

From the emergency shelter and free resource center to therapy offices and the Drop-In Center, team members throughout the organization jumped in with enthusiasm. They sang. They danced. They embraced the spirit of the song and the community it celebrates.

But beneath the fun and familiar melody is a much deeper message.

Every day, Child and Family Charities works to support children, families, and individuals throughout Greater Lansing. Whether it’s helping someone find stable housing, providing mental health services, connecting families to critical resources, or offering hope during difficult times, the organization is committed to making a meaningful impact.

That’s what makes this remake so special. It’s more than a tribute to a beloved Lansing classic—it’s a reflection of the work happening every day behind the scenes.

The video captures the joy, dedication, and passion of a team that believes in its mission and the community it serves. It reminds us that creating positive change doesn’t always happen through grand gestures. Sometimes it happens one family, one child, and one conversation at a time.

For Child and Family Charities, “We’re Making It Happen” isn’t just a catchy lyric. It’s a promise—and one they continue to keep every single day.