Paul S, Author at Uno Deuce Multimedia

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So far Paul S has created 1128 blog entries.

WARFIGHTERS UNITED: Episode 2 – Jon Sofronas

In this episode of the Warfighters United Podcast, we continue our conversation with Jon Sofronas surrounding TBI, PTSD, and the growing discussion around Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) as a potential treatment option for veterans battling invisible wounds. We also talk about Corpsman Compass and the work being done to support and guide those who have served. Join us for an honest conversation focused on awareness, advocacy, and making a difference for the veteran community.

CLIENT STORY: Able Eyes – Consumers Credit Union

More Than a Job: Exploring STEMM Opportunities at Consumers Credit Union
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When people think about financial institutions, they often think about loans, checking accounts, and transactions. But behind every branch, every member interaction, and every financial solution is a team of people working to make a difference in their communities.

At Consumers Credit Union, that mission extends far beyond banking.

Since 1951, Consumers Credit Union has grown into a thriving organization with 33 branches and continued expansion across Michigan. Along the way, they’ve built a reputation not only for serving members but also for investing in the people who make that service possible. For job seekers looking for more than just a paycheck, Consumers Credit Union offers something increasingly valuable: a workplace focused on growth, opportunity, and belonging.
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A Legacy of Service and Growth

For more than seven decades, Consumers Credit Union has been helping individuals, families, and businesses navigate their financial journeys. As the organization continues to expand, so does its impact. New branches, evolving technologies, and changing member needs create opportunities for innovation and career development across nearly every department.

But growth at Consumers isn’t measured solely by the number of locations they operate. It’s measured by the people they develop.

The organization has built its culture around the idea that success happens when employees have opportunities to learn, grow, and pursue meaningful careers. That philosophy is evident throughout the organization, from entry-level positions to leadership roles.
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Opportunities Across the Organization

One of the biggest misconceptions about working at a credit union is that every role revolves around traditional banking. The reality is much broader.

Consumers Credit Union offers opportunities in a wide range of disciplines, including:

– Information Technology
– Data Analytics
– Accounting
– Loan Servicing
– Operations
– Member Services
– Leadership and Management
– Project Management
– Marketing and Communications

As financial services continue to evolve, so do the skills needed to support them. Technology, data, and innovation play increasingly important roles, creating career paths that appeal to professionals from many different backgrounds. Whether someone is beginning their career or looking for their next professional challenge, Consumers provides multiple entry points into the organization.
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Education Matters, But Potential Matters Too

One aspect that stands out about Consumers Credit Union is its approach to hiring and professional development. While some positions may prefer specialized education or advanced degrees, the organization understands that talent comes in many forms.

Instead of focusing exclusively on credentials, Consumers looks for people who demonstrate potential, curiosity, and a willingness to learn. That means opportunities exist for individuals entering the workforce, making career transitions, or seeking advancement.

The organization values a combination of technical skills, communication abilities, leadership potential, and a commitment to serving others. Most importantly, they recognize that not every skill needs to be present on day one.
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A Culture Built on Learning

Ask almost any successful professional how they advanced in their career, and chances are they’ll mention mentorship, training, or opportunities to learn from others. Consumers Credit Union has intentionally built those opportunities into its culture.

Professional development is not treated as a one-time event. It’s woven into the employee experience. The organization offers training programs, growth initiatives, internal education opportunities, and leadership development resources designed to help employees continue building their skills.

Promoting from within remains a major priority. By investing in existing employees, Consumers creates clear pathways for advancement while strengthening its team from the inside out. Employees are encouraged to explore different areas of the organization, expand their knowledge, and discover career opportunities they may not have initially considered.
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The Power of Mentorship

Growth rarely happens in isolation. That’s why mentorship plays such an important role at Consumers Credit Union.

Employees have opportunities to participate in shadowing experiences, collaborate across departments, and learn directly from colleagues with different areas of expertise. These experiences help team members better understand the organization while identifying potential career paths that align with their strengths and interests.

The result is a workplace where people are encouraged to ask questions, pursue new challenges, and continue evolving professionally.
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Creating an Inclusive Workplace

A strong culture starts with making people feel welcome. Consumers Credit Union places significant emphasis on creating an environment where employees can bring their authentic selves to work.

“We really pride ourselves on this really inclusive culture that we have created at Consumers Credit Union.”

That commitment shows up in both everyday interactions and formal initiatives designed to foster connection and belonging. The organization supports employee-led programs, engagement activities, and wellness initiatives that help create a positive workplace experience.

One example is Unite, a self-led employee team focused on inclusion and engagement. Consumers also invests in employee wellness through partnerships like Be Nice, which promotes mental health awareness and support.

Together, these efforts help create a culture where employees feel valued, supported, and connected.
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Finding the Right People

When hiring, Consumers Credit Union looks beyond resumes and technical qualifications. While skills and experience matter, character matters too.

As their team explains:

“We say we can teach you a lot of the things that you need to know on the day-to-day, but really we’re looking for good, kind, solution-oriented people that like to work hard.”

It’s a philosophy that reflects the credit union’s broader mission of serving members and communities with care and integrity.
—
More Than a Career

At its core, Consumers Credit Union is about people. It’s about helping members achieve financial success. It’s about creating opportunities for employees to build meaningful careers. And it’s about fostering a culture where learning, growth, and inclusion are part of everyday life.

As the organization continues to expand, so do the opportunities for individuals looking to make an impact. For those searching for a workplace that values development as much as performance, Consumers Credit Union offers more than a job title. It offers a place to grow.

And sometimes, that’s where the most rewarding careers begin.

14TH ANNUAL DEUCEY AWARDS: Positive Somebody

Positive Somebody Wins Most Inspirational Video of the Year at the 14th Annual Deucey Awards
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Some stories start with a business plan. Others start with a personal experience that sparks a mission. For Jenny, founder of Positive Somebody, that mission grew out of her own childhood.

At the 14th Annual Deucey Awards, Positive Somebody was recognized with the Most Inspirational Video of the Year Award, a reflection of both the organization’s impact and the story behind it. But the award is only part of the story. The real story is about helping children understand their emotions, build healthy coping skills, and discover that their feelings matter.

It’s a mission rooted in experience, fueled by compassion, and growing across Michigan.
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Turning Personal Challenges Into Purpose

Jenny openly shares that growing up wasn’t always easy. As a child, she struggled with emotional regulation and undiagnosed ADHD. School was often difficult, and many of the tools available today simply weren’t part of the conversation.

“I struggled in school. I had ADHD and I struggled with that and I was undiagnosed ADHD as a child,” Jenny explained.

Like many children, she wasn’t taught how to identify emotions or develop healthy coping skills. Looking back, she realized how much of a difference those lessons could have made.

When she became a parent, she made a decision. She wanted her children to have the tools she never had. As she taught her children about emotional regulation, she found herself learning alongside them.

“I wanted to make sure that I taught them how to regulate their emotions, and I kind of learned alongside them.”

That experience eventually grew into Positive Somebody, a nonprofit dedicated to helping children develop emotional awareness, resilience, and positive coping strategies.

What started around one family’s kitchen table has now expanded into classrooms and communities across Michigan.
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Teaching Emotional Skills Before They’re Needed

The work Positive Somebody does is simple in concept but powerful in practice. The organization helps children understand what they’re feeling, why they’re feeling it, and what they can do when emotions become overwhelming.

Rather than waiting until a child is in crisis, Positive Somebody focuses on prevention and education. Their programs equip children with practical tools they can use every day—whether they’re experiencing anxiety, frustration, sadness, excitement, or uncertainty.

In a world where mental health conversations are becoming increasingly important, Positive Somebody is helping young people build skills that can serve them for a lifetime.
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The Award-Winning Video

When Positive Somebody earned the opportunity to create a professional video, the goal wasn’t simply to make something that looked good.

The goal was to tell the story. As a smaller nonprofit, communicating their mission quickly and effectively can often be a challenge. The finished video became a powerful tool that helps supporters, sponsors, educators, and community members understand exactly why the work matters.

Today, the video is featured on their website, shared through social media, and included in sponsorship outreach efforts.

“Having that video just explains to people what we do, and then they get more excited, and we get more sponsorships because of it.”

The impact has been tangible. Businesses and supporters who watch the video gain a clearer understanding of the organization’s mission, often leading to additional sponsorships and support for Positive Somebody programs.

The video didn’t just win an award. It became a tool that helps fuel the organization’s future.
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A Collaborative Effort

Like many nonprofit success stories, the video was the result of teamwork. Jenny credits the entire production process for creating an environment where everyone felt comfortable sharing their stories. One standout contributor was Harper, a Michigan State University psychology student who interned with Positive Somebody.

While stepping in front of the camera can be intimidating, Harper embraced the challenge and grew throughout the process. The experience became more than a video shoot. It became an opportunity to build confidence, develop new skills, and contribute to a project with lasting impact.

For Jenny, one of the biggest takeaways was seeing how supportive collaboration can transform an intimidating process into an empowering one.
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Growing Across Michigan

While the award is exciting, Positive Somebody’s focus remains on the future. The organization continues to expand programs designed to help children build emotional resilience and healthy coping skills.

One of those initiatives is the Positive Pack Program, which has now reached dozens of schools across Michigan. The program provides resources and tools that help students develop emotional awareness and practical coping strategies.

Another growing initiative is the Weather Within Program, a social-emotional learning curriculum that helps children connect emotions to weather patterns. Sunny might represent happiness. Rainy could represent sadness. Windy might represent anxiety. Stormy could represent frustration or anger. Using familiar concepts helps children identify emotions and understand that feelings naturally change over time.

“You don’t want to be upset, like stormy or anxious, like windy or sad, like rainy all the time. So we really do teach tools to make sure that they’re feeling sunny.” The approach is relatable, accessible, and effective—meeting children where they are and giving them language to describe what they’re experiencing.
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More Than an Award

Winning the Most Inspirational Video of the Year Award is an incredible accomplishment, but the recognition reflects something larger. It highlights a nonprofit that is helping children navigate life’s challenges with confidence and resilience. It recognizes a founder who transformed personal struggles into meaningful action. And it celebrates a growing movement focused on emotional wellness, positive coping skills, and creating brighter futures for young people.

Positive Somebody’s story is proof that when people share authentic experiences, powerful things happen. Communities rally behind important work. Children gain access to resources they need. And a mission that began with one person’s determination can grow into something that impacts thousands.

That’s what makes this award special. It’s not just recognition for a video.

UNHOUSED & UNFILTERED: Season 1 Episode 4

In this episode, guest Johanna Kononen (Michigan Coalition to End Domestic and Sexual Violence) explores the critical link between domestic abuse and sexual assault and the disproportionate rates of homelessness among women and children.

She discusses how unsafe home environments often force individuals to flee with little to no resources, leaving them vulnerable to housing instability. The conversation highlights the systemic gaps in support services, the challenges survivors face in securing safe and stable housing, and the importance of trauma-informed approaches.

Johanna also underscores the need for stronger community responses and policy solutions to prevent homelessness before it begins.

CLIENT STORY: Communities in Schools of Michigan – Heart-Centered Advocacy

Heart-Centered Advocacy: How Shontia Young Is Making a Difference at Detroit Merit Academy
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Some of the most important people in a school building aren’t always standing at the front of a classroom. They’re the people who notice when a student seems different. The people who ask questions before making assumptions. The people who understand that behind every challenge, there’s often a story waiting to be heard.

At Detroit Merit Academy, that person is Shontia Young. As the school’s attendance liaison, Shontia’s job title only tells part of the story. While attendance is certainly part of her work, her real impact comes from something much deeper: building relationships, advocating for students, and helping ensure every child feels seen, heard, and supported.

Her dedication to students recently earned her a nomination for Advocate of the Year, a recognition that reflects not only the work she does every day, but the heart she brings to it.
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Looking Beyond the Surface

In schools across the country, educators and support staff face the challenge of helping students navigate obstacles that extend far beyond academics.

A student who is struggling in class may be dealing with challenges at home. A child acting out may be carrying emotional burdens that others can’t see. Frequent absences might be tied to circumstances far more complicated than simply missing school.

Shontia understands that reality. Rather than focusing only on the behavior she sees, she looks for the reason behind it. As she explains, what appears to be a behavioral issue is often rooted in an unmet need.

Sometimes a student is hungry. Sometimes they’re overwhelmed. Sometimes they simply need someone to listen.

By taking the time to understand the whole story, Shontia helps create solutions that address the actual problem—not just the symptoms. It’s an approach rooted in compassion, and it’s one that has made a lasting impact on countless students.
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The Hard Work of Caring

Advocacy isn’t always easy. In fact, Shontia is the first to acknowledge that the work can be difficult. Supporting students means carrying concerns, solving problems, and often stepping into situations where answers aren’t immediately clear. It requires patience, empathy, and a willingness to meet people where they are.

But it’s also work she deeply loves. Every day presents opportunities to help a student overcome a challenge, reconnect with school, or simply feel valued.

For Shontia, those moments matter. Whether she’s helping address attendance barriers, connecting families with resources, or offering encouragement to a student who’s having a difficult day, her focus remains the same: making sure children have what they need to succeed.

That commitment doesn’t go unnoticed. Students know they can trust her. Teachers know they can count on her. Families know she genuinely cares. Those relationships are built one conversation, one act of kindness, and one moment of support at a time.
—
More Than a School Employee

What makes Shontia’s work so impactful is that it doesn’t stop when the school day begins or ends. Her influence reaches beyond attendance records and office walls. She serves as a connector between students, families, educators, and community resources. When needs arise, she’s often one of the first people working to find solutions.

That ability to build bridges has made her an essential part of the Detroit Merit Academy community.

Ask colleagues about Shontia, and you’ll hear a common theme: she shows up. She shows up for students who need encouragement. She shows up for families navigating challenges. She shows up for staff members working to help children succeed. And she does it all with authenticity and compassion.

In many ways, her role represents what advocacy is truly about—not speaking for people, but standing alongside them.
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What Advocacy Really Means

The word “advocate” gets used often, but Shontia gives it meaning through action. For her, advocacy means standing in the gap.

It means speaking up when a student needs support. It means recognizing potential before someone sees it in themselves. It means helping children understand that they matter.

Advocacy is not always a grand gesture. Sometimes it’s a conversation in a hallway. Sometimes it’s a phone call home. Sometimes it’s making sure a student has access to resources they didn’t know existed.

The impact of those moments can be enormous. When children know someone believes in them, they begin to believe in themselves. When they feel supported, they’re more willing to engage. When they feel valued, they’re more likely to thrive.

That’s the ripple effect of advocacy.
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Recognition for a Purpose-Driven Career

Being nominated for Advocate of the Year was an exciting moment for Shontia, but recognition isn’t what motivates her. Like many people working in education and youth development, she sees helping students as part of who she is.

The nomination simply shines a light on what so many people already know: her work matters. The students she supports matter. And the relationships she builds are helping create a stronger, more supportive school community.

Awards celebrate achievements, but the real measure of Shontia’s impact can be found in the students whose lives have been changed because someone took the time to care.
—
Creating a Brighter Future

At its core, education is about more than academics. It’s about helping young people discover their potential, overcome obstacles, and build a future filled with opportunity. That work requires teachers, administrators, families, and advocates working together.

It requires people like Shontia Young. Her willingness to look beyond the surface, address root causes, and support students with empathy and understanding demonstrates the kind of leadership that strengthens schools and communities alike.

Detroit Merit Academy is better because of her dedication. More importantly, countless students are better because of her belief in them. And that’s exactly what advocacy looks like.

MISSION CONTROL: Dave Ellingson – My Inspiration

Mission Control Season 6: The Mentor Behind the Mission – Dave Ellingson and the Roots of UnoDeuce Multimedia
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Twenty-five years is a long time to do anything.

For UnoDeuce Multimedia, it represents 25 years of helping nonprofits, community organizations, and businesses tell stories that matter. It represents thousands of interviews, countless hours of editing, and a commitment to amplifying missions that make communities stronger.

As Mission Control enters its sixth season, we’re taking a different approach.

For the first five seasons, the podcast focused primarily on nonprofit leaders, executive directors, and changemakers. We explored the journeys behind the organizations serving communities every day. This season, however, we’re turning the camera around and looking inward, exploring the people, experiences, and moments that helped shape UnoDeuce Multimedia into what it is today.

There’s no better place to start than with one of the most influential people in that journey: Dave Ellingson.
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The Person Who Helped Start It All

Ask Paul Schmidt where his passion for storytelling began, and you’ll eventually hear Dave’s name.

Mentor. Instructor. Boss. Friend.

Over the years, Dave has worn all of those titles. Long before UnoDeuce Multimedia existed, Dave was helping young storytellers discover the power of video, connection, and community. The impact of that mentorship is still visible today.

When Dave joined Mission Control, the conversation wasn’t simply a reunion between former colleagues. It was an opportunity to trace the roots of an idea that would eventually grow into a company dedicated to nonprofit storytelling.

The stories UnoDeuce tells today can be connected directly to lessons learned decades ago.
—
A Different Kind of Retirement

Dave doesn’t really believe in retirement. Instead, he describes this stage of life as his “third act.”

These days, he calls himself the Paddle Pilgrim, a title earned through years of kayaking adventures across the globe. From Norway’s fjords to waterways around the world, Dave continues to combine exploration with storytelling. His travels have led to books, films, and speaking opportunities, including his award-winning film Coming Home: Kayaking the Fjords of Norway.

While the locations may have changed, the mission remains familiar.

Find a story. Connect with people. Share something meaningful. It’s the same philosophy that shaped a generation of storytellers.
—
Evergreen Youth TV: Where It Began

Long before YouTube, smartphones, and social media made video accessible to everyone, producing quality video content required significant resources and specialized knowledge.

Dave saw an opportunity. As technology began shifting from analog to digital, he envisioned a program that would teach young people how to use video as a tool for storytelling and service.

That vision became Evergreen Youth TV. The program brought together talented young videographers from around the country and immersed them in hands-on production training. But the goal wasn’t simply learning how to operate cameras or edit footage.

The goal was to tell stories that mattered. Participants worked directly with nonprofit organizations, helping them communicate their missions through video. They learned that powerful storytelling isn’t about flashy graphics or expensive equipment. It’s about people.

For Paul, it was a life-changing experience.
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Learning to Tell Stories Visually

One of the biggest lessons Dave taught was simple: Video is a visual medium.

Too often, storytellers rely on words to carry the narrative. Dave challenged students to think differently. How do you show a story instead of simply talking about it? How do you create emotion through imagery, action, and authentic moments? Those lessons remain foundational to the work UnoDeuce does today.

When we’re filming a nonprofit event, interviewing a community leader, or producing a fundraising video, the goal isn’t to manufacture emotion. The goal is to capture real moments and allow those moments to speak for themselves.

That’s a philosophy that traces directly back to Evergreen Youth TV.
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Building Something Sustainable

As the program grew, so did its ambitions. Equipment upgrades were expensive. Opportunities for participants were expanding. There was a growing desire to create pathways for young storytellers to continue developing their skills beyond the summer program.

A nonprofit structure provided a way forward. The organization evolved into a year-round operation where participants could gain real-world experience while continuing to serve community organizations.

It became more than a training program. It became a launching pad. Many alumni went on to careers in filmmaking, writing, communications, education, and nonprofit work.

For Paul, it became something even bigger.
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An Unexpected Leadership Lesson

At one point, Dave stepped away on sabbatical. Suddenly, responsibilities shifted.

Paul found himself leading staff meetings, preparing for board meetings, and helping guide the organization’s daily operations. It wasn’t part of some grand career plan. It was simply the next thing that needed to be done.

Looking back, those experiences provided an invaluable education in leadership, management, and organizational development. Without realizing it, the foundation for UnoDeuce Multimedia was already being built.
—
Discovering a Calling

When Paul eventually returned to Michigan, he found something familiar: a thriving nonprofit community. Organizations filled with passionate people working every day to make lives better. The same type of stories he had encountered through Evergreen Youth TV were everywhere.

The mission became clear: help nonprofits tell those stories. Help communities understand the impact happening around them. Help organizations connect with the people who believe in their work.

Twenty-five years later, that mission remains unchanged.
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The Power of Mentorship

One of the recurring themes throughout this Mission Control conversation was mentorship.

The truth is that none of us arrive where we are alone. Someone teaches us. Someone encourages us. Someone opens a door.

For Paul, Dave was one of those people. His vision for storytelling, his commitment to community, and his belief in the power of relationships helped shape not only a career but an entire company. The ripple effects continue today through every project, every nonprofit partner, and every story shared.
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Looking Back—and Forward

Season six of Mission Control is ultimately about reflection. It’s about recognizing the people who helped make the journey possible.

As UnoDeuce Multimedia celebrates 25 years, the conversation with Dave Ellingson serves as a reminder that meaningful work rarely happens in isolation. It happens through mentorship. It happens through collaboration. It happens when people invest in one another.

Twenty-five years ago, a young storyteller learned that stories have the power to change how people see the world. Today, that lesson still guides everything we do.

And it all started with someone who believed in the power of a story and the people willing to tell it.

HOPE IN ACTION COMPANION PODCAST: An Extended Conversation with Tammy Hannah of Origami Rehabilitation

HOPE IN ACTION POD: An Extended Conversation with Tammy Hannah of Origami Rehabilitation

Welcome back, friends! If you caught Tammy Hannah on this month’s episode of Hope in Action, host Sheri Jones couldn’t let her go after just one segment. So grab your headphones, because this episode settles in for the deeper conversation.

Tammy is the founder and executive director of Origami Rehabilitation, and in this episode, she opens up about the personal story behind it all: growing up as the little sister of her brother Jeff, who was born with cerebral palsy, and watching firsthand how family, perseverance, and the right support can help someone exceed every expectation. That’s the story that planted the seed for what would become nearly 30 years of transforming lives.

Sheri and Tammy talk about the marathon, not the sprint, of recovery from a young mother who defied the odds after a catastrophic car accident, to a veterinarian who returned to the operating room after a stroke, to the nearly 200 children now served at Origami’s Greenlawn location, learning to speak, to move, to believe in themselves for the very first time. Tammy also shares beautiful, practical wisdom on etiquette and kindness how we can all show up better for the people in our lives who are navigating a disability, seen or unseen.

This one is full of heart, hope, and just genuinely good humans doing good work. Listeners will leave this conversation with a little more grace for the people around them.

🎧 Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube to never miss an episode.
📩 Have a story or event to share? Email hopeinactionsj@gmail.com

Thanks for listening in — see you next time.

CLIENT STORY: ePIFanyNow

Kindness in Action: ePIFanyNow Week of Kindness Returns to Mid-Michigan
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Something special is happening across Mid-Michigan.

For another year, neighbors, nonprofits, businesses, and volunteers are coming together with a simple goal: make life a little better for someone else. The ePIFanyNow Week of Kindness returns May 11-15, 2026, bringing with it a week of service projects, community partnerships, and everyday acts of generosity designed to create a ripple effect throughout the region.

At its core, the Week of Kindness is built on a belief that small actions can have a lasting impact. Whether it’s delivering meals, cleaning up a community space, assembling care packages, or helping a nonprofit tackle a project that’s been waiting for extra hands, every act matters.

For one week, that spirit of kindness takes center stage.
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*A Week Dedicated to Service*

Throughout the week, local nonprofits hosted volunteer opportunities that connected people directly to the work happening in their communities every day. Each project reflected a different need, but they all shared a common purpose: helping organizations expand their impact while giving volunteers an opportunity to make a meaningful difference.

This year’s featured nonprofit partners include:

CASA for Kids – Volunteers helped increase awareness of the organization’s fourth-floor library by bringing books, building bookcases, and updating conference room spaces.

Big Brothers Big Sisters – Teams spent time at Ranney Park behind Frandor, helping clean and improve a space used by the community.

Tri-County Office on Aging – Volunteers rode along on Meals on Wheels routes, helping deliver food and connection to older adults throughout the region.

Hospice of Lansing – Volunteers assisted with outdoor cleanup projects, helping maintain the welcoming environment that supports patients and families.

Positive Somebody – Working alongside the Lansing Commons Soccer Team, volunteers assembled and delivered mental health care packages for teachers in the Lansing School District.

These projects may look different on the surface, but together they tell a larger story about what happens when a community decides to show up for one another.
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*Sharing Stories of Impact*

One of the most powerful parts of the Week of Kindness is seeing the impact unfold in real time. With support from WSYM FOX 47, stories from volunteer projects throughout the week were shared across the community, highlighting the people, organizations, and moments that make Mid-Michigan stronger.

These stories remind us that kindness isn’t just a concept. It’s action. It’s the volunteer who gives up a morning to help a nonprofit complete an important project. It’s the organization that continues serving families, children, seniors, and neighbors every day. It’s the person who decides to help, even when nobody is watching.

When those stories are shared, they inspire others to do the same. That’s how kindness grows.
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The Grand Finale: Day of Kindness Community Celebration

The Week of Kindness culminated on May 15, 2026, with the annual Day of Kindness Community Celebration. This year’s event brought together volunteers, nonprofit leaders, community partners, and supporters to reflect on the impact created throughout the week and celebrate the people who continue to make Mid-Michigan a better place to live.

It’s an opportunity to meet local organizations, hear stories of service and resilience, and connect with others who believe positive change starts at the community level.

The celebration also included one of the event’s most meaningful traditions: the presentation of the Chris Rosati Hero Award.
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*Honoring a Life of Service*

The ePIFanyNow Board of Directors established the Chris Rosati Hero Award in 2018. The award honors individuals who embody the spirit of paying kindness forward and whose actions create a lasting ripple effect throughout their communities. Named after Chris Rosati of Durham, North Carolina, the award recognizes those who dedicate themselves to helping others and inspiring acts of kindness wherever they go.

This year’s recipient is a person whose impact has been felt across Mid-Michigan for decades.
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*Meet the 2026 Chris Rosati Hero Award Recipient: Irv Nichols*

For nearly seven decades, Irv Nichols has been a force for good in the Greater Lansing community. Since moving to East Lansing in 1957, Nichols has dedicated his life to public service, advocacy, and community leadership. His work has touched countless lives through healthcare, volunteerism, humanitarian efforts, and civic engagement.

During his time with the American Red Cross, he helped build a significant blood donor program by engaging Michigan State University students and thousands of regional auto workers. He also played a key role in the creation of Lansing’s hospice services. Through his leadership and relationships, he helped secure a major grant from the Dart Foundation that ultimately led to the construction of Stoneleigh Hospice Care.

As a member of Rotary, Nichols is especially proud of the club’s work supporting the Lost Boys of Sudan. Through those efforts, more than 300 Sudanese refugees were welcomed and assisted as they built new lives in the Lansing area.

His legacy reflects exactly what the Chris Rosati Hero Award represents: a commitment to serving others and creating opportunities for people to thrive.
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*The Ripple Continues*

The Week of Kindness is about more than a single week on the calendar. It’s a reminder that communities are built through relationships, service, and a willingness to care for one another. Every volunteer project completed. Every nonprofit supported. Every act of generosity shared.

Together, they create a ripple effect that extends far beyond one day or one event.

As Mid-Michigan gathered once again for the 2026 ePIFanyNow Week of Kindness, the invitation was simple: get involved, meet your neighbors, support local nonprofits, and discover what can happen when kindness leads the way.

HOPE IN ACTION WITH SHERI JONES: Celebrating Disability Pride Month

Join host Sheri Jones for a powerful episode kicking off Disability Pride Month, featuring three incredible local nonprofits making a difference: Origami Rehabilitation, NAMI of Lansing, and Peckham.

First up, Tammy Hanna of Origami Rehabilitation shares nearly 30 years of transforming lives, opening up about what it means to find pride, progress, and kindness on the road to recovery. Next, NAMI of Lansing’s Emily White — a law school graduate now studying for the bar — gets candid about her own mental health journey and how peer-to-peer support turns solidarity into hope for others facing psychosis and disorder. Finally, Laura and Christina from Peckham join us to talk employment, accessibility, and self-advocacy, showing how inclusive workplace design and equal opportunity help people with disabilities thrive on the job.

Together, these conversations celebrate belonging, resilience, and the everyday courage it takes to share your story. 💙

🎧 Don’t miss the extended interview with Tammy Hannah on our companion podcast, live now!
📩 Have an event to share? Email us at hopeinactionsj@gmail.com
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CLIENT STORY: Communities in Schools – Student of the Year 2026

Celebrating Tayhlor: A Fifth Grader Leading with Kindness at Walt Whitman
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Sometimes the most powerful stories aren’t about executives, athletes, or community leaders.

Sometimes they’re about a fifth grader.

At Walt Whitman, Tayhlor has become known for something that can’t be measured on a report card. It’s not a test score, an award, or a title. It’s the way she treats people. It’s the way she shows up for her classmates. It’s the way she quietly makes her school a better place every day.

In a world that often celebrates the loudest voices, Tayhlor reminds us that kindness can be one of the strongest forms of leadership.
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*Growing Into a Leader*

For the past several years, teachers, classmates, and mentors have had the opportunity to watch Tayhlor grow into the person she is becoming. What they’ve seen is remarkable.

Like many students, Tayhlor was eager to get involved from the moment she arrived at Walt Whitman. She wanted to participate. She wanted to contribute. She wanted to make a difference.

But sometimes leadership takes time. As a younger student, there were opportunities she simply wasn’t old enough to participate in yet. For some students, that might have been discouraging. For Tayhlor, it became motivation. She continued showing up. Continued learning. Continued growing.

Now, as a fifth grader, she’s become someone younger students can look up to and someone her peers can count on. Not because she seeks attention, but because she consistently chooses to help others.
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*Leading Through Kindness*

Ask anyone who knows Tayhlor what stands out most, and you’ll likely hear the same answer. Her kindness. It’s easy to talk about kindness. It’s much harder to practice it consistently.

Tayhlor does both. Whether helping a classmate work through a difficult assignment, offering encouragement to a friend, or simply making someone feel included, she understands something that many adults spend years trying to learn: small actions matter.

One of the most powerful examples of this came when Tayhlor noticed a fellow student struggling with a conflict. Instead of ignoring the situation or waiting for someone else to step in, she helped create a restoration circle—a space where students could come together, listen to one another, and work toward a solution.

That kind of initiative doesn’t happen by accident. It comes from empathy. It comes from understanding that people need support. And it comes from a genuine desire to help others succeed.

Tayhlor’s personal philosophy is simple: “Always be kind to others and treat people how you want to be treated.”

It’s a lesson most of us learned as children. Tayhlor is living it.
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*Building Community One Relationship at a Time*

Schools are more than classrooms. They’re communities.

Every day, students have opportunities to shape the culture around them. Some do it through leadership positions. Some do it through athletics. Some do it through academic achievement. Tayhlor does it through relationships.

Her teachers describe someone who actively contributes to creating a positive environment wherever she goes. She brings people together. She supports those around her. She helps create spaces where others feel valued and respected.

Those efforts create ripple effects. When one student chooses kindness, it encourages others to do the same. When one student helps solve problems peacefully, it sets an example. When one student believes everyone belongs, a stronger community begins to form.

That’s the kind of impact Tayhlor is already having.
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*Dreaming Big*

While Tayhlor is making a difference today, she’s also thinking about the future. When asked what she wants to be when she grows up, her answer is clear: a doctor.

It’s a goal that reflects many of the qualities she already demonstrates every day. Doctors help people. They solve problems. They care for others during difficult moments.

Whether she fully realizes it or not, many of the characteristics that make someone successful in healthcare are already visible in the way Tayhlor approaches life. Her teachers have no doubt that whatever path she ultimately chooses, she’ll continue finding ways to make a positive impact.

As one educator shared, “The sky is not the limit for Taylor.” It’s hard to argue with that.
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*A Reminder for All of Us*

One of the best parts of telling stories is discovering that leadership doesn’t always look the way we expect it to. Sometimes it’s found in boardrooms. Sometimes it’s found on stages. And sometimes it’s found in elementary school hallways.

Tayhlor’s story reminds us that making a difference doesn’t require a job title, a large audience, or decades of experience.

It starts with simple choices. Choosing to help. Choosing to listen. Choosing to include others. Choosing kindness.

Those choices may seem small in the moment, but over time they shape schools, communities, and lives.
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*Celebrating the Difference She’s Making*

At UnoDeuce, we’ve had the privilege of telling stories about people making an impact across Michigan. Nonprofit leaders. Community advocates. Volunteers. Educators.

Tayhlor belongs on that list. Not because of what she might accomplish someday, but because of what she’s already accomplishing right now.

Her willingness to support her classmates, her commitment to building community, and her belief in treating others with kindness are making a difference every day at Walt Whitman.

And while her journey is just beginning, one thing is already clear: The future is bright. Not simply because of what Tayhlor hopes to become, but because of who she already is.

The world could use more people like Tayhlor. Fortunately, Walt Whitman already has one.

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