UnoDeuce Blog

HOPE IN ACTION PODCAST: Episode 1 – Lysne Tait of Helping Women Period

What happens when two friends read an article on a Sunday night and decide they can’t just scroll past it?

They build a movement.

Welcome to the very first extended podcast episode of *Hope in Action* — the companion series to our monthly show highlighting the nonprofits doing transformational work right here in Lansing and beyond. Host Sheri Jones sits down with **Lysne Tait**, co-founder of **Helping Women, Period**, for an honest, eye-opening, and genuinely inspiring conversation about what it looks like to see a problem in your own backyard and refuse to look away.

What started in 2015 […]

CLIENT STORY: Child and Family Charities – We’re Making it Happen!

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 […]

14TH ANNUAL DEUCEY AWARDS 2026: Able Eyes Wins Small Business Superstar!

*Able Eyes Wins the 14th Annual Deucey Small Business Superstar Award*

Innovation often starts with a simple question: “How can we make this better for everyone?”

For Evan Winters and the team at Able Eyes, that question has guided their mission from day one. By combining technology, accessibility, and storytelling, they’ve created a platform that helps people confidently explore spaces before ever stepping through the front door. That commitment to inclusion and innovation recently earned them a major honor—the 14th Annual Deucey Small Business Superstar Award.

What’s even more impressive? This was Able Eyes’ first-ever Deucey nomination.

And they didn’t just make […]

UNHOUSED & UNFILTERED: Season 1, Episode 2

Episode 2 features attorney Elly Jordon from the Michigan Poverty Law Center, who brings her domestic and international experience to shed light on changes in public benefits resulting from the 2025 H.R. 1 bill and how those changes specifically impact the folks we serve.

CLIENT STORY: Michigan Center for Rural Health

Celebrating John Barnas: A Lifelong Champion for Rural Health in Michigan

In every community, there are people quietly doing the work that changes lives. They aren’t always the loudest voices in the room. They’re the connectors. The problem-solvers. The ones who keep showing up year after year because they believe people deserve better.

For more than 26 years, John Barnas has been exactly that kind of leader for rural health care in Michigan.

Recently honored with the Louis Gorin Award for Outstanding Achievement in Rural Health, John’s impact stretches across hospitals, clinics, communities, and countless lives throughout the state. But what makes this recognition so […]

UnoDeuce May Update: Deucey Awards, Hope in Action & Community Stories

May was a full one for UnoDeuce and if you blinked, you might have missed some of the best moments of the year so far. From award show excitement to a brand-new community initiative and a fresh way to stay connected, the team has been busy telling the stories that matter most. Here’s a look at what went down and what’s coming up.

**🏆 The Deucey Awards: Records Broken, Stories Celebrated**

The Deucey Awards closed out at the top of May, and by every measure, it was the biggest year yet. Votes poured in at a record-breaking pace — a […]