Uncategorized Archives - Uno Deuce Multimedia

CLIENT STORY: Communities In Schools Michigan – Our Impact in 2025

A Year of Student Impact Across Michigan: Communities In Schools Reflects on 2025 and What’s Ahead

Every year tells a story, and for Communities In Schools of Michigan, 2025 was a chapter defined by commitment, connection, and meaningful change. Across classrooms, hallways, and communities statewide, the organization continued to show what’s possible when students are surrounded by the right support at the right time. As the year comes to a close, it’s a moment to reflect on the impact made and look ahead with optimism toward what’s next.

Communities In Schools of Michigan exists for a simple but powerful reason: to ensure every student has what they need to succeed in school and beyond. The organization understands that academic success doesn’t happen in isolation. It’s shaped by access to resources, trusted relationships, and a sense of belonging. By addressing both in-school and out-of-school challenges, CIS of Michigan works to remove barriers so students can focus on learning, growing, and dreaming bigger.

In 2025, that mission reached more students than ever before. CIS of Michigan supported 62 schools across the state and served more than 33,000 students directly. Those numbers represent far more than scale. They reflect thousands of individual stories of encouragement, stability, and progress. Behind every statistic is a student who received tutoring, a family connected to resources, or a school strengthened by collaboration.

The impact is driven by people. Student Support Coordinators serve as the heartbeat of the CIS model. Embedded directly within schools, they are a consistent presence for students, families, and educators. They listen, advocate, problem-solve, and connect students to the support they need, whether that means academic help, access to food and clothing, or a trusted adult to talk to on a difficult day. Their work often happens quietly, but its effects are lasting.

CIS of Michigan’s approach recognizes that no two students are the same. Support is personalized and responsive, shaped by real needs rather than one-size-fits-all solutions. One student may benefit from one-on-one mentoring, while another may need help navigating housing instability or mental health services. By meeting students where they are, CIS builds a foundation that allows young people to stay engaged in school and move forward with confidence.

None of this work happens alone. Partnerships are central to the CIS model. Volunteers, community organizations, donors, families, and school staff all play a role in creating a network of care around students. When communities come together with a shared purpose, the results are powerful. Schools become safer and more supportive. Families feel less isolated. Students feel seen.

Throughout the year, CIS of Michigan has seen the ripple effect of that collaboration. Graduation milestones, improved attendance, and renewed belief in what’s possible all point back to one core truth: when students know they are supported, they are more likely to succeed. That success doesn’t end at graduation. It extends into stronger communities, a more prepared workforce, and a brighter future for Michigan as a whole.

Gratitude is a theme that runs through every CIS story. The organization continually emphasizes appreciation for those who give their time, talents, and resources to support students. Volunteers who mentor, donors who invest, partners who collaborate, and educators who work alongside CIS staff all contribute to the impact seen across the state. Each act of support, no matter the size, helps move the mission forward.

As 2025 comes to a close, CIS of Michigan is already looking ahead. The work is far from finished. New goals, new partnerships, and new opportunities to serve more students are on the horizon. The organization remains committed to expanding its reach, strengthening family and community engagement, and deepening the support offered in every school it serves.

The story of Communities In Schools of Michigan is ultimately a story of belief. Belief in students. Belief in community. Belief that when people come together with intention and heart, lasting change is possible. As the organization reflects on a year of impact and looks ahead to what’s next, one message remains clear: the journey continues, and everyone is invited to be part of it.

PAULTALK: Media, Trust, and the Power of Real Stories – Our Owner Paul Schmidt Reflects on Authentic Storytelling

Media, Trust, and the Power of Real Stories: Our Owner Paul Schmidt Reflects on Authentic Storytelling

At the start of every year, our owner Paul Schmidt sets aside space for reflection. Not trends, not algorithms, not chasing attention—but an honest look at why storytelling matters and how it’s evolving. This PaulTalk opens with a topic that’s been shaping media for more than a decade: trust. In a world saturated with noise, misinformation, and increasingly sophisticated technology, the conversation centers on what it means to tell stories people can still believe.

For Paul, the rise of the term “fake news” marked a turning point. What began as skepticism toward certain headlines grew into a broader distrust of media as a whole. Watching respected journalists and longtime professionals have their integrity questioned was personal. These were people who dedicated their careers to accuracy, accountability, and service. Seeing their work dismissed so casually highlighted just how fragile trust had become.

That erosion of trust has only intensified. Today, people question not just articles or broadcasts, but video itself. With AI-generated imagery, deepfakes, and manipulated audio becoming more common, even firsthand visuals can feel uncertain. The result is a media landscape where audiences are constantly asking whether what they’re seeing is real, edited, or entirely fabricated.

Against that backdrop, Paul reflected on why he started telling stories in the first place. Nearly 25 years ago, it wasn’t driven by a love of traditional news cycles or breaking headlines. It came from a desire to capture real people doing meaningful work and to let their stories exist without spin. Video became the medium of choice because of its immediacy and emotional honesty. When done right, it shows what actually happened, not what someone wants you to believe happened.

That philosophy hasn’t changed. In fact, it’s become even more intentional. UnoDeuce Multimedia reinforces a commitment to storytelling built on respect—for the subject, for the audience, and for the truth itself. That means no scripting words that weren’t said. No rearranging sentences to create drama. No embellishing details to heighten emotion. What’s shared is exactly what was given.

This approach is about more than technique. It’s about trust earned over time. When viewers press play, they know what they’re seeing reflects real experiences, real voices, and real moments. That consistency has become the foundation of UnoDeuce’s work.

The focus isn’t on reinventing that foundation, but strengthening it. The year ahead includes more original media, deeper community storytelling, and expanded multimedia projects that combine video, audio, and written content. Each piece is created with the same guiding principle: authenticity first. The goal is not to outshine the story, but to honor it.

Storytelling, when done with care, does more than inform. It builds connection. It fosters understanding. It creates a shared space where people can listen without skepticism and engage without feeling manipulated. Paul believes that kind of storytelling helps rebuild trust one story at a time, especially in a climate where authenticity feels increasingly rare.

Community remains central to that vision. Through new content, newsletters, and ongoing conversations, Paul invites everyone to stay connected and engaged. Not just as viewers, but as participants in a broader dialogue about what real storytelling looks like today. Multimedia plays a key role in that effort, layering perspectives and allowing stories to be experienced, not just consumed.

While technology will continue to change, the principles of honest storytelling do not. Respect the truth. Listen first. Share what actually happened. When stories are treated with integrity, they become something people can rely on.

As Paul reflects at the close of the conversation, the work doesn’t stop. There is always another story waiting to be told, another voice worth hearing, another moment worth preserving. And each one deserves the same care as the last.

In a time when trust feels harder to find, UnoDeuce Multimedia continues to stand for something simple and powerful: real stories, told honestly, every time.

Celebrating Impact Through Storytelling: UnoDeuce Multimedia’s 2025 Year-in-Review

As all of us at UnoDeuce Multimedia prepare to step into our 25th year, 2025 offered a powerful reminder of why this work matters. It was a year defined by real stories told alongside nonprofits, community leaders, and mission-driven organizations working every day to make Michigan stronger.

This 2025 Year-in-Review captures more than just finished projects. It reflects moments behind the camera: conversations that sparked new ideas, laughter between takes, and the quiet intensity of interviews where people shared why their work matters. From nonprofit hubs and community foundations to frontline service organizations, UnoDeuce had the privilege of helping bring these missions to life through thoughtful, intentional video storytelling.

Throughout the year, the focus of elevating purpose stayed the same. Each project was designed to help organizations connect more deeply with their audiences, whether through documentary-style storytelling, promotional videos, event coverage, or ongoing content strategies. These weren’t just videos created to be watched; they were tools built to build trust, inspire action, and strengthen communities.

2025 also marked continued growth in collaboration. UnoDeuce worked alongside nonprofit leaders, boards, funders, and partners who understood the value of authentic storytelling. Together, those partnerships turned complex missions into clear narratives and helped organizations share not just what they do, but why they do it.

The highlight reel is a snapshot of that momentum—packed with meaningful visuals, familiar faces, and stories that continue long after the camera stops rolling. It’s a reminder that video, when done with care and purpose, can move people to listen, engage, and support something bigger than themselves.

As UnoDeuce Multimedia looks ahead to year 25, this reel stands as both a celebration and a promise. The commitment remains the same: to tell stories that matter, support missions that serve, and use creativity to create real, lasting impact—one story at a time.

Reflecting on 2025: A Year of Growth, Grit, and Groundwork at UnoDeuce

Reflecting on 2025: A Year of Growth, Grit, and Groundwork at UnoDeuce
As 2025 comes to a close, we’re taking a breath, looking back, and doing something we don’t always slow down enough to do—reflect. This past year at UnoDeuce was full of movement: new spaces, new ideas, bold experiments, meaningful wins, and some very real challenges. It was a year that stretched us creatively and emotionally, and one that laid the groundwork for something big ahead—our 25th anniversary in 2026.
So grab a coffee and settle in.
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A Fresh Start at the Nonprofit Hub
Every new chapter starts with a leap of faith, and for us here at UnoDeuce, that leap came early in 2025. When Child and Family Charities invited us to become part of the brand-new Nonprofit Hub, it was a no-brainer. It just made sense.
We moved in January—during Michigan winter, no less—hauling gear, painting walls, and turning an empty space into a functioning studio. It was cold, exhausting, and absolutely energizing.
Before everything was perfectly in place, we went live.
The new studio quickly became more than a workspace. It became a launchpad for creativity, collaboration, and conversations that mattered. From the very first broadcast, it was clear this move was about more than square footage—it was about proximity, purpose, and possibility.
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Launching the UnoCup and Live Event Innovation
One of the first big moments we’d like to highlight in the new space came with the launch of the UnoCup, a live-streamed UNO tournament created for the grand opening of the Nonprofit Hub.
What started as a fun idea turned into a full-scale event that involved a total of nine nonprofits competing, celebrity players and announcers, a packed room and an engaged livestream audience.
The energy was contagious. Laughter, competition and community all came together in one night. More importantly, the UnoCup showed what live, creative fundraising events could be. That night didn’t just break in the studio; it opened the door to a whole new service offering for UnoDeuce: high-quality, high-energy livestream production for nonprofits and community organizations.
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Building Smarter Learning Experiences
Behind the scenes, one of our biggest wins in 2025 was the development of customized learning management tools. We began helping organizations build flexible training platforms—virtual, in-studio, or hybrid—without the tech overwhelm.
Accessibility was a major focus. Through partnerships with 7C Lingo, we integrated ASL interpretation and foreign language captioning into our learning systems, ensuring content could truly reach everyone.
At its core, the goal was simple: make education more inclusive, more usable, and more human.
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Partnerships That Expanded Our Reach
UnoDeuce has never believed in going it alone, and 2025 reinforced how powerful collaboration can be. This year, partnerships with organizations like 7C Lingo, Gold Pro Media, and Lansing Public Media helped us expand beyond production into strategy.
Through our work with Gold Pro Media, we dove deeper into podcast planning—guest acquisition, sponsorship development, continuity, and marketing—helping shows grow sustainably instead of just episodically.
These relationships allowed us to bring more voices forward, more consistently, and with greater impact.
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Podcasting, Broadcast, and Local Stories
Podcast production remained a major pillar of our work. In 2025, shows like Arts Roll Call (with the Arts Council of Greater Lansing) and Mission Control continued to grow—evolving from audio-only formats into full broadcast experiences through Lansing Public Media.
More platforms meant more reach. More reach meant more stories shared. And for us, that’s always the point.
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A Record Year for Fundraising Impact
If there’s one area where 2025 truly stood out, it was fundraising. By fall, it felt like every weekend brought another event. In total, we supported nearly 15 fundraising events, providing audio/visual production, livestreams, and storytelling support.
The result? A record-breaking $1.5 million raised for nonprofits across the Lansing area.
That number matters but what matters more is what it represents: services funded, programs expanded, and communities supported. That’s why we do this work.
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Growth, Recognition, and Real Challenges
This year also brought recognition, including Platinum Community Votes awards for Videographer and Video Production Company. Being recognized by the community always means something special—especially during a year of so much change.
But 2025 wasn’t easy. There were stretches of uncertainty, stress, and moments when the weight of everything felt heavy. And toward the end of the year, our founder experienced a profound personal loss with the passing of his father—a lifelong supporter of UnoDeuce.
Grief has a way of clarifying what matters. Family. Purpose. People.
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Looking Ahead to 2026 and 25 Years of UnoDeuce
Despite the challenges, we’re stepping into 2026 with energy and intention. UnoDeuce turns 25 years old, and we’re planning to honor the journey—past, present, and future.
Expect:
– Special events and creative campaigns
– A refreshed website and new newsletter
– Deeper partnerships and new collaborations
– Continued innovation in how stories are told
We’re grateful for our partners, our clients, our team, our families, and this community that continues to show up.
As we head into the next chapter, one thing remains unchanged: our commitment to amplifying voices, supporting causes that matter, and telling stories that make a difference.
Here’s to 25 years and all of the exciting things that come next.

The First-Ever UnoCup: A Night of Cards, Community, and Friendly Competition

Giving Tuesday got a whole lot more colorful this year as UnoDeuce Multimedia launched the very first UnoCup, a livestreamed UNO tournament designed to bring together the nonprofits housed in the Child and Family Charities Nonprofit Hub. What started as a simple idea—a fun way to spotlight local organizations—quickly turned into an evening full of energy, laughter, and some surprisingly intense card-playing moments.

The tournament featured three preliminary rounds of classic Uno, each one narrowing the field and building anticipation. The winners of those early battles advanced to a final showdown unlike anything the players—or the audience—expected: a high-stakes round of Brutal UNO, where strategy and nerves were tested right to the last card.

Representing the community were an incredible lineup of nonprofits, including Helping Women Period, CASA for Kids, Big Brothers Big Sisters, NAMI Lansing, Positive Somebody, DAP Resources, Origami Rehabilitation, Tenant Resource Center, and United Way of South Central Michigan. Each organization had the option to enlist a celebrity champion, and many did—bringing familiar faces like Bob Hoffman, Sheri Jones, and Deb Hart into the mix and adding an extra spark of excitement.

Guiding viewers through every play, skip, reverse, and draw-four were our charismatic announcers: Jeff Croff of Homebrew Tabletop Gaming and Britt Houze of B Houze Originals, whose commentary kept the livestream lively and entertaining from start to finish.

In the end, the honor of becoming the first-ever UnoCup champion went to Origami Rehabilitation, represented by celebrity player Mary Gajda of M3 Group. With their well-earned victory, Origami will hold the UnoCup trophy proudly for the next year—and return next Giving Tuesday ready to defend their crown.

The UnoCup wasn’t just a tournament. It was a celebration of collaboration, creativity, and community— and it’s exactly what Giving Tuesday is all about.

Inside the Nonprofit Hub: Melik Interviews Sarah Laurie of Community Mental Health

Behind the Scenes: A Candid Conversation with Sarah Laurie at the Child and Family Charities Nonprofit Hub

Walk into the Child and Family Charities Nonprofit Hub on any given day and you’ll feel it right away—the hum of conversations, the smell of coffee drifting through the air, the steady buzz of people doing real work that matters. It’s the kind of place where handshakes turn into collaborations and hallway chats turn into new ideas. That’s where Melik sat down with Sarah Laurie, CEO of Community Mental Health for Clinton, Eaton, and Ingham Counties (CMH), for a conversation that felt less like an interview and more like two people pulling back the curtain on what community care really looks like.

And if you know UnoDeuce, you know we love moments like these—where the mission meets the people behind it.
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Serving the Community Starts with Humility

Melik kicks things off with a question that makes any leader pause: What’s it like to run such a massive, mission-driven organization?

Sarah doesn’t miss a beat.

She smiles, leans forward, and answers not with the polished script of a CEO, but with sincerity: it’s humbling. It’s an honor. CMH is “woven into the fabric of the community,” she says, and that responsibility isn’t lost on her.

No buzzwords. No grandstanding. Just honesty.

And that’s the heart of CMH in a nutshell—real people meeting real needs, without making it complicated.
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So… What IS Community Mental Health?

Sarah breaks it down simply: CMH serves people—from birth through adulthood—who are navigating serious emotional or developmental challenges. They’re the public behavioral health provider for three counties, and they take that role seriously.

Think of CMH as a lifelong partner in behavioral health, offering:
– Support for youth and adults with severe emotional or developmental needs
– Specialty mental health services
– A Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic that anyone in the community can access
– 24/7 crisis services, mobile crisis teams, and walk-in support
In a world where “access” often means a maze of referrals, CMH keeps it refreshingly simple.

If someone needs help, they call. They walk in. They show up—and CMH is there.
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A Better Way to Get Help: Quick, Local, Human

Sarah shares CMH’s philosophy of accessibility like it’s second nature. Crisis shouldn’t come with barriers, and CMH keeps their doors—and phone lines—open around the clock. The Jolly Road location, tucked between Pennsylvania and Cedar, serves as their home base for walk-in crisis care.

No complicated process.
No red tape.
Just support.
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Building the Crisis Care Center: A Game Changer for Mid-Michigan

As Sarah talks about the future, her voice shifts—you can hear the excitement behind the logistics. Right on the nonprofit hub campus, CMH is developing a full Crisis Care Center in a former women’s and children’s building. It’s more than a renovation; it’s a reimagining of how crisis care should work.

This center will bring together:
– Walk-in crisis services
– A recovery center for withdrawal management
– A crisis residential unit
– And the newest addition: a Crisis Stabilization Unit for both youth and adults

This unit is the missing puzzle piece—offering up to 72 hours of safe, supportive care with access to psychiatry, nursing, therapists, and peer specialists. A place where help starts immediately, without sending people out of town or parking them in an ER waiting room.

“Proximity makes a difference,” Sarah says—and she’s right. Keeping people close to their support systems isn’t just convenient; it’s transformative.
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Collaboration at Its Core

One of the most striking takeaways from this conversation is how tightly knit the nonprofit community is inside the Hub. CMH staff, Child and Family Charities, NAMI Lansing, and others share space, ideas, and mission energy—daily.

There’s no ego in the room, just people doing the work.

The new center will house:
– 8 youth beds
– 13 adult beds
– On-site specialty services
– A recovery center operating right alongside crisis services
Instead of being shuffled around the city, individuals can transition seamlessly through levels of care without ever leaving the building.

That’s what partnership looks like—not just meetings and emails, but proximity, intentional space, and shared purpose.
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Looking Ahead: Opening Soon

Sarah estimates the building will wrap up construction by March, with services launching in the summer. It’s ambitious, but she’s confident—and considering the demand, it can’t come soon enough. Beds will fill quickly, because the need is real, local, and growing.
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The Real Backbone: The Staff

When Melik asks what keeps CMH moving, Sarah doesn’t hesitate. She lifts up her team—the therapists, nurses, crisis workers, peer specialists, support staff. They’re the ones doing the hands-on work, the emotional labor, the late-night calls.

“It really is the staff… they are the backbone,” she says.

And that acknowledgment feels like the perfect note in a conversation grounded in real community commitment.
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Final Takeaway: We Can Do More Together

If one line sums up the entire interview, it’s this:

“Proximity makes a difference. We can do more together.”

It’s simple. It’s powerful. And it’s exactly what the Nonprofit Hub is built for.

If you want to get involved, learn more, or get support, CMH and Child and Family Charities are ready to welcome you in.

Presenting the UNO Cup: A Game-Changing Giving Tuesday Event for Nonprofits

Introducing the UNO Cup: Where Fun, Community, and Giving Tuesday Collide
There are two things nearly everyone can agree on: UNO brings out the competitive spirit in all of us, and supporting local nonprofits is always worth celebrating. This year, those two passions are coming together in a way that’s never been done before. UnoDeuce Multimedia is rolling out something fresh, fun, and a little bit chaotic—in the best possible way. And for those who love a good game night mixed with a good cause, this is the big announcement worth staying tuned for.
Because just when you think you’ve played every version of UNO imaginable, UnoDeuce is here to flip the deck.

A Giving Tuesday First: The UNO Cup
This Giving Tuesday, UnoDeuce Multimedia is launching the first-ever UNO Cup, a live-streamed Uno tournament designed to spotlight nonprofits, raise awareness, and bring the community together over a beloved classic. It’s everything people enjoy about Giving Tuesday—generosity, collaboration, celebration—but with a competitive twist that promises to keep viewers on the edge of their seats.
The format is simple but thrilling: a four-round tournament featuring nonprofit organizations from the local nonprofit hub. Each round will knock out players, elevate tension, and showcase the personalities, missions, and camaraderie shared among Lansing-area nonprofits.
UnoDeuce will produce and broadcast the entire event live, ensuring viewers don’t miss a single draw-four, reverse card, or unpredictable moment. It’s an opportunity to highlight the incredible organizations doing great work in the region—while giving them a chance to duke it out for Uno bragging rights.

Sponsorship With Real Impact
Of course, a community event this unique also comes with the opportunity for local businesses to get involved in a meaningful way. UnoDeuce has created two sponsorship tiers, each designed to give businesses valuable visibility during the broadcast.
Sponsors can expect their logos featured onscreen throughout the event, offering consistent exposure to viewers tuning in from across the region. Higher-tier sponsors can also enjoy video promotions played during breaks in the tournament, giving them an engaging way to connect with audiences while supporting a community-driven initiative.
For businesses looking to show their commitment to local nonprofits—and have some fun doing it—UNO Cup sponsorship offers a fresh and memorable platform. Instead of simply appearing on a flyer or website, sponsors become part of a live event that blends entertainment with impact.

A Community Effort With Big Energy
As with all UnoDeuce initiatives, the UNO Cup is built on partnership and community spirit. With nonprofits participating directly, and with the possibility of celebrity guests joining the competition, the outreach potential extends far beyond a single live stream.
Participants will be promoting the event through their own social media channels, amplifying the reach and ensuring that audiences from across the region—and beyond—tune in. That means more eyes on the nonprofits, more visibility for sponsors, and more energy behind Giving Tuesday.
And no tournament would be complete without prizes. The winning team won’t just walk away with bragging rights; they’ll claim the UNO Cup trophy, a symbol of victory that their organization can proudly display. Even better, the champions will be invited back next year to defend their title, setting the stage for an annual tradition the community can rally around.
This isn’t just a one-off event—it’s the beginning of something lasting.

How to Join the Fun
UnoDeuce Multimedia is encouraging everyone—businesses, supporters, community members, and Uno enthusiasts—to get involved. Whether it’s becoming a sponsor, watching the live broadcast, or spreading the word across social media, every form of engagement helps fuel the excitement and uplift the nonprofit community.
Sponsorship opportunities are open for businesses looking to align themselves with Giving Tuesday and community impact. Viewers can tune in live on UnoDeuce’s streaming platforms, cheer on their favorite nonprofits, and join the conversation online.
And for anyone who has questions or wants to connect directly, UnoDeuce is making it easy. Community members can reach out through UnoDeuce’s website, social media channels, or via email to learn more about the event, available sponsorship packages, or how to support the participating nonprofits.

A New Tradition Begins
In true UnoDeuce fashion, the UNO Cup isn’t just about competition—it’s about storytelling. It’s about showcasing the faces and missions behind the organizations that strengthen the community every day. It’s about creating a fun, inclusive event where nonprofits can shine, businesses can give back, and viewers can enjoy something entirely new on Giving Tuesday.
This year, it’s time to shuffle the deck, raise the stakes, and bring the community together in a way that only UnoDeuce Multimedia could imagine.
And when the cards hit the table, one thing is certain: Giving Tuesday just got a whole lot more exciting.

Inside the Hub: Celebrating Community, Collaboration, and Legacy with Danielle Robinson

# Celebrating Community, Collaboration, and Legacy: Inside the UnoDeuce Multimedia Livestream with Danielle Robinson

Welcome to a behind-the-scenes look at the recent **UnoDeuce Multimedia Livestream interview at the Child and Family Charities nonprofit hub.** Hosted by Melik, this special conversation featured **Danielle Robinson, Vice President of Corporate Communications and Responsibility at Jackson**, who reflected on her career, her upcoming retirement, and the lasting impact of community partnerships.

This conversation was more than an interview—it was a celebration of legacy, unity, and what happens when people come together for the common good.

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## At the Heart of Community Action

Melik welcomed Danielle with his trademark warmth, inviting her to reflect on her decades of service. Danielle’s career has been shaped by her passion for corporate responsibility, with a focus on helping communities thrive. With retirement right around the corner, her reflections carried extra weight—highlighting lessons learned and the importance of leaving a legacy rooted in service.

The exchange felt less like a formal interview and more like two neighbors talking about the things that matter most: community, family, and the power of collaboration.

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## A Career Defined by Impact

One of Danielle’s most powerful memories from her time at Jackson involved **supporting teens experiencing homelessness** through Child and Family Charities’ Gateway Youth Services.

She recalled how then-CEO Julie Thomas approached Jackson with a bold request: to help expand services for vulnerable teens. Jackson stepped up, working hand-in-hand with Child and Family Charities to create what is now known as **Jackson House.**

The result? The capacity to serve teens doubled, providing safer, more effective support. Danielle calls it a legacy project that she and her colleagues are “really proud of.” It was more than philanthropy—it was partnership in action.

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## Finding Help or Lending a Hand

Danielle also emphasized how individuals can get involved.

* **Child and Family Charities Website:** The central place for anyone seeking services at Jackson House or wanting to learn about programs.
* **Jackson’s Giving and Grants Page:** A resource for those interested in corporate giving, funding priorities, and nonprofit partnerships.

Her message was simple: whether you need help or want to help, the resources are right at your fingertips.

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## Why the Nonprofit Hub Matters

When asked about the value of the nonprofit hub, Danielle didn’t hesitate: **collaboration.**

Instead of competing, organizations here come together to maximize efficiency, expand impact, and create unity. Danielle noted that this culture of partnership is what makes the hub unique—and what allows it to serve more people, more effectively.

“We know that there are efficiencies that can be gained. We know that there are many different ways to serve the community, but working together, we serve the community best.”

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## What’s Driving Change at the Hub?

Though less than a year old, the nonprofit hub is already making waves. Danielle credits its success to:

* **Bold Leadership:** Julie Thomas from Child and Family Charities made the vision possible by offering the physical space.
* **Shared Responsibility:** Big Brothers Big Sisters, under Megan’s leadership, stepped in as fiduciary, managing the business side.
* **Clear Roles:** Each organization knows its lane, collaborates without competition, and keeps the mission first.

The result? Less drama, more action, and a spirit of unity that fuels real progress.

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## Danielle’s Next Chapter

Retirement for Danielle doesn’t mean slowing down. Her plans include more time with family, volunteering at church, and supporting local causes. She jokes about “just showing up” as a supporter, but it’s clear her impact will continue—just in a more flexible, joy-filled way.

As she put it: “When work and passion really click, it’s not really work.”

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## Signs of a Thriving Community

Danielle lit up as she described the hub’s grand opening: every parking space filled, people from across the community coming together, and a buzz of energy surrounding tours, events, and activities.

It wasn’t just an event—it was proof that the hub is already serving as a unifying space for collaboration and connection.

Lessons from Danielle’s Story

Here are some of the key takeaways from the UnoDeuce Multimedia Livestream:

1. **Collaboration is Key** – Community work is strongest when done together.
2. **Leadership Means Stepping Up** – Progress happens when someone takes action.
3. **Unity Brings Strength** – Put ego aside and keep the mission first.
4. **Giving Never Ends** – Retirement or not, there are always ways to serve.
5. **Celebrate Your Team** – From volunteers to local businesses, everyone plays a role.

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## Spotlight on Partnerships: Paper Image Printing Center

The event also highlighted the role of local businesses like **Paper Image Printing Center,** which provides custom branded apparel for nonprofits and businesses alike. As Melik noted, these items help teams become “walking billboards,” spreading visibility and pride. It’s yet another example of how collaboration—whether through services, funding, or creativity—strengthens the community.

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## Final Thoughts: The Real Meaning of Community

The UnoDeuce Multimedia Livestream with Danielle Robinson was more than an interview—it was a reminder of the **power of unity.** Danielle’s career, her ongoing commitment, and the energy of the nonprofit hub all point to one truth: **when people work together, they can achieve extraordinary things.**

So whether you’re donating, volunteering, or simply showing up, remember Danielle’s words:

> “There’s no community without unity. Put pride aside, work together, and see how much more you can accomplish.”

CLIENT STORY: First Day Homecare – Lila’s Story: How Private Duty Nursing Made a Difference During a Medical Crisis

Lyla began experiencing neck pains that ended up turning her life upside-down. With the help of First Day Homecare, Lyla has been able to live her best life possible with around the clock care, and have set her mom Jennifer’s mind at ease with their exceptional care.

Learn more at: https://firstdayhomecare.com/

Inside Lansing’s Nonprofit Hub | How Child and Family Charities Transformed a Hospital into Hope

Take a tour inside the Child and Family Charities Nonprofit Hub with Executive Director Julie Thomasma and host MetroMelik. What was once an empty hospital campus has been transformed into a thriving space where nonprofits and mission-driven businesses work side by side to serve families, kids, and the Lansing community. From CASA to Big Brothers Big Sisters, Origami Rehab, NAMI, and more, this hub brings essential services together under one roof—making collaboration seamless and support easier to access. You’ll hear success stories, discover how organizations share resources, and get a look at how the hub is designed to help nonprofits thrive on tight budgets. 👉 Learn how community partners turned old hospital corridors into collaborative spaces. 👉 Meet the organizations already making a difference inside the hub. 👉 Find out how YOU can get involved, tour the space, or support the mission.

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