As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to put a strain on economies throughout the U.S., many nonprofits are feeling the impact, especially those focused on homelessness and poverty. With limited support from the public, and rising demands for food and supplies, these organizations have had an uphill battle since the start of the pandemic. This reality…

In his years of public service, Michigan State Senator Peter MacGregor has been a man of action. Serving as chairman of the appropriations subcommittee on health and human services, Senator MacGregor recently led the Senate in providing $524 million in federal COVID-19 funding to deliver much-needed supplies to front-line workers, help families in …

The path to public service differs for many. For Michigan State Senator Winnie Brinks, it included serving as executive director for One Way House, a non-profit serving non-violent female offenders in a residential setting as an alternative to incarceration, as well as working with a number of public schools in the Grand Rapids area. It was her wor…

School leaders across the country are working diligently in preparation for the upcoming school year, despite the continued uncertainty surrounding COVID-19. As you can imagine, developing plans becomes even more challenging when you have no idea if or when you’ll be able to safely re-open school buildings or what funding you can expect from the st…

Amplify GR seeks to widen pathways so that more residents can participate and benefit from neighborhood growth. In our conversation with Jon Ippel, the non-profit organization’s executive director, we talk about establishing more equitable outcomes through community development.

Kelli Dobner, Chief Advancement Officer at Samaritas, a non-profit organization providing critical services supporting vulnerable populations, discusses the ongoing foster care crisis across Michigan.

In addition to the grave health concerns surrounding COVID-19, the global pandemic is wreaking economic havoc on communities around the world. While nothing is as important as the health and well-being of our neighbors, the long-term impact of COVID-19 on local economies should not be ignored – especially as it relates to the education of our child…

Holly Guild, executive director of Humane Society of West Michigan, shares why the non-profit organization is a critical part of the community and the challenges it faces during COVID-19.

The president and chief innovation officer at Skypoint Ventures in Flint, David Ollila, is a serial entrepreneur with 12 patents on products ranging from sporting goods to wearable technology. He’s also deeply interesting and funny as hell. David moved from Marquette (in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula) to Flint several years ago to help introduce Cowor…

Detroit is experiencing a major renaissance—returning to its former glory as one of America’s greatest cities. One way in which this renaissance is obvious is in the vast amount of development taking place across the city. While development is certainly a positive for economic growth, it’s critical that development be inclusive and equitable, so as…

Parents have never had more choices for their children’s education than they do today. Whether it’s traditional public schools or public charter schools, brick-and-mortar or virtual, parents have myriad opportunities to select the learning model that best fits their child’s needs. Though far from a new model, classical education is gaining populari…

Have you seen the movie Moneyball starring Brad Pitt? It’s one of my favorites. Whether that is because Brad Pitt is my favorite actor or because baseball, my favorite sport, is heavily featured throughout the movie, I’m not sure. What I can tell you, however, is the movie’s focus on the intersection of data and baseball IS NOT the reason why I ado…

Anyone who’s had the pleasure of meeting Ashanti Bryant can’t help but be engrossed by his enormous personality. By making every person he meets feel as though they’re the only one there, he captivates every room he walks into. As a result, he’s become a tremendous public advocate for those whose voices aren’t always represented. The education dire…

Having worked with public schools for more than two decades, I continue to marvel at the commitment required by superintendents. A typical work day for a school superintendent is 14-16 hours long, due to early mornings and the various evening commitments that take place throughout the school district. Of course, this doesn’t factor in winter months…

According to a 2016 study by the University of Michigan, nearly half of the 7.7 million children and teens in the country who are living with at least one treatable mental health disorder—including ADHD or anxiety—do not receive needed treatment from a mental health professional. As the father of one such child (at that time of the report), I under…

Due to growing epidemics like the opioid crisis, and systematic underfunding of mental and behavioral health services, discussions on such issues have become more prevalent over the past decade. Open conversations take place more frequently among families, in business settings and within schools. Our understanding of the importance of mental and be…

School funding is a sensitive topic. While many think we don’t spend enough on schools, others would argue that we spend too much. Having worked with public schools for more than 20 years, I know that administrators and parents are always fighting for more funding. One thing is clear – there will never be a consensus on school funding. On this epis…

It’s no secret that schools are at the heart of the community – if your school system is doing well, more than likely your community is doing well. But what if your school isn’t doing well? What options do parents have and what changes can communities make to improve their school systems? These aren’t easy questions. In fact, they’re questions comm…

Welcome to the Purposeful Pitch, a podcast focused on initiating positive change and addressing socio-economic disparities facing communities across the country. Conversations will feature school leaders, CEOs of not-for-profit organizations and public policymakers, among others.