CADILLAC — A local nonprofit received a $12,000 donation from the Cadillac Community Foundation to purchase new kitchen equipment.
The After 26 Depot was awarded the grant to buy a new stove and oven combination.
The funding will cover the cost of the equipment, while After 26 Depot will handle installation and additional expenses.
The organization said the new equipment is expected to improve efficiency and service quality, allowing it to serve more guests and continue its mission.
After 26 Depot employs 17 project workers, providing employment opportunities for individuals with developmental disabilities in Wexford, Osceola and Missaukee counties.
“We’re in such a blessed community, and we were able to open our doors due to grant writing and grassroots funding,” said Molly Nelson, executive director of After 26 Depot. “For us to have that local community support helps everybody. You don’t realize what a smile can do and what a dollar can do.”
Nelson said the employment opportunities help project workers feel connected and valued in the community.
“For our project workers here, it gets them out in the community,” she said. “Many of our regulars know them by name, and that just makes their day and makes them feel valued and seen.”
The organization said its old kitchen equipment will be repurposed or donated to other local community organizations.