State funding for three Northern Michigan community centers. The Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity gave $1.2 million to Crosshatch Center for Art and Ecology, Grow Benzie, and Commongrounds Cooperative.
All three organizations are deeply rooted in their respective communities and bring services from food security initiatives to creative arts training.
“Our mission is to connect people to each other and to food, family, arts and wellness,” says Commongrounds Cooperative Co-Executive Director Kate Redman. “And, you know, throughout the building, we’ve got nonprofit and business partners that work in those areas and just programing and public art and I think creating the kind of public space where people are able to connect with each other, feel safe, learn about new things. You know, it’s a really important for both our community growth and resilience and our individual growth and resilience.”
Funding for the grant comes from the American Rescue Plan Act.