Features

Partner Content Event helps autistic children and adults get used to the airport environment and boarding experience.

On Board for Autism: Airport simulation helps autistic kids take flight

To help autistic people and their families manage  these challenges, Autism Alliance of Michigan (AAoM), Delta Airlines, and the Detroit Metropolitan Airport partner to host On Board for Autism events that prepare them to successfully take a flight.

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Dental aid helps cancer patients regain health and dignity

HNC Living Foundation provides dental care, nutrition, and support to head and neck cancer patients facing financial and treatment challenges.

Partner Content Boy in classroom

Blueprint for school funding would ensure equitable resources in special education

The MI Special Education Finance Reform Blueprint would ensure that Michigan adequately and equitably funds public special education in Michigan. 

Feature Story All Gods Children teacher

No-cost pre-K for all Michigan 4-year-olds enrolling for 2025-26 school year

QA with Jeffrey Capizzano, Policy Equity Group, on the implementation of Pre-K for All no-cost preschool for Michigan 4-year-olds.

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Annual book sale is a page-turning opportunity to support your community

Your next great read (or ten great reads) await at the 2025 Friends of the Bay County Library System Book Sale, set for July 31-Aug. 2.   

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Labadie Rib Fest returns, bringing barbecue, music, and more, to Veterans Park this summer

The Labadie Rib Fest takes place in Veterans Memorial Park on Bay City’s West Side from July 24 through 27.  

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Nine graduating seniors earn accolades for their volunteer work during high school

The Michigan Governor Youth Service Awards acknowledge Michigan youth for their achievements and encourages youth to engage in a lifetime of service.

Feature Story Bay Area Community Foundation logo

Bay Commitment Scholarship opens doors for first-generation college students

The Bay Area Community Foundation's Bay Commitment Scholarship Program has been a vital resource for first-generation college students in the Bay and Arenac counties since 2008, providing both financial assistance and crucial mentoring and support.

Feature Story Reading to baby

Local literacy advocates say unplugging the phones and engaging with kids builds fundamental skills

The Region 5 MiFamily Engagement Center and the Bay-Arenac Great Start Collaborative offer several different ways parents and kids can connect while building key literacy skills. We promise that many of them will be fun for both kids and adults.  

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Medicaid cuts would destabilize mental health care: How Michigan is responding

Proposed Medicaid funding cuts would dismantle critical services, especially for residents facing poverty, mental illness, or substance use disorders — and reduce access to mental health services for all.

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More than 60 kids are waiting for mentors in the Great Lakes Bay Region

Big Brothers/Big Sisters of the Great Lakes Bay Region needs adult volunteers to serve as mentors to at-risk kids in the area. The program makes a big difference in the lives of kids.

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John Glenn students earn college scholarships and grants for their school during STEM competition

Students from four local Great Lakes Bay Region schools – including John Glenn –participated in the 12th annual A.H. Nickless Innovation Award competition at SVSU. They presented months of hard work, planning, research, and development for a chance at $77,500 in college scholarships and grants.

Feature Story No Till Drill list

New equipment helps plant wildflowers in order to draw in pollinators

The Bay County Soil Conservation District was awarded a $39,000 grant through EGLE to purchase a new No-Till Drill. The compact drill allows property owners to seed small plots of land, creating habitats for pollinators and filling otherwise unusable land with wildflowers.

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Indiana nonprofit’s oral health program reaches 39 states

McMillen Health’s Brush program equips families and educators with easy-to-understand oral health tools, transforming access in underserved communities.

Partner Content AAoM NAT Conference vendors include autistic artists and entrepreneurs.

Beyond awareness, autism acceptance affirms neurodiversity and improves lives

The Autism Alliance of Michigan and other advocates for autistic people are working hard to move from raising autism awareness to fostering autism acceptance. 

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Sip, savor, and support The Arc of the Bay during an April 24 fundraiser

Empty Canvas Concert at the State Theatre offers ticket-buyers the chance to enjoy art, music, wine, and chocolate while helping out a local nonprofit.

Feature Story Bay Area Community Foundation logo

Give Local Bay 2025 is bigger than ever, with teen involvement and more activities

Give Local Bay event on May 6 raises money for more than 50 nonprofits in Bay and Arenac counties. The event also aims to raise the visibility of nonprofits in our community while encouraging youth philanthropy.

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Experience local charm when summer brings festivals and more to Bay County

Get out your calendars, summer fun is just around the corner. Highlights include the return of the Appledore IV, the Bay City Fireworks Festival, and Wednesdays in the Park.

Feature Story Blood donor list

Consider giving blood, you might just be someone’s type

Blood donations often fall off in the summer as people go on vacations. But the need for blood always exists. Versiti Blood Center has a number of options for people to donate all summer long.

Longform Summit Pointe Youth Services staff, from left, Matt Jones, Beth Decker, Sam Stover, Melissa DeDie, a

Community mental health and child welfare collaborate to care for Michigan’s vulnerable children

Michigan’s community mental health (CMH) agencies are the lead in providing mental health care for children in the child welfare system.

Community Calendar

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