Three years ago, we learned about Giving Tuesday, an international day of giving back that’s recognized each year after the big holiday shopping weekend (Black Friday-Cyber Monday). We’ve continued the tradition of participating in this day and asked our members and the community to use their shopping power for good. Once again, we were blown away by the support and participation we received as we worked together to make a big impact.
It’s the season of giving and also the season of major shopping sprees. We wanted to use this shopping power for good, so we looked at the number of in-store and online transactions our members made with a Lake Trust debit and credit card from Black Friday through Cyber Monday. We then added one penny per transaction to our donation amount for a total of $8,929. That’s a lot of shopping!
How It Works
It’s no secret that we’re very passionate about our communities and we love to support the efforts of those who are working to make Michigan a better place. This year as part of our Moved By Good efforts, however, we’ve shifted our organizational focus to help meet the basic human needs of food, shelter, clothing, health and wellness, and education. Our team helped us pick five organizations around Michigan who align with this mission: Love in Action, LACASA, Isabella County Restoration Center, Ele’s Place, and City Rescue Mission of Lansing.
On Tuesday, November 27, our members and the community voted for their favorite organization to help us decide where our donation should go. After 24 hours of voting, Ele’s Place won with the most votes!
Congratulations To Ele’s Place
Ele’s Place is a non-profit based in Lansing that helps children, teens, and their families find support in times of grief. They offer peer-to-peer support groups based on age level at their four locations in Ann Arbor, Lansing, Flint, and Grand Rapids. In these groups, children are encouraged to express their emotions and feelings to work through the grief process. In addition to their on-site services, Ele’s Place also offers sessions at local schools and provides crisis counseling when needed.
“Our vision is that no child should grieve alone, and the holiday season is particularly challenging for families who have experienced the death of someone close to them. With an increase in death by suicide and overdose, this time of year can be especially difficult. We provide services at no cost since these families also undergo tremendous financial pressure,” said Kristine K., Ele’s Place Lansing Director. “In our four locations, we’ve established programs for children and teens to help each other. This year we are also providing eight-week sessions in up to 40 schools in the Lansing area for 2018-2019. It is the generosity of Lake Trust and its members that help ease the most difficult time in a child’s life, and we’re so thankful.”
All of the services at Ele’s Place are free for children and their families. In a time of grief, finances can add a layer of stress and anxiety and the team at Ele’s Place doesn't want this barrier to stop children from receiving support. The organization simply wants to help kids find peace so they can continue to lead healthy, productive lives.
Giving Another Gift
Since our members, team, and the community were obviously very passionate about all of the organizations nominated for our Giving Tuesday donation, the Lake Trust Foundation is giving a $1,500 donation to Love in Action, LACASA, Isabella County Restoration House, and City Rescue Mission of Lansing. These organizations work hard to help people meet their basic needs during times of extreme duress. By providing meals, shelter, clothing, and comfort, these non-profits help people get back on their feet and give them hope when it's needed most.
Thank you again to our wonderful members for using their debit and credit cards to help our Giving Tuesday donation grow to $8,929. And thanks to everyone who participated and voted on November 27. Our efforts to give back are made possible with your support and belief that together we really can make a difference.
SEE ALSO: Doing Good on Giving Tuesday | 8 Easy Ways to Do Good This Year