PLAINFIELD TOWNSHIP, Mich. — When teachers have no other option but to personally shop for their classroom, The StoreHouse helps them save. The Consumers Energy Foundation wants to keep that good deed going.
The Consumers Energy Foundation awarded a $250,000 grant to the Plainfield Township-based nonprofit as part of a program called The People Awards.
“We extend heartfelt thanks to the Consumers Energy Foundation for their invaluable People Award grant,” said Jessica Johns, cofounder and executive director of the StoreHouse. “The technology upgrade enabled by this grant will revolutionize our product distribution and amplify our impact within our community and far beyond, allowing us to reach more individuals and families than ever before. Together, with Consumers Energy, we embrace the power of innovation and compassion to create positive change in Michigan for those who need it most.”
The StoreHouse does things a little differently, fielding requests from other nonprofits for household items or school supplies.
The organization based out of Grand Rapids acts as a one-stop shop for member nonprofits and schools to “purchase” donated products to meet the needs of the individual communities they serve.
Because it facilitates those donations, it can cut down on bulk.
"The donation system is actually broken. What happens is well-meaning businesses, manufacturers, corporations make large-scale product donations to well-known entities and overwhelm them because they didn't need that volume of donation or didn't actually need the product at all," said Jessica Johns, cofounder of The StoreHouse. "I think understanding the donation system’s broken but using us can actually exponentially help communities."
The grant from the Consumers Energy Foundation will support the development of a comprehensive technology platform that will streamline the donation, distribution and access process for member groups.
Two nonprofits from Jackson were also picked for The People Awards. They help low-income, elderly people and will split another $250,000.
“We are deeply grateful for the work these three organizations are doing in their communities, and across the state, to remove the barriers many still face to fulfilling basic needs,” said Brandon Hofmeister, president of the Consumers Energy Foundation. “Ensuring every person in this state has access to the resources they need to live safe and healthy lives is part of our core mission, and our People Award grants give us an opportunity to fund programs we know will provide those resources.”
