MI Healthy Climate Corps’ first cohort reaches the finish line as winners

Corps member experiences

Asked to sum up the MHC Corps in a word or phrase, corps members used terms like diverse, motivational, uplifting, friendship-building, career-launching – even “unexpectedly explosive.” Here are several of their stories in brief:

• “If it grows, it goes,” Isidor Mitchell explained about types of food scraps suited to go into composting. Mitchell worked with the City of Lansing to promote at-home composting and a city food scrap drop-off. They also developed a guide for residents with tips for sustainable lawns and gardens and said they gained perspective working in the community: “The people you are serving? They know more than you do. They know what’s up.” Mitchell will continue working for the city.
• Kim Heumann said she “tried to say yes to as many opportunities as I could” for engagement in her host community of River Rouge. She created a clean energy workforce development handbook addressing job training and resources for River Rouge and surrounding communities. It’s intended as a starting point for other organizations to create similar resources. She has signed on to serve the Washtenaw County Resiliency Office as part of the corps’ new cohort.
• Jacob Bol focused on what he called West Michigan’s most polluted waterway while serving with Plaster Creek Stewards, a Calvin University initiative. Bol worked with school groups to teach the importance of native plants and other ecological improvements to the creek, which was named for gypsum deposits mined for plaster-making. He said, “We’re changing the mindset from ‘What can we get from this creek?’ to ‘What can we do for this creek?’”
• Dionna Brown served with the Everly Collective health equity and social justice hub in Flint and EGLE in Lansing. The Flint resident said the universe works in mysterious ways: When the grandma who helped raise her died in 2020, she had to ask a friend to register her for college classes. The friend picked a second-choice class in environmental rights that set Brown on her current course. As a corps member, Brown developed resources for an environmental art grant even though she had no art background and developed a Youth Climate Policy Academy through EGLE – her proudest achievement.
• Za’Nyia Kelly served with Transportation Riders United (TRU), a nonprofit improving Detroit-area public transit. She collected community members’ stories of public transit challenges and led community walk audits to view the local environment from a transportation accessibility perspective, contributing to a regional report that will inform future road designs and reforms. “Through direct MHC Corps training and on-the-ground experience, I've learned more about how to effectively network in different capacities, be it a one-on-one, a community engagement setting, or with government officials and elected decision makers,” she said. Kelly has been offered a position with TRU.
• As Marquette County’s climate adaptation coordinator, Quinn Thibault aided county residents with home repairs and helped draft a county climate action plan – for which they held “dialogue dinner” events to hear from residents across four county regions. “I was able to learn many new skills that will benefit me in my professional career” they said. Thibault recently earned a bachelor’s degree in sustainable business and enterprise creation from Northern Michigan University and is eager to explore career opportunities advancing sustainability initiatives and climate action in metro Detroit, where they grew up.
• Kristin Caffray helped the Regional Transit Authority of Southeast Michigan create its first climate messaging and position. “My service term allowed me the space and time to experiment, learn, ask questions, and build confidence as a subject matter expert,” she said. “I think that all work needs to be climate work, or a ‘green job,’ and this was one way I sought to help others see that.” Caffray has accepted a job offer with her host site. 
• In her role with northern Michigan’s Antrim Conservation District, Emma Fitzgerald attended 20 different municipal meetings to talk to local governments about what they could do to incorporate sustainability, offering them needed support and connecting them to resources. “I was also able to connect community groups with their municipal leaders, and I can feel good that those connections will last past the end of my term,” she said.
• Karey Hamrick’s position with trade association Clean Fuels Michigan has expanded her horizons and network in clean mobility. As transportation resources coordinator, Hamrick connected communities with federal and state funding for clean transportation projects. “I also bridged the gap between our members and communities that directly benefit from what our members offer,” she said. Hamrick is working on her graduate certificate in metropolitan planning from DePaul University.
• “I was shocked by how much my understanding of sustainability in Michigan went from black and white to Technicolor,” Daniel Arini said of his MHC Corps service. “All the innovative climate work going on across the state is truly remarkable and underrated.” Arini worked with the Michigan Economic Development Corporation’s Growth Office, developing public education materials including campaigns and websites to highlight the intersection of the state’s talent and population growth efforts and climate leadership.

Hosts’ boasts

Of course, corps members make up only half of the picture. Here’s a sampling of testimonials from host communities and organizations about their MHC Corps partners:

• “Marley Wolff created the DNR’s first-ever publicly distributed climate newsletter. Marley was also instrumental in conducting research and outreach and assisting with policy and process strategies for mass timber, Michigan the Beautiful, clean energy transition on public lands, and state-owned dam management.” – Jon-Paul Shannahan, Michigan Department of Natural Resources Office of Public Lands
• “Quinn Thibault’s service allowed Marquette County to expand capacity specific to climate work. Marquette County was able to dedicate a large community outreach focus related to climate change and reach people in all areas of the county ‘where they are.’ Adding the equivalent to one full-time equivalent to a team of four was a game changer.” – Emily Leach, Marquette County senior planner and chair, Climate Adaptation Task Force
• “We were fortunate that Rebecca Serrano obtained a full-time position with our Department of Public Works as our recycling coordinator. Thanks to Rebecca’s service, our office was able to increase engagement with community members. Rebecca successfully coordinated cross-departmental meetings that advanced goals to establish resilience programs that will serve residents most in need.” – Maria M. Galarza, deputy director of the City of Detroit Office of Sustainability
• “During her eight-month service term as a program coordinator for Michigan Saves, Julia Cunnien proactively learned all she could about our organization and integrated herself into our team. She demonstrated the values, skills, and eagerness to continue this work. We’re excited that she is joining the Michigan Saves staff as our special projects manager. She built a strategy that she now can execute as a permanent member of our team.” – Nishaat Killeen, senior project manager, Michigan Saves
• “Isidor Mitchell created a pilot food scrap collection program and supported a community garden mini-grant program. We (previously) didn’t have staff capacity to launch the food scrap collection program, even though it was a high priority. The collection program has already helped to divert organic materials from the landfill, helping to mitigate the impacts of climate change.” – Lori Welch, sustainability manager, City of Lansing Public Service Department
• “Jacob Bol got to take ownership of our Parkway Pocket Garden program. This program, launched this spring, aims to bring native plant gardens to the front yards of neighborhoods with Environmental Justice concerns. Jacob also supported native plant propagation at our greenhouse, installed and maintained green infrastructure projects with our team, and more. Jacob is returning for a second term with us.” – Haley (Weesies) Kornoelje, project coordinator, Plaster Creek Stewards, Calvin University
• “Chad Oberdoerster was instrumental in standing up the advisory committee for the Community and Worker Economic Transition Office, a new office within LEO that ensures communities, workers, and employers impacted by transitions in the auto and utility sectors have the support needed to proactively prepare for, benefit from, and shape Michigan’s future economy. Chad is extending his service in the next MHCC cohort. He’ll be joining Ingham County, where he’ll provide capacity support for developing the county’s Climate Action Plan.” – Kate Bell, policy director, Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity
• “Nicole Card served with the Office of Sustainability in Oakland County advancing our Oakland SAVES program – an American Rescue Plan Act-funded program aimed to increase energy efficiency, weatherization, and renewable energy projects for Oakland County residents – to serve over 1,000 households. She had direct contact with our residents throughout the process, supported storytelling and data management, and assisted with the Community Change Grant application to advance this work into the future.” – Erin Quetell, chief sustainability officer, Oakland County

Making a difference all over Michigan

Here’s the full list of where members of the first cohort served:

• Antrim Conservation District
• Calvin University
• City of Detroit
• City of East Lansing
• City of Kalamazoo
• City of Lansing
• City of River Rouge
• Clean Fuels Michigan
• Detroit 2030 District
• Detroit Future City
• East Bay Charter Township
• The Everly Collective
• Lansing Board of Water & Light
• League of Michigan Bicyclists
• Let's Grow Michigan
• Marquette County
• Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy Office of Climate and Energy
• Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity
• Michigan Department of Natural Resources Office of Public Lands
• Michigan Saves
• Oakland County
• Regional Transit Authority of Southeast Michigan
• SEEDS Ecology and Education Center
• Spartan Housing Cooperative
• Superior Watershed Partnership
• Transportation Riders United
• Village of Elk Rapids
• Washtenaw County Facilities Management Department
• West Michigan Environmental Action Council