MAY 3, 2024 STUDENT SOLUTIONS Meet and greet with Michigan Movement ERIN TURNER U-M student contributor You might sometimes wonder what the students at the University of Michigan care about. Here’s one of the thousands of answers to that question: homelessness. Students care about combating homelessness and they care about the people experiencing it. This is evident in the multiple organizations founded by students that work to address this very pressing issue. I did a deep dive on one of these clubs, Michigan Movement (MIM), to highlight the efforts of this specific club and bring awareness to those who want to get involved in the fight against homelessness. In order to get a better understanding of this club and its inner workings I interviewed one of its presidents, Liem Swanson. He explained to me some of their ongoing projects and what he hopes for the future of the club. Founded in 2015, Michigan Movement’s mission is to provide aid to those experiencing homelessness and poverty in Ann Arbor, increase community involvement and reduce the harmful stigma surrounding homelessness. They do this by providing basic necessities, promoting the idea of self-governance through education, health and wellness and having a passion for community engagement and activism. They have one focus: empower those struggling by working WITH them. It’s a great launching pad for those who want to get involved but are new to the scene. Right now, the club’s main efforts go towards clothing and food drives, group volunteering at the Delonis Center and Mercy House, and educational club meetings. One of their biggest projects, which occurs a few times over the school year, is Project Connect. This is a one-day event where students in MIM distribute care packages, known as MIM Kits, that contain food, masks, clothing, hygiene products and more, to people experiencing homelessness. They also provide testing strips for drug and overdose prevention, menstrual products, blankets, ponchos and whatever else is appropriate for the time of year. They get doctors, dentists and barbers involved so those stopping by can get vaccinated and screened, update their documentation, or get a dental exam, a fresh haircut or any of a broad list of benefits. Students also distribute a meal during the event as well as have music playing in the background. This event usually aids anywhere from 25 to 50 individuals. This is made possible by partnerships with Mercy House, the Delonis Center, the University of Michigan School of Dentistry and others. A club of 20 plus active members, MIM is intending to put their effort into new activities that will get more students involved, according to Swanson. He hopes that the club will continue to grow its numbers and expand its influence within the university and City of Ann Arbor. He told me that there is currently an idea of creating a club social media account GROUNDCOVER NEWS 11 Project Connect at Mercy House on April 13. Photo credit: Liem Swanson. that posts interviews of Groundcover News vendors for the general public to get to know the people and their stories. Another idea for the future is hosting homework help and resume workshops for people trying to find jobs or go back to school. The Michigan Movement is a great starting place to get involved in this noble cause. This club allows community-oriented students to make a difference and grow their own perspective. They make meaningful connections within the club and outside the university community. If you are a student and want to join the fight against homelessness, join the Michigan Movement! Project Connect at Liberty Plaza on October 29, 2023. Photo courtesy of Michigan Movement. STUDENTS from last page now”. He concluded by saying: “It’s always our goal to do our best for the people we serve, and we have gotten a lot of great feedback and were always willing to improve as well.” Another service that the students provide is the returnable shelves initiative, which is part of the University-wide sustainability effort. Recently, the initiative started installing returnable shelves on trash cans around central campus in which passing people can deposit their “returnables.” Returnables, in this context, are bottles and cans that are recyclable and have a cash value (deposit value), which is paid once the returnable is brought back to the store that sold or carries it. Not all bottles and cans are returnables. Despite their cash value, these cans and bottles typically end up in landfills, so this initiative strives to not only prevent them from ending up in the landfills, but also benefit those in need with a small additional income. I recently had the opportunity to interview Josh Davis, who brainstormed this project idea after being inspired by similar shelves in Copenhagen where he studied abroad. I asked, what is the goal of the project? He responded, “The goal of this project aims to enhance recycling efforts and support community members in reclaiming bottle and can deposits. This not only promotes environmental sustainability, but also economic benefit through a simple yet accessible innovation.” He hopes that this initiative will provide a “tangible solution to the challenge of recycling public spaces” through offering a designated spot for people to leave their recyclable cans and bottles. He hopes it can help the homeless through “simplifying the process for those who collect these items for the 10-cent deposit return, reducing the need to search through the trash bins.” On campus, the overall attitude towards homelessness has been shifting, especially with the rise of student organizations that actively strive to create a solution to the homelessness problem within Washtenaw County. PUZZLE SOLUTIONS W A R M 1 13 17 A R E A S B 24 28 30 36 41 A V E R Y E S I R E N O M T C 37 A H E A 42 46 49 T 52 54 62 65 W H I G S O A K E D 55 T O N I T O N 63 E 56 57 E G G O N D O N U T B U T S 66 50 H 47 C O O K E E R O A D T 51 53 R 38 F 43 L O P S 48 P O E T R Y A K E I T I S K 58 64 67 59 60 61 D A M P A G E S Y O G I 31 25 W H E X Y 20 2 3 4 5 14 18 21 A R A S T A 22 T H E N Y O U 26 29 S O U P Y 32 H U R L O R K I N 39 44 45 O W I E S 33 A 34 35 S H O E 40 V A 27 C O M E T O B 23 A 6 M I A 7 8 9 S O D O P T 15 16 19 E D G E D U L L L L O T 10 M A 11 12 I M
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