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From left, Marti Duryea and Jan Wheelock of Volunteers in Action stand with Lori Johnson, president of EightCAP; Evelyn Sowerby of EightCAP; and Cathy Wilson of the Consumers Energy Foundation during a $100,000 People Award check presentation supporting EightCAP’s Household Goods for Rehousing Success initiative. — Submitted photo
Submitted by EightCAP Inc.
ORLEANS — EightCAP celebrated a $100,000 grant from the Consumers Energy Foundation on Friday with a check presentation and volunteer event at its administrative building.
The funds, awarded through the Foundation’s People Award, will support EightCAP’s Household Goods for Rehousing Success initiative, which provides “Fresh Start Kits” to individuals and families transitioning out of homelessness in Gratiot, Ionia, Isabella, and Montcalm counties. The kits include essential household items to help families establish stable, dignified homes.
During the event, Lori Johnson, president of EightCAP, received the check from Consumers Energy Foundation representatives, including Cathy Wilson, secretary and treasurer of the Foundation, and Rebecca O’Connell, Consumers Energy community affairs manager.
Following the presentation, volunteers from Consumers Energy assembled approximately 36 Fresh Start Kits. Representatives from Volunteers in Action, a local volunteer organization that has previously supported the initiative, also attended, as did four members of EightCAP’s governing board.
“When families leave homelessness, having a safe place to live is only the first step,” Johnson said. “This generous support from the Consumers Energy Foundation ensures that individuals and families aren’t starting from nothing. These Fresh Start Kits help restore dignity, create stability, and make a house feel like home. We are deeply grateful for this partnership and for the volunteers who gave their time today to help our neighbors succeed.”
Since early November 2025, EightCAP has distributed about 81 Fresh Start Kits to 25 individuals and families transitioning out of homelessness across the four counties, providing them with the basic necessities needed to maintain stability and begin rebuilding their lives.
“At the Consumers Energy Foundation, we believe strong communities are built when we come together to support one another,” Wilson said. “Partnering with EightCAP and volunteering alongside their team today reflects our shared commitment to helping families in Mid-Michigan not only find housing but create homes where they can thrive. Together, we’re proud to help remove barriers and support a foundation for long-term stability.”
The Consumers Energy Foundation is the charitable arm of Consumers Energy, Michigan’s largest energy provider. It invests in initiatives that strengthen people, protect the planet, and promote economic prosperity.
EightCAP’s Household Goods for Rehousing Success initiative directly supports the agency’s mission to alleviate the causes and effects of poverty by ensuring families exiting homelessness have the basic resources needed to achieve stability and long-term self-sufficiency.
