New Gilmore Car Museum Exhibit Commemorates the History of Ford Mustang
The Gilmore Car Museum in Hickory Corners, northeast of Kalamazoo, has opened its newest exhibit, “Celebrating 60 Years of the Ford Mustang.”
It is a tribute to one of the most recognizable American nameplates and features one-of-a-kind customs, rare Shelbys, prototypes, and race cars in addition to interactive opportunities for Mustang enthusiasts.
“The Ford Mustang is truly a special automobile that definitely warrants its own exhibit. Not only is it an American icon but, perhaps more important, it is also an innovator,” says Nick LaCasse, executive director of the Gilmore Car Museum. “The Mustang’s ability to not only stay relevant for over 60 years but to also push the limits of performance is truly remarkable and something we are elated to celebrate.”
To further commemorate this milestone, the Gilmore Car Museum also has coordinated a Mustang Meet-Up on Sept. 15. The day will be include activities for the whole family, presentations from Mustang experts, and live music. Guests in attendance will be able to cast their vote to help determine the top three People’s Choice winners, who will drive away with cash awards.
For more information, visit here.
Farbman Group Unveils Updated New Center One Atrium
Farbman Group in Southfield has completed the atrium renovation at New Center One, a 600,000-square-foot Class-A art deco mixed-use office complex in Detroit’s New Center.
“We feel it is more important than ever to upgrade our office properties to encourage new opportunities for collaboration and connection,” says Andy V. Farbman, CEO of Farbman Group. “The atrium upgrades at New Center One will better serve our tenants and visitors with a bright and comfortable meeting spot, an aesthetic location to enjoy lunch, and an all-around more visually appealing space while they travel in and out of the building.”
Renovations at the New Center One atrium include new furniture, a faux grass and live plants installation to bring the outdoors inside for a fresher look, upgraded LED lighting to brighten up the space, and an elevated black paint job to the elevator facade for a modern finish. Michelle Davis of Farmington Hills-based Davis & Davis managed and executed the design of the new atrium.
RE/MAX of Southeastern Michigan to Open First Brokerage in Pontiac Sept. 12
RE/MAX of Southeastern Michigan announces the opening of RE/MAX Empire, its first brokerage in Pontiac. Gjon Lucaj owns the office at 106 W. Montcalm St., which will be managed by broker Paul Jackson.
Lucaj has worked in property management for 26 years and is now expanding his business into the residential and commercial real estate sectors with the opening of RE/MAX Empire.
“RE/MAX Empire offers a wide range of real estate and property management services for our clients,” says Lucaj. “Our mission is to meet all real estate needs within our community and to expand the RE/MAX Empire brand across the metro Detroit area.”
Jackson, a seasoned real estate professional, is the broker of record for the new location and manages the day-to-day operations. In addition to being a licensed realtor and broker, Jackson holds multiple professional designations, including Accredited Buyer’s Representative, REALTORS® Commitment to Excellence, Certified Residential Specialist and Military Relocation Professional.
“I have a deep-rooted passion for real estate and helping clients achieve their personal goals,” said Jackson. “I am excited to serve homebuyers and sellers in Pontiac and the surrounding communities, areas I know and love.”
For more information about RE/MAX Empire, please visit myempirere.com or call (248) 720-6353 to learn more about RE/MAX Empire’s services and how they can assist you with your real estate needs.
Bank of America Mobile Financial Center Coming to Detroit Sept. 10-13
Bank of America is partnering with local nonprofit SER Metro-Detroit to bring a mobile financial center to SER Metro-Detroit’s Samaritan Center, where they will provide convenient access to banking services, financial wellness education, credit counseling, meetings with specialists and information about the latest digital banking capabilities.
The mobile financial center offers Detroiters all services available at permanent branches, including account setup. It also provides free education and advice from specialists and credit counselors on managing finances and helps business owners build their financial acumen on how to save, spend, borrow and invest to reach their goals.
The mobile financial center will be on site at Samaritan Center (5555 Conner St.) from Tuesday, Sept. 10 to Wednesday, Sept. 11 from 2-6 p.m. and Thursday, Sept. 12 to Friday, Sept. 13 from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. In addition, SER Metro-Detroit will offer a resource fair at the Samaritan Center from 3-6 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 10, and host a career and jobs fair from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 12.
Bank of America will be offering the following services at the mobile financial center:
Financial education classes and specialty workshops: Covering topics such as budgeting and banking, saving, building healthy credit, homebuying, and starting and growing a business. These sessions will be facilitated by certified Bank of America em-ployees using Better Money Habits resources and tools.
Financial well-being counselors: Sessions on money management and credit, helping clients create customized plans budgeting, increasing savings and improving credit scores.
On-site financial specialists: Including Business Community Officers and home lending advisors, providing tailored financial solutions and advice to meet individual needs.
Digital expo: Highlighting Bank of America’s mobile and online banking capabilities. Visi-tors can also experience the Financial Literacy Simulator, an interactive tool that teaches how to save, build credit and manage monthly budget through an online simulated gaming experience.
SiriusXM’s Smokey’s Soul Town Launches New Show ‘Live from Motown Museum’
SiriusXM is launching “Live from Motown Museum,” a new weekly show on SiriusXM’s Smokey’s Soul Town (Ch. 74).
The weekly show will be hosted by John Mason, radio personality and voice of the Detroit Pistons, and Levi Stubbs III, whose father Levi Stubbs was an original member of Motown group the Four Tops.
Every Saturday at 2 p.m., listeners can expect to take a musical stroll through Hitsville U.S.A. as the hosts play the biggest Motown hits and share stories and history from the place where it all happened.
G2 Consulting Group Celebrates 30 Years of Engineered Success
“Smart. Results. Fast.” Those were the ideas behind G2 Consulting Group when the company was founded 30 years ago. They are still the driving ideas behind the company today. Be smart. Deliver desired results. Do it on time.
Put another way, G2’s goal is “to deliver responsive geotechnical engineering, environmental consulting and construction services to help clients build better, build smarter and, ultimately, build profits.”
For a company founded by three guys in the basement of one of the partners’ homes 30 years ago to a company with offices in three cities – Troy, Ann Arbor and Chicago – and with nearly 150 employees and growing, G2 has surpassed its founders’ dreams. And they got out of that basement in less than a year.
“We’ve stuck with our guiding principles, and it’s worked,” says Mark Smolinski, one of the three founding partners. “Our philosophy has never changed. We provide practical, value engineering solutions to complex construction engineering problems. That’s what our clients expect, and demand.”
During Detroit Connectivity Day Provides 500 Laptops to Help Close Digital Divide
As part of AT&T’s Detroit Connectivity Day, nearly 500 Detroit students and families received free laptops and backpacks filled with school supplies today, thanks to AT&T, Human-I-T, and Black Tech Saturdays.
The laptops and backpacks were distributed to Detroiters during a Black Tech Saturdays event at Newlab, which also featured a panel discussion on Amplified Intelligence: Empowering the Culture Through Technology.
AT&T provided the 500 refurbished laptops to preselected Detroiters in collaboration with Human-I-T and Black Tech Saturdays. Families also received a new backpack filled with school supplies. The backpacks were assembled by AT&T employee volunteers as part of a national effort to bridge the digital divide and equip 20,000 students across the country with laptops and backpacks this fall.
Recipients of laptops now have access to job search, obtain employment, receive telehealth services, connect with family and resources, and build the skills they need to thrive and succeed in life.
The effort is part of the AT&T Connected Learning initiative to help address the digital divide through internet accessibility, affordability and safe adoption. AT&T is committing $5 billion to help 25 million people get and stay connected to affordable, high-speed internet by 2030.
Learn more at att.com/connectedlearning.
BCBSM, Partners Award Grants to 33 Michigan Food Pantries
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, United Dairy Industry of Michigan (UDIM), Blue Cross Complete of Michigan, and the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan Foundation today announced they’re providing $242,000 in grant funding to increase the capacity of local food pantries to provide fresh food options that require refrigeration.
Community members visiting these pantries will have improved access to nutrient-rich fresh food options that require refrigeration, such as dairy products, fruit and vegetables. Thirty-three food pantries will receive a refrigeration unit valued up to $7,000, personalized technical assistance to enhance pantry operations, nutrition education support and $250 in funding for the purchase of dairy food for their pantries.
Feeding America’s Map the Meal Gap study reports Michigan’s food insecure population totaled at 1.4 million people in 2022. Among seniors 60 and older in the state, nearly 168,000 were food insecure. Nearly every food pantry awarded serves seniors and almost half serve veterans.
A Military Support Programming Survey shows one in five military and veteran families experience food insecurity across the U.S. – 44 percent of awarded pantries report serving the veteran population. These are just two of several population groups facing higher rates of hunger and food insecurity.
The food pantries receiving grants are located across 21 counties and serve more than 16,000 Michigan residents monthly. Since 2022, the Food Pantry Grant program has reached 54 counties across the state and this year’s grants reached pantries in six new counties: Bay, Iosco, Lapeer, Manistee, Midland, and Montcalm.
Habitat for Humanity of Michigan Receives $200K Grant from Consumers Energy Foundation
Habitat for Humanity of Michigan has been awarded a $200,000 grant from the Consumers Energy Foundation. This funding will support Habitat for Humanity of Michigan’s Priority Home Repair Program, which helps low-income homeowners maintain safe and healthy living conditions.
The Priority Home Repair Program focuses on addressing the most urgent and critical repair needs for low-income households with the greatest attention to the health and safety of family members. Priority repairs include roof replacements, water intrusion, structural repairs, accessibility issues for aging in place, enabling healthy water, as well as septic and drain field repairs. This grant will enable Habitat for Humanity of Michigan to serve more families in need, helping to preserve affordable homeownership and revitalize neighborhoods throughout the state.
For more information about Habitat for Humanity of Michigan and the Priority Home Repair Program, please visit habitatmichigan.org.
Comerica Bank, Jackets for Jobs to Support Local Teens This Homecoming Season
Comerica Bank is hosting a free two-day Homecoming dress boutique for metro Detroit students Saturday, Sept. 14 (9 a.m.-3 p.m.) and Sunday, Sept. 15. (noon-4 p.m.) in partnership with Jackets for Jobs. The event will take place in the lower level of the Samaritan Center (5555 Conner St.) in Detroit, and will feature more than 1,500 new and gently used dresses.
The pop-up homecoming boutique will offer dresses of various styles and sizes sourced from Comerica Bank’s sixth annual Prom Dress Drive, which benefitted Jackets for Jobs — a Detroit-based nonprofit that focuses on career development by providing high-quality clothing that makes clients look and feel professional to support workplace success.
Those interested in participating should register online in advance at jacketsforjobs.org. For more information, call Jackets for Jobs at 313-579-9160.
American Cancer Society Announces New Foodie Event ‘Taste of Hope Detroit’
The American Cancer Society announced a new event, “Taste of Hope Detroit,” a culinary event that unites award-winning chefs and Detroit food enthusiasts in a shared mission to end cancer as we know it, for everyone.
Scheduled to take place Sept. 22 at the Icon Building in Detroit, Taste of Hope will bring together top Detroit-area chefs to share their finest “bites” of food, creative drinks from noteworthy mixologists, and fun entertainment. The strolling supper-style event will provide guests with ample opportunities to network, dance, and have fun while savoring the best of Detroit’s culinary scene and making an impact in the fight against cancer.
For more information, visit here.
Troy Chamber to Host Annual Autumn Themed Event at Troy Historic Village on Sept. 19
The Troy Chamber of Commerce announced the return of Fire & Flannel, presented by The Davey Tree Expert Co. Fire & Flannel is set for Sept. 19 at the Troy Historic Village from 4-6:30 p.m.
Event highlights include:
- Live Music
- Bourbon and Whiskey Tastings
- Blacksmithing Station
- Beverage Tent
- Food Tent
- S’mores Station
- Cornhole and Yard Games
- LumberJack and Jill Flannel Contest
- Networking
For more information and to purchase tickets, visit here.
Kroger Co. of Michigan Celebrates Hunger Action Month with Round Up Campaign
The Kroger Co. of Michigan and the Zero Hunger | Zero Waste Foundation announced its annual Hunger Action Month campaign, giving customers the option to round up at the register and donate to local Feeding America affiliated food banks, including the Gleaners Community Food Bank, Forgotten Harvest, Food Bank of Eastern Michigan, Greater Lansing Food Bank, South Michigan Food Bank, and Food Gatherers.
Hunger Action Month is an annual nationwide month of action to spread awareness and encourage everyone to join the movement to end hunger.
From now through Sept. 30, customers can join the celebration by rounding up their purchases to the nearest dollar amount at checkout to benefit their Feeding America affiliated food bank. In Michigan, 100 percent of all donations made during the month will be directly donated to participating food banks.
In addition to inviting customers to round up at register throughout the month of September, The Kroger Co. of Michigan also will be a match partner supporting Forgotten Harvest and their fundraising efforts.
To learn more about Zero Hunger | Zero Waste, visit here.
Detroit Philanthropy Signature Event to Explore the Evolution of Philanthropy
On Sept. 24, Detroit Philanthropy invites community leaders and nonprofit professionals to join its Annual Signature Event at the Detroit Athletic Club, titled “Philanthropy: Past, Present, and Future.”
The event will take place from 11 a.m.-1:30 p.m. and includes a plated lunch, keynote address, panel discussion, and ample networking opportunities for attendees to connect with fellow philanthropists, business leaders, and community advocates.
The Signature Event is the pinnacle of the organization’s annual programming and brings together nearly 250 nonprofit CEOs, fundraising professionals, corporate giving representatives and foundation leaders.
It will feature a keynote address by Wendy Lewis Jackson, managing director for the Detroit Program at The Kresge Foundation, who will share her insights on the transformation of philanthropy in metro Detroit. Jackson has been a pivotal figure in shaping philanthropic strategies that address the most pressing needs of the community, making her a key voice in this important conversation.
Following the keynote, a distinguished panel of experts will delve deeper into the changing landscape of philanthropy.
Panelists include Beth Ardisana, CEO of ASG Renaissance & Performance Driven Workforce, and Trustee of the Mott Foundation; Mike Morse, attorney and founder of Mike Morse Law Firm; and Tony Early, former chairman and CEO of DTE Energy Corp.
For more information and to register for the event, visit DetroitPhilanthropy.com.
Leaders at Davenport University in Grand Rapids Among Most Influential Latinos in West Michigan
Vive Michigan magazine has named Davenport University Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs Gilda Gely and Executive Director of Casa Latina Carlos Sanchez to its list of 25 Most Influential Latinos in West Michigan for 2024.
The magazine states on its website, “The list is a celebration of the incredible contributions that Latinos have made to our state, and it serves as a reminder of the many ways in which we are shaping the future of Michigan. The individuals included on this list are role models who have made a significant impact in their communities and beyond, and they serve as an inspiration to us all.”
Awardees will be recognized at an October 10 gala in Grand Rapids. See here for event and registration information.
