Our roundup of the latest news from metro Detroit and Michigan businesses as well as announcements from government agencies. To share a business or nonprofit story, please send us a message.
Shades of Pink Foundation Planning Zoo Walk for April 29
The Shades of Pink Foundation (SOPF) breast cancer nonprofit is planning its annual family-friendly signature event, A Walk at the Zoo, set to take place April 29.
“The SOPF A Walk at the Zoo is a springboard for our fundraising efforts throughout the year,” says Mary Pat Meyers, president of the SOPF board. “We pledged last year to increase the number of clients we served. We accomplished that goal and distributed over $283,000 to individuals in the community struggling financially due to a breast cancer diagnosis — a 47 percent increase over 2021. The success of the walk each year is essential to growing our investment in the community.”
Participants are encouraged to pre-register here.
Tickets purchased before April 23 are $35 for adults, $25 for children (ages 6-17), and $10 for little ones (ages 2-5). Registration includes the zoo entrance fee. Those who cannot attend in-person can help fundraise by registering as a “virtual walker.”
Portions of the event will be streamed on Facebook Live starting at 7 a.m. Sponsorship packages also are available starting at $1,000. For more information about sponsorships, visit here.
Study: Positive Business Outlook Outweighs Unemployment Concerns
Consumer sentiment lifted for the third straight month in February, rising 3 percent above January, supported by a 12 percent improvement in consumers’ outlook over the economy for the year ahead, according to the Ann Arbor-based University of Michigan Surveys of Consumers.
Sentiment remains well below its historical average, however, in spite of the recent slowdown in inflation. Overall prices are still high for consumers and continue to be at the forefront of their minds, says U-M economist Joanne Hsu, director of the surveys.
About 38 percent of consumers reported that their living standards are being eroded by inflation, down from a peak of 49 percent in July 2022 but still elevated relative to a year ago.
“Consumers have noted both positive and negative developments in the economy,” Hsu says. “On one hand, worries about rising unemployment have emerged for some amid layoff announcements. On the other hand, labor markets continue to enjoy historic strength, supporting robust income growth. Consumers will weigh the balance of factors, focusing on implications for their own budgets, as they make decisions on spending or saving.”
With unemployment at its lowest rate in nearly 70 years, about 40 percent of consumers expect unemployment to increase in the year ahead, compared with only 25 percent a year ago. Concerns are most prominent among higher-income consumers, whose views have been weighed down by well-publicized layoffs largely affecting white-collar workers.
In contrast, lower-income consumers have shown more optimism over the trajectory of labor markets. Still, most consumers do not expect to be personally affected by weakening labor markets. Expected income growth over the next year remains robust, even for the high-income consumers most concerned about unemployment.
As such, while consumers continue to adjust their spending in light of high prices and interest rates, their total spending is likely to remain robust, at least in the short run, Hsu says.
With the new Congress divided, gridlock over economic policy is likely to ensue, Hsu says. Sentiment among Republicans surged 12 percent in February, reaching their highest reading in 16 months. Meanwhile, sentiment rose only slightly for Democrats and Independents.
Despite the recent narrowing, the partisan gap persists, with a 25-point wedge in sentiment between Republicans and Democrats this month, about two-thirds of the average gap since February 2017. Across political affiliations, opinions about the government’s economic policies have moved sideways over the last several months.
The debt ceiling crises in 2011 and 2013 spurred steep declines in consumer sentiment. While debt ceiling negotiations may not yet be salient for most consumers, this may change in the months ahead as key deadlines approach, Hsu says.
The Consumer Sentiment Index rose to 67.0 in the February 2023 survey, up from 64.9 in January and above last February’s 62.8. The current Index rose to 70.7, up from 68.4 in January and above last February’s 68.2. The Expectations Index rose to 64.7, up from 62.7 in January and above last February’s 59.4.
Bamboo and Culture Shift(hers) Unite Present ‘The Un-Networking Event’
Bamboo and Culture Shift(hers) Unite have announced a partnership to host a powerful event for female-identified leaders from 6:30-8 p.m. March 23 at Bamboo in Royal Oak.
The event will feature storyteller Ellen Chamberlain, entrepreneur and co-owner of Bamboo Amanda Lewan; and CEO and entrepreneur Nina Payne. Both of these women will share their personal and professional experiences and offer valuable insights on how to navigate the challenges of being a female leader.
“Women founders and leaders are a force,” says Amanda Lewan, founder and CEO of Bamboo Detroit. “Often we are resilient and creative servant leaders. This event series will create a special sense of fellowship and reinvestment in them. We partnered with Ber-Henda Williams (founder of Culture Shift(hers) Unite) to craft an event that is un-networking: an event filled with support, fellowship, and self-care. Networking can be transactional. Un-networking can be transformational.”
To register, visit here.
Gesher Human Services to Offer Basic Computer Skills Training
Gesher Human Services in Southfield is starting a new program called Computer Basics for Job Seekers from March 13-29, offering 12 hours of classroom time at its headquarters.
The cost of the program is $199, but full and partial scholarships are available; the program is free to unemployed people who are looking for work.
“There is a tech divide now amongst job seekers and those without computer skills are faced with a huge barrier to employment,” says David Rotter, supervisor of computer training services at Gesher Human Services. “Even when applying for a job, someone walks into a business because they see a job advertised and they are frequently directed to a URL. If the person just has a phone and no laptop, they might not be able to navigate using a computer at the library, so they don’t even get an opportunity to apply for the position.”
Rotter explains that there could be a multitude of reasons why a person had missed out on learning computer skills, that it wasn’t just older people who were affected, and that many who feel like they have been left behind may feel very embarrassed.
“Computer literacy isn’t really taught — people are just expected to have picked it up — and it gets to be such an issue that people who don’t have those skills either try to cover it up, or just stick to their lane where they are limited in doing so many things, including getting a job,” he says.
Topics for the Computer Basics Class include:
- Creating, editing, naming, saving, and moving files
- Keyboard, mouse, and trackpad usage
- Navigating the internet
- Tech terms translated
- Social media
- The Cloud
- Safety
Students will be given a portable flash drive to transport files plus a workbook. They can either bring their own laptop or use one of the agency’s. Classes will meet on Mondays and Wednesdays, March 13-29, from 1-3 p.m. To register contact David Rotter at drotter@geshermi.org or call 248-233-4243 for an enrollment application.
Michigan Science Center Finishes 3rd in USA TODAY Science Museum Voting
The Michigan Science Center came in third in the 2023 USA TODAY 10Best Readers’ Choice travel award contest for Best Science Museum.
The local nominee was edged out by The Center of Science and Industry (COSI) of Columbus, Ohio and the Wild Center of Tupper Lake, N.Y.
The Top 10 includes:
- Center of Science and Industry (COSI), Columbus, Ohio
- The Wild Center, Tupper Lake, N.Y.
- Michigan Science Center, Detroit
- Tellus Science Museum, Cartersville, Ga.
- Saint Louis Science Center, St. Louis, Mo.
- Great Lakes Science Center, Cleveland
- Exploratorium, San Francisco
- California Academy of Sciences, San Francisco
- The Franklin Institute, Philadelpia
- The Museum of Flight, Seattle
