Groups and resources that enrich our community
The local area is home to a wide array of nonprofit and charitable organizations, all for the benefit of local residents. The information below represents Stockbridge Community News’ best efforts to compile descriptions and contact information.
Not listed or notice an error? Please accept our apologies and email corrected information to [email protected] or snail mail the NEWS, P.O. Box 83, Gregory, MI 48137. Also, if your organization has an event to advertise or announce free of charge in our “Community Calendar,” please contact the email above.
American Legion Mackinder-Glenn Post 510 Founded in 1947, the Mackinder-Glenn American Legion Post 510 continues to be one of the pillars of the Stockbridge community. The post was named for two local residents who were killed in action during World War 1. These hometown heroes were Russell Mackinder and J.T. Glenn. Property for the post’s site was donated by William Domine, which caused the local Legion to purchase the balance of the land where the Legion stands at 830 S. Clinton St., Stockbridge. The post consists of Legion Members (Veterans), SAL (Sons of the American Legion), ALR (American Legion Riders, a motorcycle group) and The Auxiliary. Over the years, the post has sponsored a variety of activities ranging from baseball to oratory competitions as well as Poppy Day sales for disabled veterans and veterans having difficulty getting assistance from other sources or a hardship is placed upon them. They can be depended upon to provide memorial honor guards as needed for veterans’ funerals. They also host an annual Ceremony for Disposal of Unserviceable Flags every June. The legion does not march in the light parade, but they do have a trailer leading the parade. On Memorial Day they have a program at the post and members then march to the cemetery, where a roll call of deceased veterans is done. For the past few years, SAL has prepared a meal for veteran members and spouses on Veterans Day. Also the Legion, SAL, ALR and the Auxiliary provide scholarships for relatives of members. Ongoing social activities include: bingo, euchre, an annual Chili Cookout, Fish Fries, several times during the fall, winter and spring and Thursday night specials that rotate between tacos, sliders, chicken wings and Coney dogs. Local members participate in the Homecoming Parade in Stockbridge as well as in the Gregory Fourth of July parade. Since July 2019, any honorably discharged veteran who served after December 7, 1941, is now able to join the American Legion and all our welcomed to do so. Wartime service was previously required. The “Legion Act” as it is named was signed into law in July of 2019. Everyone is welcome to attend the games and the meals and to participate in any of the other activities provided throughout the year. Phone 517-851-8445.
Boy and Cub Scouts Camping, archery, BB gun shooting, bottle/can drives, car washes, Pinewood Derby races—these are a few of the activities that Cub Scouts has to offer. Come join the adventure. Interested? Want info? Contact Mike Stoffer at phone 734-355-3070 or email at [email protected].
Churches: The Stockbridge area is home to a wide assortment of churches and religious organizations. Currently recorded churches in our area are:
First Presbyterian, 101 S. Center. Contact Linda or Kate at 517-851-7015.
Stockbridge United Methodist, 219 East Elizabeth. Contact: Elizabeth, 517-851-7676.
St. Cornelian and Cyprion Catholic, Catholic Church Road. Contact Bonnie at 517-589-8492 or [email protected].
Gregory Community Church, 126 Church St., Gregory. 734-498-2541.
Trinity Lutheran, Pinckney.
Church of Christ, 4783 S. M-52, Stockbridge. 517-851-8141.
Highest Praise Worship Center, 5107 Clinton, Stockbridge. 517-851-7758.
Crossroads Community Church, 950 S. Clinton, Stockbridge. 517-851-7075.
First Methodist Church of Waterloo, Territorial Road, Stockbridge. 517-851-7287.
Good Shepherd Mission, 5050 E. M-36. 517-851-9800.
Jeruel Baptist Church, 11400 Plum Orchard Road, Munith. 517-596-2128.
Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses, 15800 Graves Road, Gregory. 734-498-2601.
Millville United Methodist Church, 1932 N. M-52, Stockbridge. 517-851-7853.
Munith United Methodist, 122 N. M-36, Munith. 517-596-2441.
Plainfield United Methodist Church, 17845 M-36, Stockbridge. 517-851-7651.
Southwest Church of Nazarene, 1455 Holmes Road, Gregory. 734-498-2682.
Trinity Pentecostal Church, 4935 Freiermuth Road. 517-565-3310.
Unadilla Presbyterian Church, 20175 Williamsville Road, Gregory. 734-498-7114.
The Stockbridge Community News is pleased to allocate special sections of the December and April print editions to numerous holiday activities underway in these organizations. Please see our online and print “Community Calendar” for specific church activities and events each month.
Friends of the Stockbridge Library organizes the annual Silent Auction and helps with book sales. The Friends help with programming and purchasing needed items for the Stockbridge Library. For info, contact P.O. Box 802 or email [email protected].
Girl Scouts. Enjoy field trips, camping, cultural studies and more. For info, contact Kate Wigent at 517-742-4741, or contact Membership Specialist Callie Frey with the Girl Scouts Heart of Michigan at 517-742-4741.
Happy Hustlers 4-H. Interested in 4-H? Happy Hustlers meet generally once a month. Any youth 5 years or older may join. The goal of 4-H is to develop citizenship, leadership responsibility and life skills of youth through positive learning programs. Whether you are interested in crafts, photography, or animals, you can discover these programs through Happy Hustlers 4-H Club. If interested, please ask to join our Happy Hustlers 4-H page or call Carrie Zeitz at 517-204-1336 or Holly Whitaker, 517-937-9547. Meetings are held at Heritage School on the second Sunday of the month, 6 p.m. Check us out on Facebook.
Munith Rod & Gun Club. Spring through fall, daytime and under the lights, the nonprofit MR&GC sports club sponsors American Trapshooting Association (ATA) events and fun shoots. The trapshooter club welcomes all adults and accompanied minors on Friday nights at 5 p.m. for trapshooting practice April through October. Location: 11455 Fitchburg Road, Munith, Michigan. Contact: 517-745-3783.
Munith/Stockbridge Community Pay It Forward Group is a local online outreach project solely aimed at helping our community and neighbors at the micro level. Though the local economy has improved since PIF’s founding in 2012, the mission to bring aid to those in need remains. With neighbors helping neighbors throughout the surrounding communities, the group’s format and guidelines are simple: If you are in need of help, it doesn’t matter what it is, post it. Not comfortable asking publicly? Contact one of the administrators privately and confidentially. Know someone in need? Post for them. Someone will see it and help. Your kid needs winter coat? Good chance someone on this page will have one. Public Announcements, Lost and Found Pets and Employment Opportunities. This is not a “For Sale” page and all items must be donated freely. Have an item you no longer want or need? Post it. Chances are a neighbor will want or need it. Need a ride to work because your car broke down? Post it. Maybe someone on here is going that way. Can’t pay the light bill? If we can’t help here, we will put you in contact with someone who can.
Now, if you see someone post something and you can help them, times are hard and we have all been there. Some are blessed with more than what they need, and others don’t have enough. Connect with us on Facebook at Munith/Stockbridge Community Pay it Forward Group or email us via our sister group at [email protected].
Open Air Market of Stockbridge. A 501(c)3 Farmers Market held every Friday from 4 to 7 p.m. on the Stockbridge Township Square from first Friday in May through October as weather permits. Local and regional musicians perform in the gazebo between 5:30 and 7 p.m. May through September. Our products include local cheese, honey and eggs. Produce and fruits include fresh corn, tomatoes, potatoes, beans, squash, broccoli, cauliflower, peppers, herbs, greens, apples, peaches, pears, strawberries and melons. We have baked goods including bread, pies, sweet breads, coffeecake, cupcakes, cookies, muffins, spiced pecans and more. Artisan crafts include handmade soaps, candles, herbal lotions and sprays, baskets, knitted items and art. We welcome other nonprofit organizations to set up booths for free. Off season, the event continues indoors on select dates. The Market has four winter markets in the Presbyterian Church Hall on the second Saturday of January, February, March, April (dates can change) from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., with local musicians from noon to 2 p.m.. Contact information: OAM, P.O. Box 382, Stockbridge, MI 49285, 517-851-7437, [email protected], and we’re on Facebook.
Panther Cubs PTO a 501(C)(3) nonprofit comprised of parent volunteers, teachers and administrators. The mission of the PTO is to support the needs of the staff and students of Stockbridge schools. Funds raised by the group pay for teacher supplies, field trip transportation, movie licensing, special assemblies, playground equipment and more. The PTO also organizes events such as family fun nights, dances for students and teacher appreciation lunches. Meetings are held at Heritage Elementary the first Tuesday of the month at 4 p.m. Additionally a parent volunteer meeting will be held the third Tuesday of the month at Heritage at 6 p.m. with the first meeting Jan. 18, 2022. Want more information? Interested in being a part? Check us out on Facebook at https://facebook.com/panthercubspto/ Want to receive our monthly newsletter?
Shop Rat Foundation. Founded in 2004 by manufacturing entrepreneur, Chris Salow, the Shop Rat Foundation promotes and provides learning opportunities for youth enrolled in grades 6-12 to gain a better understanding of the manufacturing industry through participation in Shop Rat Education Program offerings. The Foundation’s mission is “to ignite interest in manufacturing careers among youth through innovation and outreach.” Its educational program incorporates hands-on, project-based curriculum modules focused on machining, welding, engineering, construction and modern manufacturing (including mechatronics and additive manufacturing). The program is currently facilitating after-school classes, in-school partnership activities and summer camps in Jackson, Livingston, Eaton, Hillsdale, Ingham and Lenawee counties. Facilities are located at 11855 Bunkerhill Road, Pleasant Lake, MI, 49272. Can be found at www.shoprat.org. Contact Kelly Burr Kofflin at: [email protected] for information.
SRSLY (text language for “seriously”) SRSLY’s mission is to empower and equip youth to reach their full potential by remaining substance-free. SRSLY promotes positive family, school, and community involvement. We also work to limit youth access to alcohol and other drugs and to reduce parental and peer approval of youth drug use. We focus on primary prevention, which means we aim to stop substance use before it ever starts. That’s why we focus our efforts on youth ages 10-15, but our coalition is open to anyone interested in promoting a more positive and healthy community. SRSLY receives support from the Office of National Drug Control Policy’s Drug-Free Communities Program, St. Joseph Mercy Chelsea, the 5 Healthy Towns Foundation, and the Coghlan Family Foundation. For more information or to volunteer, email [email protected] or call 734-593-8089.
Visit www.srslystockbridge.org or follow SRSLY Stockbridge on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Stockbridge Area Chamber of Commerce focuses on helping businesses and residents succeed by making our community a better place to work, live, dine, and play. We are organized to achieve the objective of: promoting growth, community, and volunteerism to the communities of Gregory, Munith, and Stockbridge by supporting other local groups or individuals for the common good and organizing events to attract and retain businesses and residents. Website www.stockbridgeareachamber.org/ or visit our Facebook page.
Stockbridge Area Educational Foundation was founded in 2000 as a 501(c) (3) tax-exempt organization affiliated with the Jackson County Community Foundation. SAEF offers many benefits to the Gregory, Munith and Stockbridge areas through the generous donations of community members and participation in its primary annual fundraiser, the Festival of Tables. SAEF enhances the educational opportunities available to all its citizens through quarterly grants and scholarships. Donations offer educational support to community members and organizations, contributing to a more positive and enriched future. Phone 517-851-7188 or visit www.panthernet.net/our-district/saef .
Stockbridge Area Arts Council (SAAC) is a nonprofit, all-volunteer organization dedicated to providing opportunities for area residents of all ages to participate in and enjoy the performing arts and cultural events in our community. Since its inception in 1990, the SAAC has improved the aesthetics of the Township Hall by contributing funds for a new stage curtain and audience seating, purchasing a new sound system, purchasing and providing ongoing maintenance of the grand piano, and improving the lighting system. The SAAC sponsors an annual art show in the Township Hall, offers an annual scholarship for a selected Stockbridge student to participate in a summer arts program, and sponsors performances by the Stockbridge Festival Chorus. SAAC meets in Room 108 of the Stockbridge Activity Building (former middle school). New members are welcome. For more info, please find us on Facebook or email: [email protected].
The Stockbridge Area Garden Club, first established in 1984, serves the greater Stockbridge area. Its 20-plus members seek to beautify public areas, educate people on the how-to’s of flower gardening, and support civic projects. Among other undertakings, the garden club decorates the Township Hall and Square, weeds and waters the cemetery flag garden, and helps families in need through Stockbridge Community Outreach. Meetings are generally held the first Monday of the month generally at 1 p.m. All interested are invited. Contact [email protected] or mail the Stockbridge Garden Club, P.O. Box 612, Stockbridge, MI 49285.
Stockbridge Area Genealogical/Historical Society (SAGHS) is dedicated to preserving and promoting genealogical and historical information throughout the greater Stockbridge area. SAGHS offices are located in the Stockbridge Town Hall on the lower level. P.O. Box 966, Stockbridge, MI 49285. For info about general public meetings, please check our website: www.stockbridgeareaghs.org. Contact [email protected].
Stockbridge Area Wellness Coalition (SAWC) was created by the 5 Healthy Towns Foundation (5HF) to help improve the overall wellness of the area served by the former Chelsea Hospital. 5HF is a tax-exempt, private charitable foundation governed by a volunteer board of directors. The mission of the 5HF is to cultivate improvements in personal and community wellness. SAWC aims to serve all those within the Stockbridge school district, focusing on four pillars of health identified by 5HF: making healthy connections, eating better, moving more, and avoiding unhealthy substances. One of the first projects undertaken was to establish the Stockbridge Wellness Center, but other interventions include improving the trail systems, building and improving playgrounds and parks, helping to build the Heritage pavilion and community greenhouse, supporting the Open Air Market and Outreach’s Tide Me Over, establishing SRSLY Stockbridge and planning for wellness improvements for the future. All are invited, encouraged, and welcome to join SAWC. Other communities involved with 5HF are Chelsea, Dexter, Grass Lake, and Manchester. To learn more about the Stockbridge Area Wellness Coalition and 5HF, visit www.5healthytowns.org or www.facebook.com/stockbridgewellnesscoalition or email [email protected].
Stockbridge Athletic Boosters (SAB) is a nonprofit organization that brings parents and community members together, dedicated to encouraging and supporting athletes and athletic programs in the Stockbridge Community School District. This is done through various fundraising opportunities such as event concessions and larger community events such as the Harlem Wizards fundraiser last spring, which helped purchase equipment for the new weight room in the Jr/Sr High School. SAB is always looking for volunteers to help work concessions and fundraising events, students may even work to cover pay-to-play fees. To find out more, find us on Facebook @Stockbridge Athletic Boosters. Stay tuned for news on our next big fundraising event this spring! Go Panthers!
Stockbridge Community Education. This department of the Stockbridge Community Schools oversees community use of the school buildings and property and also organizes enrichment and recreation programs for the district for all ages. Offices are located in Smith Elementary School, 100 Price Ave., Stockbridge. Phone 517-851-7735, ext. 3207, website http://panthernet.net/departments/community-education/ and Stockbridge Community-Education on Facebook. Volunteers are always needed to teach a class, coach a team, or help at events.
Stockbridge Community Greenhouse is up and running. A few community members have shared their gardening tips with our students, and we encourage others to reach out to Josh Nichols at 517-917-3223 or at [email protected] if they would like to share information or use some of the space in the greenhouse for their gardening needs.
Stockbridge Community News is a volunteer-run, nonprofit, public information service operated by volunteers. Our mission is to serve as a hub of quality, consistent local information to build a stronger community. As an IRS 501(C) (4) organization, we depend on the support of donors and sponsors. Over the course of our first three years of existence, the News has grown from a four-page newsletter to a full-fledged public information organization. Our website (stockbridgecommunitynews.com) and Facebook page regularly serve more than 30,000 viewers each month. Our print edition, mailed monthly to more than 8,200 households in the Stockbridge School District, reaches an estimated 24,000 residents in the Stockbridge, Munith, Gregory and Fitchburg area and portions of White Oak, Grass Lake, Leslie, Pleasant Lake, plus portions of Washtenaw and Jackson counties. As you plan your gift giving for the end of the year, we hope you will keep us in mind, and we always need and welcome volunteers in a variety of areas. The News may be reached at P.O. Box 83, Gregory, MI 48137 or through email at [email protected].
Stockbridge Community Outreach was organized during the fall of 1981 because local churches had become unable to handle the volume of requests for help. The first food pantry was in a room in the basement of a church. We are now located in the old Middle School (now the Stockbridge Activity Center), 305 W. Elizabeth, Room 120 and are open three days a week. We currently offer assistance with food (once monthly), utilities, housing, transportation, and prescriptions. We have clothing and small household goods—all free to the public. We coordinate the Tide Me Over weekend and summer food programs for kids and families who are on the free or reduced lunch program. We participate with the Fresh Food Initiative of Jackson, offering weekly food distributions to anyone who shows up at the site. Our facilities are used for government food distribution, and at Thanksgiving and Christmas we offer special food and gift programs. We make referrals to other agencies for specific needs. Our hours: Mondays and Fridays, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Wednesdays, 1 to 6 p.m. We also provide emergency assistance to those living in the Stockbridge School District. For info, call 517-851-7285 or find us on Facebook. Our mailing address is P.O. Box 682 – Stockbridge Activity Center, Stockbridge, Mi 49285.
Stockbridge Golden Years Senior Citizens’ Nutrition Site meets Fridays in Stockbridge Township Hall. Lunch is served at noon, followed by bingo. Social time starts at 10:30 a.m. Ages 60+, $3 donation requested, but not required. RSVP is appreciated. Call Betti Wetherell by 5 p.m. Wednesday, 517-206-9035. [email protected]. or www.tcoa.org/resources/nutrition-services.
Stockbridge Lions and Lioness Clubs in Stockbridge. The Stockbridge Lions Club provides ongoing financial support to a wide range of organizations, events and foundations, including Stockbridge Community Outreach, Waterloo Farm Museum, Stockbridge Area Arts Council, American Diabetes Association, Bear Lake Camp, Stockbridge Day in the Village, Gregory Fourth of July Celebration, and Stockbridge Area Educational Foundation. The Stockbridge Lions Club has awarded more than $250,000 over the past years to graduating seniors of Stockbridge High School to help further their educations. The group meets the first Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. at the Presbyterian C.E. building. Anyone interested in joining or contacting the Lions Club may contact Norm Landis, Lions President, at 734-498-2380.
Stockbridge Masonic Lodge a charitable organization that supports many causes in the Stockbridge area, including scholarship programs at the high school, sponsoring teams through Community Education and raising funds and sponsoring Adopt-A-Family for Stockbridge Community Outreach. A Mason is a member of the oldest and largest goodwill fraternity in the world, known as Masonry or Freemasonry. Masonry teaches that each man has a duty to make life better, not just for himself, but for everyone. They are in all likelihood the oldest continuing group within our community having established themselves by 1862 in Stockbridge. Their meeting hall is located on the second floor of the building which now houses Hometown Pharmacy. You can see their insignia on the door between the two Hometown Pharmacy Doors. Their charter does not permit the solicitation of members, but they are always happy to include new ones. Their history in the community is a long and active one. Contact Greg Uihlein at 734-905-0990 or [email protected].
Their Guardian, Their Voice a small group of community members connecting in an online forum working together to offer help with short-term assistance for families in crisis and struggling to feed or care for their pets and/or livestock. Their Guardian, Their Voice will also try to assist with placement, adoption, general medical care, and the occasionally emergency medical care when funds are available. We are not a wealthy community and resources are limited and the list is long but we do our best to meet immediate needs. Our end goal is always to make sure any animal doesn’t go hungry or suffer. If someone is not comfortable asking publicly for assistance, they can contact one of the administrators privately and confidentially. Coverage area is Ingham County, Jackson County and immediate surrounding counties. For more information, contact Heather Walling at [email protected] or connect with us on Facebook at Their Guardian, Their Voice. Ongoing donations can be made at paypal.me/guardiansvoice.
Tide Me Over, a backpack program that is part of Outreach, works to stave off hunger among the elementary school’s most vulnerable students by sending food home with children to tide them over the weekend. Currently, the program provides weekend meals to more than 100 Stockbridge elementary students, pre-kindergarten through sixth grade. Donations may be made c/o the TMO program to Stockbridge Outreach, located in the Old Middle School, Mondays and Fridays (9 a.m. to 3 p.m.) and Wednesdays 1 to 6 p.m. Mail to Stockbridge Community Outreach, P.O. Box 682, Stockbridge, MI 49285. Questions or comments? Email [email protected].
Town Hall Players Our hometown community theater group is always looking for new members: actors, musicians, technical directors, designers, backstage and front-of-house crew, and other volunteers. THP relies on the generous support of local businesses, groups, and individuals to continue to produce good local theater. See our Facebook page, Stockbridge Town Players. If you would like more info or to sponsor a show or the complete season, please find us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/stockbridgethp/. We can be contacted at [email protected].
Wake Up Stockbridge & Surrounding Communities an online forum and movement of like-minded individuals with the mindset of community unity and pride. Its goals include making our community inviting for all near and far, coming together as a community united rather than divided, and addressing the harder issues and concerns surrounding us. Wake Up Stockbridge, which started as a Facebook group to discuss community goals, is a positive entity that welcomes different points of view and opinions. Working closely with their sister group Munith/Stockbridge Pay It Forward to make the simplest of needs to larger of needs meet as best they can, to ease economic burdens. The group has grown into local gatherings that host community projects. It conducts various types of activities and initiatives for young and old, resident or not. Although Wake Up highlights Stockbridge as our central point, we are an all-inclusive group helping overlapping communities and neighbors. “After all, it does not take a village, township or district to make a community. It takes like-minded people who simply care,” Tina Mullins said.
For more information, contact Tina at [email protected] or via Facebook at Wake Up Stockbridge & Surrounding Communities.
Waterloo Farm and Dewey School Museums located at 13493 Waterloo-Munith Road, Grass Lake, MI 49240 is maintained and staffed by volunteer workers and members of the Waterloo Area Historical Society (WAHS). We have operated as a community service since 1962, giving tours, living history interpretations, demonstrations, educational meetings, and craft classes. To volunteer, see our website or Facebook page. Contact WAHS at P.O. Box 37, Stockbridge, MI 49285, email: waterloofarmmuseum.org, or call the Farm Museum at 517-596-2254 to leave a message. See our Facebook page. Open for weekend tours starting the first weekend after Memorial Day and ending the weekend before Labor Day.
WATERLOO NATURAL HISTORY ASSOCIATION Since 1981, the Waterloo Natural History Association (WNHA) has been helping people enhance their experiences with nature in the Waterloo Recreation Area. The WNHA is a 501(c)3 charitable organization whose purpose is to provide both educational and recreational opportunities for people visiting the park. The association is composed of concerned citizens who want to support environmental education and help promote the area as a valuable community resource. Everyone is welcome to become a member. The WNHA and the Department of Natural Resources have a unique partnership. As a support organization for the Waterloo Recreation Area and the Eddy Discovery Center, the WNHA sponsors projects, offers weekend public programs, maintains the gift shop, and provides services which supplement and complement those offered by the DNR. Whether you explore the dark, tangled recesses of the black-spruce bog, or enjoy listening to the chorusing of woodland frogs, the WNHA will help you discover the natural wonders of the Waterloo Recreation Area. The Eddy Discovery Center is the nature center for the park and is located at 17030 Bush Road, three miles west of downtown Chelsea. A recreation passport for your vehicle is required for entry. Visit the website at www.wnha.org to learn more about the organization, program schedules, and memberships, or call the Eddy Discovery Center at (734)475-3170.
Waterloo Needlework Club. This group has continued making needlework quilts, knitting and crocheting for people in need since 1911. The club has supported a number of different charities through the years, including making bandages for injured soldiers during World Wars I and II. WNC supports a number of current charities with quilts or money and will be demonstrating our crafts at Pioneer Day in October at the Waterloo Farm Museum. We appreciate donations of good cotton fabric, batting, or money to buy these items. We meet the second and fourth Thursday of every month at 10 a.m. at the Munith United Methodist Church. For info, call Jan, 517-769-2172, [email protected] or Mary Myer, 517-851-8752. Leave a message, and we’ll get back with you.
