2025 Impact100 TC $116,000 Grant Recipient.

Groundwork Center for Resilient Communities is advancing Phase II of the Esperance Community Teaching Kitchen with a transformative initiative: expanding access to food-as-medicine education across Northwest Lower Michigan. With support from Impact100 Traverse City, the Esperance Community Teaching Kitchen will livestream, record, and distribute high-quality culinary medicine and nutrition training to underserved communities in the five-county region.

The initiative will establish the Esperance Community Teaching Kitchen as a regional broadcast hub and technical assistance center. It will deliver live and recorded classes, create an on-demand resource library, and provide continuing medical education for healthcare professionals. Partnerships with media outlets will further broaden access, reaching schools, food pantries, and households across the region.

This initiative represents transformational change by scaling a proven model. Programs like “Dinner with Your Doctor” have already shown improved health behaviors and empowered patients to better manage chronic conditions. By embedding food-as-medicine into both healthcare and community settings, the Esperance Community Teaching Kitchen strengthens vital connections between providers, patients, and families.  Long-term partnerships with healthcare systems like Munson Healthcare and a diversified revenue model—including healthcare contributions, class fees, sponsorships, rentals, and consulting—ensure growth beyond the grant period.

With an Impact100 Traverse City grant, this initiative will directly serve at least 500 individuals by 2027 while reaching thousands more digitally. Together, we can transform rural health, proving that food is not just nourishment—it is medicine. Read more

Check Out: Groundwork Center for Resilient Communities Wishlist & Website

2025 Impact100 TC $116,000 Grant Recipient.

The Women’s Resource Center mission is to protect, shelter and empower people impacted by domestic and sexual violence. Since 1999, we have operated our transitional house, offering stability for survivors rebuilding their lives. With support from Impact100 Traverse City, we will advance a transformational initiative: creating a survivor-centered studio apartment within the Women’s Resource Center’s transitional home.  Residing in an apartment where the environmental stressors of communal living have been removed gives survivors the foundation to build emotional and financial security free from the fears of homelessness or returning to a violent home.

This initiative is designed to meet survivors’ immediate housing needs while supporting long-term healing and independence. Residents have access to the Women’s Resource Center services including one-on-one advocacy and emotional support, court advocacy, safety planning and access to community resources that reduce barriers to recovery and foster resilience.

The Women’s Resource Center owns its transitional housing outright, ensuring stability for decades to come. Operating costs for the new unit—utilities, maintenance, and services—will be absorbed into the existing housing budget. Sustainability is a cornerstone: more than 51% of Women’s Resource Center’s annual revenue comes from nonprofit thrift stores, creating rare independence from government or grant funding. In addition, over $650,000 is raised annually through community giving, providing resilient, flexible support.

With an Impact100 Traverse City grant, the Women’s Resource Center will expand housing capacity, strengthen pathways to independence, and ensure survivors can build safe, thriving futures. Together, we can break cycles of violence and create lasting transformation for survivors and their families. Read more

Check Out: Women’s Resource Center Wishlist & Website

2025 Impact100 TC $116,000 Grant Recipient.

Goodwill Northern Michigan’s Food Rescue program is transforming food access across the region. Since 2008, the program has recovered and redistributed 2.2 million pounds of food annually—enough for 6,500 meals each day—to 78 pantries, meal sites, and baby pantries across five counties. In 2014, only 13% of partners could reliably offer fresh produce. Today, 80% can. With Impact100 Traverse City’s support, we can achieve 100% by 2027.

The barrier is cold storage. Throughout the year, and in particular during harvest season, thousands of pounds of produce are lost due to limited capacity, restricting access for the 20% of pantries that cannot consistently provide fresh food. A new walk-in cooler at our Traverse City warehouse will more than double storage, extend shelf life, reduce waste, and ensure healthy food reaches families.

The initiative also strengthens our Healthy Harvest program, which rescues surplus produce from area farms. In 2024, 320,000 pounds were distributed, but over 100,000 pounds were left uncollected due to storage constraints.   This lack of capacity continues to affect Food Rescue in 2025.  Tomorrow, Food Rescue will pick up 2,400 pounds of peaches in Hart, Michigan, but they will have to pass up the opportunity to pick up another 7,200 pounds given the lack of cold storage. Expanded capacity will capture more of this food, feeding families instead of going to waste.

The initiative is shovel-ready and sustainable. With minimal operating costs, no new staffing needs, and Goodwill’s overhead covered through stores and ecommerce, 100% of an Impact100 Traverse City grant will fund infrastructure that delivers lasting impact. Together, we can ensure every pantry opens its doors with fresh, healthy food—nourishing families and strengthening communities. Read more

 Check Out: Goodwill Northern MI Food Rescue Wishlist & Website

2024 Impact100 TC $116,000 Grant Recipient. 

The mission of TARP is to undertake projects which will enhance the quality of life for all people in the greater Thompsonville area.

TARP’s keystone project is the creation of a bicycle trailhead, and an ADA compliant visitor’s pavilion and campground at the historic Thompsonville Junction. TARP’s vision is that this project would initiate a transformational change to the Thompsonville area community. With the successful completion of the trailhead project, Thompsonville would become an important node on the recreational trail map that is evolving in Michigan and attract runners, wheelers, walkers, bicyclists and bicycle campers. The pavilion could be utilized as an outdoor education setting for students in the local preschool and learning center

and the Benzie Central school system, as well as a venue for programs of other non-profits, and public outdoor meetings and functions. By commemorating Thompsonville’s past, this project would establish a path for the community’s future. Read more

Check Out: Thompsonville Area Revitalization Project Wishlist & Website