EightCAP celebrated a $100,000 grant from the Consumers Energy Foundation last week with a check presentation and volunteer event at its Administrative Building in Orleans.
During the event, representatives from the Consumers Energy Foundation formally presented a $100,000 People Award check to Lori Johnson, President of EightCAP, recognizing the Foundation’s investment in EightCAP’s Household Goods for Rehousing Success initiative. Representatives in attendance included Cathy Wilson, Secretary and Treasurer of the Consumers Energy Foundation, and Rebecca O’Connell, Consumers Energy Community Affairs Manager.
The grant, awarded through the Consumers Energy Foundation’s People Award, supports 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. These kits include essential household items that help families establish stable, dignified homes as they begin their next chapter.
Following the check presentation, volunteers from Consumers Energy assembled approximately 36 Fresh Start Kits, providing essential household items that help families establish stable, livable homes. Representatives from Volunteers in Action, a local volunteer organization that has supported EightCAP in assembling many of the original kits, also attended the event in recognition of their ongoing partnership and commitment to the initiative.
The event was also attended by four members of EightCAP’s Governing Board, reflecting the agency’s leadership support and commitment to the success of the Household Goods for Rehousing Success initiative.
“When families leave homelessness, having a safe place to live is only the first step,” said Lori Johnson, President of EightCAP. “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 approximately 81 Fresh Start Kits to 25 individuals and families transitioning out of homelessness across Gratiot, Ionia, Isabella, and Montcalm counties, helping ensure newly housed residents have 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,” said Cathy Wilson, secretary and treasurer of the Consumers Energy Foundation. “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. The Foundation invests in Michigan communities by supporting 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.
