Winter Warmth: A Second Life of Giving

As the first signs of winter settled over Michigan, volunteers at MA Center Michigan came together with one intention: to bring warmth to individuals who may struggle in the colder months. When Achieve Charter School’s National Junior Honor Society launched its first Winter Warmth Drive—supported by Empower Care, a nonprofit founded by an Achieve alum—MAC Michigan stepped in to strengthen the effort. Donations gathered at the center would go directly to underprivileged patients at the University of Michigan’s student-run free clinic. “It’s inspiring to see students take the lead in caring for others,” one volunteer shared. “When the next generation discovers the joy of giving, it creates hope for the future.”

The drive focused on one simple theme: warmth in both form and spirit. Volunteers and families contributed winter coats, sweaters, hats, scarves, socks, and gloves—essentials that make a real difference during Michigan’s harsh winter. Over the course of the drive, MAC Michigan collected 18 coats, 8 sweaters, 10 hats, 5 neck warmers, 5 pairs of gloves, 37 pairs of socks, an earmuff, and several hand and toe warmers. As the final day approached, the coordinator’s family added extra sweaters, scarves, gloves, hats, and fuzzy socks, bringing the offering to a meaningful total of 108 items. One Achieve student, Alisha Rucker, shared, “Hearing how much came from the center made us realize how many people truly care.”

For MA Center Michigan, supporting this youth-led project was both uplifting and deeply meaningful. The 108 winter items will help keep dozens of clinic patients warm, while the students who organized the drive witnessed how collective effort can brighten someone’s season. “Every winter item is more than just an object—it’s a message that someone cares,” the coordinator said. The project offered a quiet reminder that service doesn’t always require grand gestures—sometimes it begins with a coat that still has life left in it, a pair of gloves from the back of a drawer, or a community choosing kindness together..