FIRST & 42 has curated a list of ideas for you to find locally made gifts for the most wonderful time of the year with features of local Merry Makers. Giving the gift of local means more, because not only will you find quality items that are meaningful to others,...
With a strong artistic and entrepreneurial spirit but few local opportunities to apply his passions, Alex Weller, owner and operator of Weller BBQ Food Truck forged his own path. “I grew up in Grand Haven. There are only two options: either work in factories or...
Recently retired from the army with a great deal of energy and passion to share, Jason Baldwin jumped into the food truck business starting On the Roll Food Truck with the encouragement of his wife and co-owner Brenda. “When he said he was going to retire, I said,...
Throughout this past summer, the YMCA of Greater Kalamazoo supported families by providing fun and safe camp programs during the day. To continue its support of the community, particularly working families and school children in Kalamazoo, the YMCA worked with local...
If you traveled back in time 20 years, the one square mile sitting on top of a hill in Kalamazoo may be unrecognizable. Known as the Eastside Neighborhood, the place used to be home to upwards of 30 businesses, explained Neighborhood Association Director Pat Taylor....
Fresh, warm donuts are the sweetest fall treat to enjoy for any meal or snack. Who can resist enjoying fresh apple or pumpkin donuts along with a day at the orchard, picking up some fun fall flavors on your way to work to share with your team, or even sweetening up...
Have you seen that tall, lime green "tacos" banner flying in the wind next to a brilliantly white, new food truck? The name, "Teresa's Kitchen" is printed across the side with a shadow of a monarch butterfly. More than a decade ago, Maria Teresa Hernandez began...
Southwest Michigan is home to a great deal of our state's more than half a million Latinx population. An initiative that started almost 40 years ago, El Concilio is committed to supporting a thriving community that is equipped to preserve the diverse Latinx cultural...
A lover of fresh and local produce from a young age, Bridgett Blough was shocked when she left her home in Berrien County, Michigan’s fruit belt, that not everyone had that type of access. “I grew up thinking it was normal to have access to local fruits and veggies...
The Girl Scouts Heart of Michigan (GSHOM) has been working hard on its mission to build girls of courage, confidence, and character who make the world a better place even throughout the pandemic. Going above and beyond to make sure that programs are still available...
