- Capital Area Diaper Bank and the Freetail store has provided assistance to those in need across the state of Michigan
- The Freetail Store in the Lansing Mall assists about 80-120 people every day
- The diaper bank has donated 14,000 diapers from their Lansing Mall location and the Freetail store gave out 28,000 articles of clothing last month alone
- Capital Area Diaper Bank and the Freetail store were nominated for the Community Votes Lansing award and are receiving praise from the community for all their efforts
(The following is a transcription of the full broadcast story)
From retail to "Freetail" this store right here in the Lansing Mall has brought priceless joy to the Lansing community and now.. They're being recognized for that great work...
"I was formerly homeless I was living at a park downtown where we actually hold all our events now"
Michael Karl knows what it means to ask for help...
Today he's over 10 years removed from experiencing homeless.... But has chosen not to leave that experience in the past
"When I saw the need and the people were getting back on the streets I needed to get out from behind the desk and get back to our community"
Starting with events that provided help...
"We did it for a while behind the scenes"
And eventually that behind the scenes work grew into a storefront in the Lansing Mall and an impact felt across the state
"This single little 1200 foot Diaper Bank handles 4 counties in the state of Michigan and its given out over 58,000 diapers last month.... I think that's what we did"
Drawing in community members with similar experiences.. And a similar passion for help.
"We don't do it for affirmation or for attention or even interviews like this like I don't even know what to say but we just do it out of love and out of compassion and empathy like you can't teach that its either there or not"
And though they weren't seeking recognition...It found them
Freetail and the Diaper Bank was recognized by Community Votes Lansing awards for it's impact on our neighborhoods.
"Delta Township has made a huge impact with this unique concept of the diaper bank and freetail store...Right here in a mall... In America!"
Want to see more local news? Visit the FOX47News Website.
Stay in touch with us anytime, anywhere.
Sign up for newsletters emailed to your inbox.
Select from these options: Neighborhood News, Breaking News, Severe Weather, School Closings, Daily Headlines, and Daily Forecasts.
