MSUFCU’s Desk Drawer Fund donates $175,000 to Habitat for Humanity Capital Region and Detroit Public Theatre
EAST LANSING, MI (August 15, 2023) — The Desk Drawer Fund, the philanthropic foundation of MSU Federal Credit Union (MSUFCU), announced it is awarding $175,000 in grants to two community organizations — Habitat for Humanity Capital Region and the Detroit Public Theatre — supporting their efforts to make positive impacts on our community.
Founded in 2019, the foundation focuses on five areas, or “pillars,” as it fulfills its mission to help create jobs, teach valuable skills, and improve the overall quality of life in communities. These pillars include arts and culture, empowering youth, financial education, fostering entrepreneurialism, and stable housing.
The donation to Habitat for Humanity Capital Region falls under the stable housing pillar. The Desk Drawer Fund Board of Directors approved $150,000 to be awarded ($75,000 for the first year, $50,000 for the second, and $25,000 for the third).
The grant funds will allow Habitat for Humanity Capital Region to own the land on which the nonprofit builds homes — a new opportunity for the organization. Ownership will grant Habitat for Humanity Capital Region greater control and the ability to generate more revenue.
“It’s no secret that we’re facing an affordable housing crisis, and a community crisis calls for a community response,” said Brent Taylor, CEO of Habitat for Humanity Capital Region. “We’re truly grateful for this generous contribution from the MSUFCU Desk Drawer Fund that will allow us to face this challenge with a greater capacity to create meaningful change. MSUFCU defines partnership in the broadest sense, and that partnership continues to be critical to our success.”
Also, the MSUFCU Financial Education Team has partnered with Habitat for Humanity Capital Region to provide a series of presentations in both English and Spanish on budgeting, credit, credit repair, debt management, and predatory lending.
By providing a grant to cover construction materials, supervision, and other necessary expenses, the Desk Drawer Fund aims to strengthen the partnership and assist more families in achieving their dream of owning a home. These funds will allow the construction team to complete more projects and expand the team, resulting in a more substantial number of affordable and accessible homes for the community.
Furthermore, MSUFCU employees will have the opportunity to participate in 10 build days, positively impacting the community and providing stability for numerous families.
A $25,000 donation to the Detroit Public Theatre was approved by the Desk Drawer Fund Board of Directors under the arts and culture pillar.
The Detroit Public Theatre is a regional theater that provides educational programs throughout Michigan. It aims to involve the community and promote local talent by partnering with theater training programs at Michigan State University and the University of Michigan to hire and keep performers in the state. Its mission is to create bold, relevant work that illuminates the thrills, joys, and challenges of our shared human experience.
“Support from MSUFCU’s Desk Drawer Fund is enabling Detroit Public Theatre to welcome all community members to our productions through the Pick-Your-Price Performance initiative,” shared the theater’s Artistic Leadership Team. “DPT has long been committed to ensuring our work is accessible to all, especially those who have been historically excluded from theater due to socioeconomic barriers. We are thrilled that we will be able to offer tickets for as low as $5 to two performances of every production.”
While regular tickets range from $45-$55 with fees, Pick-Your-Price tickets start as low as $5 and have no additional fees, so anyone can purchase a ticket for a performance. The intent is to expand the program and offer matinee shows, benefiting seniors who cannot attend late-night performances.
The Detroit Public Theatre has a variety of community programs and shows, such as “Detroit ’67,” “Eight Nights,” and “Shakespeare in Prison.”
“The Desk Drawer Fund is committed to supporting our community members,” said Samantha Willett, Desk Drawer Fund Manager. “Our partnerships with Habitat for Humanity Capital Region and the Detroit Public Theatre help us put our commitment into practice, and we are humbled to be part of their respective missions. Our collective impact will help families in our community secure affordable housing and build a better future, as well as provide access to the arts to anyone who is interested.”
For more information on the MSUFCU Desk Drawer Fund and to donate, visit deskdrawerfund.org, call 517-333-2299, or email deskdrawerfund@msufcu.org.
About Michigan State University Federal Credit Union (MSUFCU)
Founded in 1937, MSUFCU has a national reputation for excellence and has received several top industry and workplace awards, including being named a Best Credit Union to Work For® by American Banker for the sixth year, a Top Workplace by the Detroit Free Press for 13 consecutive years, and a National Best and Brightest Companies to Work For® winner for seven consecutive years. MSUFCU has also been certified as a Great Place to Work® for 10 consecutive years and has been recognized by the Credit Union National Association, earning first place for the people-helping-people philosophy Louise Herring Award. The Credit Union operates an award-winning, wholly owned credit union service organization, Reseda Group; along with digital financial platforms AlumniFi and Collegiate; trade name Oakland University Credit Union; and its foundation, the Desk Drawer Fund. MSUFCU is headquartered in East Lansing, Michigan; and has 24 branches; over 350,000 members; $7.61 billion in assets; and more than 1,100 employees. For more information, visit msufcu.org.
ABOUT HABITAT FOR HUMANITY CAPITAL REGION
Habitat for Humanity Capital Region is a nonprofit organization that helps people build and improve places to call home in Eaton and Ingham Counties. They build affordable homeownership opportunities, accessibility ramps, and critical home repairs for qualified low- to moderate-income people. During its 35+ year history in Greater Lansing, Habitat Capital Region has provided direct housing services to more than 1,000 families.
Habitat Capital Region subsidizes services based on each client’s income in order to create equitable access to safe and decent housing. To cover the “subsidy gap” that this creates, Habitat Capital Region operates two Habitat ReStores to fund operation costs, applies for grant opportunities, solicits individual donations, builds corporate partnerships, hosts fundraising events, and uses volunteer support where possible. For more information, visit habitatcr.org.
ABOUT DETROIT PUBLIC THEATRE
Detroit Public Theatre produces nationally recognized plays and programs with world-class writers, directors, actors, and designers in the heart of Midtown Detroit’s thriving cultural district. They create bold, relevant work that illuminates the thrills, joys, and challenges of our shared human experience. For more information, visit detroitpublictheatre.org.
