A working writer since 1992, Estelle Slootmaker currently is a book editor, solutions journalist, Issue Media Group series editor, and children's book author. She released her new children’s book, Places Where The Sun Don’t Shinein August 2025.
An unashamed tree-hugger, Estelle chairs The Tree Amigos, City of Wyoming Tree Commission. She and her hubby—artist and guitarist Eddie Killowatts—love dancing to new wave, Michigan's outdoors, going to book and record stores, growing and cooking healthy food, and hanging out with their terrible terriers, Bindipaws Bowie McCrykie and Skipper D. Doodog.
Being autistic does not mean a person cannot experience good mental health. However, studies have shown that 78% of autistic children have at least one mental health condition. Stigma and discrimination are often a contributing factor.
تجمع مبادرة "الأمل يبدأ هنا. " فريقًا من المدافعين والأبطال الذين يقودون الجهود لتطوير نظم الطفولة المبكرة في ديترويت. تمثل هذه المبادرة تعاونًا بين مؤسسة دبليو كيه كيلوج (WKKF)، ومؤسسة كريسجي، ومؤسسة ماكس إم. ومارجوري إس. فيشر (M&M Fisher)، ومجموعة من الوكالات، والمنظمات المجتمعية، والأهم من ذلك، سكان ديترويت. تم إطلاق مبادرة "الأمل يبدأ هنا" رسميًا في عام 2017 بخطة عمل مستمرة تمتد لعشر سنوات
The Hope Starts Here initiative brings together a team of advocates and champions who are leading the charge for Detroit’s early childhood systems. A collaboration among The W.K. Kellogg Foundation, The Kresge Foundation, The Max M. & Marjorie S. Fisher Foundation, and a host of agencies, community based organizations, and most importantly, Detroit residents, Hope Starts Here formally launched in 2017.
The Metro Detroit-based Association of Chinese Americans is developing a training program to address the shortage of direct care workers equipped to serve older Chinese Americans in Southeast Michigan.
Guardianship is designed to protect those who can't care for themselves, but it doesn't always work that way. Advocates are pursuing a variety of solutions to improve the system.
The Michigan Long Term Care Ombudsman Program improves quality of care and quality of life for people living in nursing homes, homes for the aged, and adult foster care homes.
A grassroots policy advocacy organization, Mothering Justice provides mothers of color in America with resources and tools to make equitable policy changes. One of its agenda items is early childhood education.
Muskegon-based How YOU Birth Doula Services is working to improve outcomes for parents and babies by leveraging Michigan's recently added Medicaid coverage for doula services.
In Michigan, several efforts are underway to help cancer patients prepare for, manage, and alleviate the financial struggles associated with treatment.