CM Life, MMI Celebrate 20 Years of Delivering the News Together

For the past 100 years, Central Michigan Life has been publishing newspapers for students, faculty and Mount Pleasant residents at no cost. Student journalists have worked to inform readers about topics related to Central Michigan University and news happening around the Central Michigan area.

Without help from Mid-Michigan Industries (MMI), however, CM Life could not deliver the news to its readers. Mid-Michigan Industries is a non-profit organization that strives to help adults with disabilities develop life skills and provide work experiences. For the last 20 years, CM Life has partnered with MMI to offer a training opportunity to the individuals who participate in their programs and help distribute weekly newspapers throughout the community.

After CM Life’s print editions are published, the MMI staff delivers the 7,000 papers to more than 200 locations. This work experience helps MMI employees learn skills such as time management, working on a schedule and customer service interaction that can be applied at their next jobs.

“When one of the participants was working with CM Life, the coach got to see that individual grow exponentially over the span of a year. An opportunity like working with CM Life is one you cannot put a value on,” said Amanda Lawson, Communication Specialist for MMI.

MMI, which provides opportunities for more than 900 adults with disabilities, works to create inclusive communities and to provide meaningful personal and professional connections through employment and training. The organization serves as a steppingstone for adults with disabilities to develop a more independent lifestyle.

Brandon Scott said he has gained valuable experience from working on the CM Life delivery crew.

“Working at MMI is good; I like the staff here and working with all of them. My original job coach, Marie, is fun to work with,” said Scott, 31, of Mount Pleasant.

Two decades of working together has benefitted both organizations. The partnership is one of many examples of how Central Michigan University and Mount Pleasant work together to benefit the community.

“We are grateful for the opportunity to work with MMI. We literally could not deliver the news without them. As we look back on our 100 years, this has been one of the most important partnerships in CM Life’s history,” said David Clark, Director of Student Media and CM Life’s adviser. “We want to take this time to recognize their role in our success and thank them for being such tireless supporters of student journalism.

MMI is constantly looking for opportunities to create new business partners so that they are able to consistently provide a wide variety job opportunity for the individuals participating in their programs. In addition to working with CM Life, MMI also provides opportunities like ground keeping, janitorial services, recycling pick up manufacturing, as well as offering individualized opportunities based on individual goals.

If you are interested in working with MMI, contact their Branch Director or Supervisor for the Mount Pleasant area by calling 989-773-6918 or emailing mail@mmionline.com.

If you are interested in contacting CM Life, you can reach David Clark by calling (989) 774-3493 or emailing clark6da@cmich.edu.