“We’re calling it the Bill Marsh Auto Repair Program. Bill Marsh has been a longtime supporter of Spark and has partnered with the nonprofit to offer a monthly auto assistance program. “Cadillac knows about Spark because they’re a part of it right now, with about 500 members in the current Traverse City group that are from Cadillac.”Ī request that undoubtedly makes an impact when it’s fulfilled is auto repair. The next community the nonprofit is looking to place a Spark in is Cadillac. The Mount Pleasant chapter has over 2,000 members now, and the Manistee group has just over 1,000. Manistee is using Model A, which is led by a coalition of nonprofits, as to where Mount Pleasant is truly community-led like Traverse City,” Abagail said. “In starting those two we wanted to do a model A, model B to figure out what was going to work best. Each community is using a different model. In October, Spark chapters were launched in Manistee and Mount Pleasant. Spark started in Traverse City, but it’s always been part of the plan to plant Sparks in other communities. I caught up with Founder and Executive Director Abagail Mckiernan to talk about some of the ways Spark has expanded, and how folks can get involved to help support the cause if they feel inspired. In the short time I’ve lived in Traverse City, I’ve watched the group make leaps and bounds in all kinds of different growth. Today, Spark In The Dark Traverse City sits at over 14,200 members and has fulfilled over 14,500 needs in the past year alone. It grew quickly and requests started rolling in. If someone in the group can help the person in need, they comment on the post with what they can do to assist. The group was made to be a place for people to go when they were in need of something like food, clothing, furniture, car help, and more. Spark In The Dark was started by Abagail McKiernan when she created a Facebook group that connected people all over the Traverse City area.
While 2020 has been difficult for all, for Spark, it’s been an opportunity to do what it does best – help people who need it. The Facebook group turned nonprofit has accomplished a lot since its inception in 2015. Some days, some months, some years are really hard, and we’re there for those moments for those people.”
We’re all just trying this human experience together. And understanding that just because you’re struggling, that doesn’t make you less good. “The core of Spark is treating people with dignity and respect.
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