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Mental health is not just an individual issue to deal with. It is a family and community issue. The National Alliance on Mental Illness has a Washtenaw County chapter. WEMU's David Fair talked with executive director, Judy Gardner, about its innovative efforts to support families in the quest for greater mental health throughout the community.

Child abuse is still one of those subjects that are too frequently discussed in hushed tones. The aftermath of abuse can be lifelong, and that’s why prevention is so important. That’s where the Washtenaw Area Council for Children comes in. Its mission is to prevent victimization of our youngsters by working with kids, parents and youth-serving professionals. WEMU's David Fair gets a look at those efforts with the council's executive director, Tim Richey.

There was a time when many thought of libraries as simplay a place to check out books and to study quietly. No more. While you can still do both of those things, libraries have become much more. They are a center of community engagement and have programs designed to inspire a love of lifelong learning. WEMU's David Fair talked with Ypsilanti District Library director Lisa Hoenig about its growing role in the community.

An Ypsilanti nonprofit is directing its efforts to provide programming for youngsters in Ypsilanti that promote positive outcomes in all aspects of life. It’s called Educate Youth and says it's committed to increasing high school graduation rates and working one-on-one to develop a clear post-high school plan. WEMU's David Fair talked with founder and executive director Gail Wolkoff about the successes to date and the challenges ahead.

There are efforts within city government to develop Water Street along the Huron River. Heather Wysor is an herbalist founder of the online shop Heathers on Earth. It focuses on foraged, natural medicines. She would like to "re-wild" the downtown property. WEMU's Josh Hakala and Concentrate Media's Sarah Rigg speak with Wysor about her proposal to preserve the area's natural state.

Among the many resolutions people make to start a new year is to find ways to better protect the planet. Shelie Miller studies these things as a professor in sustainable systems at the U of M’s School for Environment and Sustainability. She joined WEMU's David Fair to discuss how to improve our efforts at home and community sustainability.

In the last couple of years, the nation’s shelters and rescues have seen a decline in the number of dog adoptions. Our Washtenaw County community is no different. 2024 was a 10-year low in dog adoptions at the Humane Society of Huron Valley. President Tanya Hilgendorf joined WEMU's David Fair to discuss the problems with dog adoptions and what is being done locally.

That’s the belief of Robin Robinson, a talented musician, Broadway musical actor, and singer/songwriter who now fills her soul helping children and their families discover the joy of music at Robinsongs for Kids. Join host Deb Polich on this edition of "creative:impact" to meet Robin and hear why she was inspired to leave New York to teach.

Tom Cole is a senior editor on NPR's Arts Desk. He develops, edits, produces, and reports on stories about art, culture, music, film, and theater for NPR's news magazines Morning Edition, Weekend Edition, and All Things Considered. Cole has held these responsibilities since February 1990.

Larry Kaplow edits the work of NPR's correspondents in the Middle East and helps direct coverage about the region. That has included NPR's work on the Syrian civil war, the Trump administration's reduction in refugee admissions, the Iran nuclear deal, the US-backed fight against ISIS in Syria and Iraq, and the conflict between the Israelis and Palestinians.