Make a Difference Michiana's mission is to connect the resources of the community with the non-profit organizations of Michiana. We collaborate with over 270 local agencies to provide a one-stop website for you to find all the information you need about non-profit organizations in the Michiana area. Our vision is to better connect the Difference Makers of our community in order to improve the lives of all Michiana residents through generous giving and volunteerism.
Make a Difference Michiana was founded in 2004 by Mary Dunbar. She assembled a group of community leaders to form the original board of directors and together they created and launched the Make a Difference Michiana web site in December 2005.
The web site's popularity grew quickly as more and more people begin to utilize it as a local resource. Over one million visitors were recorded in the first two years of existence, attesting to a previously unmet need in the community. Over 300 people with serious needs have contacted a local agency directly through Make a Difference Michiana, and thousands of others have drawn upon the site for contact information to get help.
Who else uses the Make a Difference Michiana web site? Everyone! People who are new to town looking for service providers; church youth groups, businesses, service clubs, families and individuals looking for volunteer and service opportunities; anyone who has ever cleaned out a basement, garage, or attic and has items to donate; anyone who prefers the convenience of donating on-line to their favorite local charity; individuals looking for support group meetings, programs, or an event which supports a non-profit.
In addition to the web site, Make a Difference Michiana hosts an annual Philanthropy Summit each spring and a day of volunteerism, Make a Difference Day, each fall. You can read the full report of Make a Difference Day's activities here.
The Make a Difference Michiana service area includes St. Joseph, Elkhart, Marshall, LaPorte, and Kosciusko counties of Indiana and Cass and Berrien counties in Michigan.
