Ingham County Engaged

🚨 We Need Your Help to Raise $600! 🚨

We were recently alerted to the needs of a homeless veteran in the Lansing area with severe arthritis who is interested in seeking services. We’ve coordinated with the VA in Lansing and Essential Blessings to help stabilize him.

We’re currently covering an emergency hotel stay so he can meet with a local medical provider and have time to rest his body but that motel coverage runs out Sunday, July 12.

Our goal is to bridge him from this emergency stay into a transitional housing program while we work on getting him connected with permanent housing and service providers. That bridge costs $600 help us keep him housed and in one stable place while we do that work.

👉 Donate here: https://givebutter.com/TRC-mid-mi

We’d also welcome donations of:

1. Shoes — Men’s size 8, Wide
2. Clothing for a slim build (exact size TBD)
3. A rain coat
4. Topical arthritis relief (e.g., a CBD or menthol-based rub) for his hands and feet

If you’d like to donate items directly, message us here and we’ll coordinate drop-off or pickup.

Join the Racial Equity Taskforce at the Fledge for the Feel the Chill event on July 23rd. We will be providing free food, ice cream, and community resources. Come see the amazing community partners who will be there to provide information and resources! 🍦🥪 #517

Joint statement from Lansing Mayor Andy Schor and City Clerk Chris Swope in response to a letter from the DOJ:

“Lansing, like every municipality in Michigan, holds open, free, and fair elections and there is an established legal process to monitor elections here. If the federal government wants to send staff to watch how we do it, we are happy to have them view the process like anyone else.

The City will gladly provide documents and information in response to all lawful requests. However, as Lansing voters and the observers of Lansing elections know, claims in the letter to Lansing about difficult or abnormal voting practices are simply false. There were no delays at polling locations, the qualified voter file is the list we use for all elections, and provisional ballots are always available as provided by law.

Voting in Lansing is safe and secure, and there has never been a history or any indication of issues in our election process. But let’s be clear, Lansing voters will not be harassed or intimidated by election monitors from either the federal government or any other group.”

Clerk Swope has released a video on his page. In addition, see the response from the Michigan Attorney General and Secretary of State below:

AG Nessel, Secretary Benson Respond to DOJ Primary Election Municipal Letters

LANSING – Secretary Jocelyn Benson and Attorney General Dana Nessel issued statements in response to letters sent by the U.S. Department of Justice’s (DOJ) Civil Rights Division to three Michigan municipalities ahead of the August 2026 primary. The letters, which were sent to the cities of Detroit, East Lansing, and Lansing the last week of June, request various documents from each city predicated on baseless accusations and state the DOJ’s intention to deploy federal election monitors to various polling locations during the August primary election.

The DOJ made numerous unsubstantiated claims to justify their letter including false allegations of long lines, a lack of provisional ballots and concerns over Voter Accessible Terminals during the 2024 General Election. Federal election monitors are routine observers of the election process and must follow all local, county, and state laws. Neither the election monitoring nor federal observer program gives the DOJ authority to interfere with state or local administration of elections or to demand the production of documents or hands-on access to voting equipment or election materials.

"The courts have been clear time and time again: states run elections, not the federal government,” said Attorney General Nessel. “Michigan law provides not only a variety of ways to vote, but also plenty of opportunities to get involved in the election process. Residents can witness the public logic and accuracy testing of our tabulators and volunteer on election day as poll workers or election inspectors. The law even provides parameters for federal and congressional poll monitors. We encourage everyone to participate and see for themselves how secure and fair our elections are – but make no mistake, my office stands ready to hold accountable those who attempt to unlawfully interfere with or intimidate Michigan election workers.”

"Michigan’s elections are transparent, accurate, accessible, and secure," said Secretary Benson. "And while the US Department of Justice continues to pursue baseless allegations to confuse voters about those facts, we welcome anyone who wants to - in compliance with the law - observe Michigan’s elections process. When they do, they will see what we already know to be true - Michigan’s professional local clerks are committed to ensuring our elections are safe, accessible, and fair. Voters can trust that their vote is secure, and that clerks will count it according to the law. We will continue to make sure every eligible Michigan citizen can cast their ballot with confidence, free from interference and obstruction."