For Cara and her four children, family activities often look like making and delivering educational kits to local connection programs in Michigan, or volunteering to clean up the Rogue River.

“I try to get them to understand we have to be involved in being the difference we want to see, or it won’t happen,” Cara said.

Cara has lived in Grand Rapids, Michigan for the last 20 years. Originally, she moved for work and lived in a rural town north of Grand Rapids. The 30-mile commute back and forth from work soon became a challenge so she decided to move into the city. Her decision proved to be a good one as she now says she loves the city life and has adapted well to the convenience and the people.

That wasn’t always true for Cara. She admits that when she first moved to Grand Rapids, she wasn’t ready for the anger and frustration she’d soon witness in the city life.

“Not until being there for a while that I realized how naive and sheltered that I was,” she said. “The town I grew up in was all white population so I wasn’t aware of the things I’m aware of now. Being in the city and seeing the diversity and biases that exist changed a lot of my beliefs and thought processes.”

Seeing the struggle opened Cara’s eyes and made her think about her own responsibility to break down existing biases and lead her family into making real change. 

“Now that my eyes are open I don’t want to be anywhere else. I want to make sure my children are aware and see. I don’t want any ignorance of ‘I didn’t know that happened’,” she said. “We need to be completely aware of what really happens in the world to make changes.”

Cara takes on many roles, but perhaps her best roles include being a mother and an early childhood advocate.

“I’ve always loved babies and little kids; watching them experience things for the first time, learn and grow. [I’ve been] working with adults more and more as I move forward because I’m learning that you have to work with the whole family,” she said.

Cara’s passion to improve her community stretches far and wide. She proudly states that her motto is “I’ll put my hands anywhere where I feel there are things that need to be corrected.” She regularly proves that motto by participating in advocacy groups with goals ranging from removing a clause in the childcare subsidy scholarship, to getting gardens put into food pantries so that people have access to fresh fruits and vegetables.

“One of the biggest things that you learn in early childhood is the difference between wants and needs. There are so many people in our community that are struggling for the necessities, to have quality food on the table for their dietary needs. Pantries may be available but they might not have things that are good for a specific person.” she said.

Cara’s life experiences in both a sheltered rural town and now city life in Grand Rapids gives her a more balanced view of what we should and should not accept if we truly wish to live in a country that values its people.

“They still deserve decent food even if they can’t afford it. When we teach our children these basic needs and yet we can’t offer our citizens basic needs, that’s where the biggest injustice comes in, in my opinion,” said Cara. “People are living without their basic needs being met.” 

In 2020, Cara received our one-time $500 COVID relief payment. 

“That’s when I first heard about UpTogether,” she said, before explaining how she more recently became a recipient of another UpTogether opportunity in her area. “I got the notification about the Kent County UpTogether [Community] Fund, and I jumped on it immediately because I knew it was an opportunity that would greatly help my family.”

The Moving UpTogether Kent County Community Fund gave members the opportunity to select up to six other people from their existing community, in different households, who would also receive a monthly cash investment for 18 months. 

“It was very hard to pick six members, a lot harder than I thought. I thought, ‘This could help so many people, how do I choose only six?’ I wanted to be like Oprah and give it to everyone,” said Cara.

According to Cara, she wanted to pick members who would be actively involved in more than the money. She wanted them to be involved in trying to make a difference too, even if they didn’t know each other. Ultimately, Cara’s group consists of friends that she’s worked with and advocated with about various topics and issues.

“There are people in my group that come from different phases of life and races. I was selective trying to pick who I pick and not just my best friend,” Cara said.

Receiving monthly cash payouts for 18 months was perfect timing for Cara. Prior to being selected, an unforeseen circumstance had forced her to lose a significant amount of income. The ability to spend her additional cash however she chooses without having to pay it back helps her stay afloat through challenges that may have sunk others. 

“It’s allowed me to maintain the lifestyle that we’re used to. I’m not able to save like I planned on it, but bills and rent are being paid and it provides a lot of security. That’s an amazing feeling,” said Cara. “It’s a relief. It’s not enough to live off of, especially with four children. But it’s enough to make a difference.”