A Commitment to Community

Stuff We Love

Feb. 18, 2023

If you ever think a single person or a single business can’t make a difference in their community, think again. Ward and Eis Gallery of Petoskey has been giving back to northern Michigan nonprofits for almost 40 years, and to date they have donated more than half a million dollars to support organizations focused on food security, families, seniors, healthcare, and more. This year, the gallery—led by Jennifer Eis after the passing of partner Don Ward—gifted $28,000 to local nonprofits, which equates to 3 percent of the gallery’s annual sales, including 100 percent of the proceeds from the sale of the Magpie Papers, co-authored by Ward and Eis. This year’s recipients include The Manna Food Project, Friendship Centers of Emmet County, The Nehemiah Project, Petoskey Club, the Health Department of Northwest Michigan, and Women’s Resource Center of Northern Michigan (WRCNM). According to a press release from WRCNM, Eis says of the giving project: “Sometimes if you just stay in one place and keep doing what you do, you can make a really big difference.”