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Get Inspired
From our latest impacts and financial tips to what it means to Belong, see how we’re making Impossible Dreams come true in the Michigan communities we serve.
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Everything Was Really Hush Hush
As part of the Choose The Bear Tour, Laura Killingbeck spoke with HAVEN’s Christine Kinal about the organization’s mission, its history, and how speaking up can change lives.
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Domestic Violence Can Be Hard To Recognize
As part of the Choose The Bear Tour, Laura Killingbeck visited The Women’s Resource Center of Northern Michigan in Petosky to meet their team, explore the organization’s history, and learn more about their mission.
Guide
HELOC for Home Improvement: What Michigan Homeowners Need to Know
The state’s harsh winters and older-than-average housing stock mean Michigan homeowners often need to renovate more often. The good news is that a Home Equity Line of Credit (HELOC) can make those renovations far easier to finance. Using smart financing and finding the right renovation projects can translate into serious long-term benefits. Here, we explain how to make that choice based on your unique needs.
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HELOC vs. Home Equity Loan for Michigan Homeowners
Even after an interest rate cut in 2025, Michiganders are still getting squeezed between high borrowing costs and rises in the cost of living. That’s made paying for things like home improvements or even retirement more difficult than ever. Fortunately, in times like this, Michigan homeowners can turn to their own home equity to finance their needs and wants more conveniently and affordably.
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An Interview with the Team at The Women’s Resource Center of Northern Michigan
On June 19, Laura Killingbeck visited The Women’s Resource Center of Northern Michigan center in Petoskey to interview Gail Kloss, Andrea Koch, Claire Houser, and Megan King about the lasting impacts that survivors face.
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An Interview with Christine Kinal, CEO and President of HAVEN
On June 5, while en route across the Upper Peninsula, Laura Killingbeck interviewed Christine Kinal of HAVEN about her work with one of Michigan’s oldest and largest domestic violence shelters.
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We Walk In Our Traditional Way
As part of the Choose The Bear Tour, Laura Killingbeck visits with Uniting Three Fires Against Violence in Sault Ste. Marie to discuss their history, story, and mission to end gender-based violence and economic abuse in Michigan’s native communities.
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An Interview with Uniting Three Fires Against Violence (UTFAV): Part 2 of 2
In the second half of her June 12 interview, Laura Killingbeck sits down with Stacey Ettawageshik, Vanessa Owaski-Patzwald, Sandra Pilgrim-Lewis, and Samantha Brown of Uniting Three Fires Against Violence to discuss physical and financial abuse in native communities.
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An Interview with Uniting Three Fires Against Violence (UTFAV): Part 1 of 2
On June 12, the Choose The Bear Tour took Laura Killingbeck to Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan—where she spoke with Stacey Ettawageshik, Vanessa Owaski-Patzwald, Sandra Pilgrim-Lewis, and Samantha Brown of Uniting Three Fires Against Violence about women’s safety in Michigan’s native communities.
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An Interview with JoJo Dries, Founder of On The Wings of Angels
On May 20, while en route on the Keweenaw Peninsula, Laura Killingbeck interviewed JoJo Dries from her tent as part of the Choose The Bear Tour. This is the story of On The Wings of Angels.
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The Community is Here for You: On The Wings of Angels
In this story from the Choose The Bear Tour, renowned author and adventurer Laura Killingbeck explores the impact of financial abuse on women and how On The Wings of Angels helps survivors pivot their trajectory.
Guide
Compare Fees & Get Paid for Saving with FeeNuff™
Nobody likes watching their paycheck shrink to cover murky bank fees. That's why we built FeeNuff™, a new tool that finds the fees you're paying at other banks and helps cover those fees when you switch to orsa!