Hi, I'm Zachary DeGood, I believe deeply in the work being done through The Nest. I have seen how important it is for people experiencing mental health challenges to have support that is compassionate, respectful, and rooted in lived experience.

Mental health crisis should not leave people with only two choices: enter a clinical system that may feel overwhelming or go without the support they need.

The Nest, a program of Grassroots Groundwork, is working to create another option for adults in the Greater Lansing area.

The Nest currently provides Peer Support and Community Health Worker services to residents of Clinton, Eaton, and Ingham counties in Michigan. Our long-term goal is to open a peer respite: a comfortable, home-like space where adults experiencing mental health challenges can receive support before symptoms escalate into crisis.

Our work is led by people with lived experiences, along with training and experience in mental health support, advocacy, and mutual aid. We believe recovery is possible, and we believe people deserve support that respects their autonomy, dignity, and individual needs.

Too often, people in crisis are faced with care options that do not fully meet their needs. Some people avoid seeking help because they fear losing control over their own choices. Others may feel forced to exaggerate or minimize their symptoms just to access care or avoid traumatic experiences. When people cannot get the right support at the right time, crisis can worsen, trust in the mental health system can break down, and the consequences can become devastating.

The Nest exists because we believe there should be more compassionate options.

Through peer support, The Nest helps people identify the areas of their mental health they want to improve, develop recovery goals, connect with resources that fit their needs and lifestyle, and receive encouragement from people who understand what it is like to navigate mental illness and recovery firsthand.

Services are voluntary, confidential, and free for most people. When they are not free, they cost no more than $10 per session. The Nest also offers a free weekly virtual Peer Support group on Fridays at 7:30 p.m. EST.

We are starting this fundraiser with a goal of $400 to help support the continued growth of The Nest and its peer-led mental health recovery work. Every donation, no matter the size, helps us move closer to a future where people in the Greater Lansing area have access to support that is trauma-informed, person-centered, and rooted in lived experience.

Your donation may help support peer services, outreach, community education, support group resources, and planning for a future peer respite.

Grassroots Groundwork has nonprofit status through fiscal sponsorship with the Women’s Center of Greater Lansing, which means donations are tax deductible.

Please consider donating or sharing this fundraiser. Together, we can help The Nest grow into a place where people are met with understanding, choice, and hope.