January 30, 2025 - The next recipient of the Sustaining Ann Arbor Together grant (SA2T) is SunBundle, a non-profit with the goal of empowering fitness and fostering wellness education within underserved communities by up-cycling athletic gear. With this grant, SunBundle will establish branch organizations in five different university campuses across Michigan and build and deliver 1,000 care packages in the next calendar year.
By repurposing donated athletic gear and essentials into care packages for under-resourced individuals and athletic programs, the SunBundle initiative aligns closely with Ann Arbor's A2ZERO carbon neutrality goals of reducing waste through keeping items in the local economy. SunBundle addresses health needs while empowering community members to engage actively in the re-use process, offering items that promote hygiene, nutrition and fitness.
SunBundle serves organizations in the area such as the Delonis Homeless Shelter, Ypsilanti Public Schools, Community Action Network (CAN), The Konnection and The Corner Health Center. The Ginsberg Center at the University of Michigan works with SunBundle to connect them with community partners in need.
“By transforming surplus equipment into valuable resources, SunBundle exemplifies how community-driven efforts can lead to meaningful change," says Yasmine Mansi, student-athlete at the University of Michigan Ross School of Business and founder and CEO of SunBundle. “SunBundle embodies the spirit of collaboration and commitment to improving the quality of life for all community members."
The SA2T grant program was created to support and promote sustainability activities undertaken by community and neighborhood groups. The grant program has $100,000 available annually, which is distributed in $10,000 or less grants to community groups working to develop, resource, complete or design small-scale sustainability projects that provide direct benefit(s) to the public. Potential projects are evaluated based on merit and alignment with the goal areas outlined in the 2013 Ann Arbor Sustainability Framework, including: climate and energy, community, land use access and resource management.
Members of the media are invited to a brief award ceremony where the check will be presented to SunBundle taking place at noon Friday, Jan. 31, at Larcom City Hall, 301 E. Huron St. in the first floor south conference room.
The SA2T grant program is an action outlined in the city's A2ZERO Carbon Neutrality Plan. To learn more about the city's carbon neutrality work, visit www.a2gov.org/sustainability. To learn more about and potentially apply for a SA2T grant, visit www.a2gov.org/sa2t.
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