In 2010, many hands came together to create a comfortable meeting area that would accommodate community gatherings to expand HELP’s services for our clients and connect with partnership around the community. Judy Dunst, HELP’s director at the time, spearheaded fundraising through family, friends and HELP supporters to utilize and adjacent room to HELP that was in disarray to create the Wright Connection in memory of her sister, Susan Wright.

Susan Wright was a loving daughter, wife, sister, aunt and friend. She loved babies and was an advocate for life. She was proud of the life-changing services provided at HELP to support mothers, fathers and families. The Wright Connection was dedicated in June of 2011 to honor her memory.

Since then, the sky is the limit to what we can provide for our clients – whether it’s Childbirth Classes for expecting moms, in partnership with Corewell Healthier Communities or Today’s Mom Nutrition Class, with Michigan State Extension, just to name a few of the community partners established over the years. Weekly Breastfeeding support, Momma and Baby Play, Storytime in Spanish and English, where comments from the clients have been, “…this is better than the library.” Retired teachers that volunteer at HELP design Storytime activities using their gifts and talents creating community for not only the moms, but also it is exciting to see connections between the children. Other ideas that have become a reality using gifted volunteers – Ask Dr. Jim, Ask the Pediatrician, Breastfeeding Support Group, Real Food for Rookies with Kelly the Kitchen Kop, and Focus on Fertility: Your Body, Your Beauty, a partnership with Franciscan Life Process Center.

Through the leadership of Programs Director, Blanca Covarrubias, utilizing the gifts the community has to offer, the Wright Connection is thriving with great potential to influence lives in big ways. Now you know where the “W” comes from.