Where We Came From And Where We're Going
Our Origins
Spark in the Dark was born on Facebook with a simple idea: create a safe platform to connect those in need with those who could help.
Members across the Grand Traverse-area post a need on the group's page, and watch others in the community comment back, eager to help. The rules: be civil, offer only free items or resources, take only what you need, and if you can, pay it forward.
The model quickly gained traction. Since launching in 2015, we've grown to 5 chapters and over 23,000 members. We've seen our community work together to help one another with physical and emotional needs, and advice.
As a group, we've also hosted many face-to-face events, such as "Crafting for a Cause," which focuses on volunteers (and their children) coming together to learn a new skill and donate what they have made to a local group or nonprofit. For example, we've created dog toys for the Humane Society and "plarn" sleeping mats for our homeless community.
In addition to our own events, we have helped organizations such as The Salvation Army create, organize, and staff annual community events such as the Easter family fellowship night. We have also helped plan fundraising events, such as the homeless awareness campaign which we launched for Jubilee House.
Ultimately, we couldn't do any of this without you. And that's why we'd love for you to be a part of our future!
Members across the Grand Traverse-area post a need on the group's page, and watch others in the community comment back, eager to help. The rules: be civil, offer only free items or resources, take only what you need, and if you can, pay it forward.
The model quickly gained traction. Since launching in 2015, we've grown to 5 chapters and over 23,000 members. We've seen our community work together to help one another with physical and emotional needs, and advice.
As a group, we've also hosted many face-to-face events, such as "Crafting for a Cause," which focuses on volunteers (and their children) coming together to learn a new skill and donate what they have made to a local group or nonprofit. For example, we've created dog toys for the Humane Society and "plarn" sleeping mats for our homeless community.
In addition to our own events, we have helped organizations such as The Salvation Army create, organize, and staff annual community events such as the Easter family fellowship night. We have also helped plan fundraising events, such as the homeless awareness campaign which we launched for Jubilee House.
Ultimately, we couldn't do any of this without you. And that's why we'd love for you to be a part of our future!
What's Coming Next
As the internet and technology continue to expand at incredible rates, nonprofits have been unable to grow and advance their own programs and structures at the same speed due to prohibitive systems and structures not built for the advancements in the tech field. We began our organization in part of the realization that these things were being under-utilized in the nonprofit sector for a myriad of reasons. Spark was created to not only take advantage of, but to thrive as technology expands; this allows us a unique ability to grow with the biggest trend locally, nationally, and globally - technology.
Not only will Spark in the Dark be reaching the community in a new way, we will also be helping to connect nonprofit's and business owners who cannot build or afford the technology to people in need. By creating a platform with all three entities in mind, we become a bridge to help connect these organizations to people they are able to help but that they were unable to communicate with due to various social, financial, and economic barriers that the platform removes.
We hope you'll join us!
Not only will Spark in the Dark be reaching the community in a new way, we will also be helping to connect nonprofit's and business owners who cannot build or afford the technology to people in need. By creating a platform with all three entities in mind, we become a bridge to help connect these organizations to people they are able to help but that they were unable to communicate with due to various social, financial, and economic barriers that the platform removes.
We hope you'll join us!