As 2022 come to a close so too does the leadership of one our Dann’s House board members. Brenda Bartz, our long time Board Chair and compassionate supporter (Den Mother), is stepping off our board. Brenda has been with us since 2014 and has dedicated her professionalism to this important cause. As a nurse she was able to problem solve when our guys need support. As an all around good person, she would roll up her sleeves, no questions asked, and do the grunt work around the house when needed. Brenda’s dedication is unmatched and she will be missed by… Read More »

August of this year we celebrate 9 years open to serving in Traverse City. There is a flurry of activity at Dann’s House. Our 8 residents have happily been bitten by the gardening bug! They are watering and weeding the vegetable and flowers and rewarded with watching their garden GROW. Speaking of growth this group of guys are forming into a “band of brothers” as proclaimed by House Manager Sandy. They are learning to trust each other and take care of each other. They are also taking care of the house and property with some ownership. This pride is also… Read More »

Covid finally hit the House – all the residents, staff and most board members succumbed to the virus. All were vaccinated and had mostly mild symptoms. We are grateful for that. Winter is rough on the residents without covid restrictions volunteers were able still to hold monthly meetings with food- always welcome. The guys attend facilitated weekly house meetings. House manager and case workers have managed to get guys to medical and various appointments. At the moment the house is fairly calm – but it fluctuates about as often as the weather. Positive notes: One of our residents who has… Read More »

Summer Update. Dann’s House residents did a great job of surviving the Covid-19 virus. As of today, all residents have been vaccinated and restrictions have been lifted. Regular visiting hours are 10am-10pm daily. Stop by for a chat or play a game of pool. We have 10 men living at the duplex. 7 have housing vouchers, 2 are not funded and our night employee has a room as part of his benefits, The guys have participated in some gardening projects, lawn mowing, and general beautification. We now have new compacted stone walkways in the front and back yards. Hopefully, the… Read More »

Winter has set in Traverse City with zero temps and considerable snowfall. Here at Dann’s House the residents have a warm, comfortable house. They have remained safe during this pandemic. Hoping residents will be able to get vaccinated soon.  Our regular snow plow guy, due to a decline in his health, was unable to plow for us this year. We were left in a lurch when we had our first big snowfall and desperately needed to be plowed. Ben just happened to be driving by in his yellow plow truck and asked if he could help. He agreed to be… Read More »

Happy New Year friends of Dann’s House! We have continued to stay safe at the House. The residents had a nice Holiday. Santa Sandy, AKA House Manager, had huge stockings filled with goodies. See the pictures. The Board also purchased requested needed gifts, such as boots, long underwear, even some art supplies and grooming items. Adult men living in community isn’t without its challenges. NMSH case workers, Jason and Paul continue to work with the residents on various issues. Board member, Bob Bevier, holds a “House Meeting” every Wednesday. These services help the guys learn to sort out their differences… Read More »

We finally purchased the duplex on Veterans Drive the end of 2019. Since then we’ve accomplished SO much. Adding residents. Hiring a full time House Manager. Prioritizing house repairs.  This summer we purchased a used van. The van has provided transportation to appointments, outings, and trips to the store.  The house had drainage problems that resulted in water in the basement. Water was diverted by digging up and replacing the old drainage system. New roof and gutters with leaf filters were installed. I’m happy to report that problem has been resolved! Additional bedrooms are being added to the north end… Read More »