The Best Parts of 2025, Served with a Side of Fries
The new year is often a time to reflect on what you’ve accomplished and look hopefully toward the future. As Make-A-Day has grown so much in the past year bringing on new team members, expanding our outreach sites and programs, and building new relationships in the community, we wanted to take a moment to reflect on our favorite moments from 2025.
My favorite moment was seeing how launching Move the Box at our October Pop-Up reflected so keenly back onto our organization. We strategized a lot about expanding Make-A-Day and figuring out where we fit in the community early in the year, and this event finally saw all those ideas come to fruition. Make-A-Day isn’t just about making one day anymore, it’s about making multiple days, and all those moments adding up to real change.
Christy Hayes, Executive Director
I have a lot of favorite micro-moments from this year. I love working with such a great team. I’ve had guests become housed, gain income, and so much more. It’s priceless being a a part of the process that sustains stability.
Vanessa Baldwin, Community Impact Manager
My favorite moment(s) was bringing Vanessa and Antonio on board. I felt like this really increased the potential of our outreach, and it was exciting to witness the building of our team.
Jesse Tschannen, Food Services Specialist
I just love where I’m at right now. I love the connection our team has, and being excited to see the people I work with. I feel like this team was the tribe I was looking for.
Antonio Deena, Outreach Specialist
I really enjoyed starting my VISTA role with Make-A-Day and learning about all the different events and programs we have for serving guests.
Lenore Thomas, Fundraising and Donor Relations Coordinator
My favorite memory was the October Pop-Up, when we launched Move the Box. This was something we had planned for almost 9 months at that point, and seeing our guests benefit from the services that day, and so many different community organizations and members stand behind us and support the work we were doing was just like, wow.
Amanda Radke, Marketing and Community Engagement Coordinator
My favorite memory is the energy shift and smile of a person after they see their haircut! It's amazing to be a part of the haircutting and getting to experience that joy.
Rebekah Keller, Co-Founder, Board Member
My favorite memory is from the June pop-up at Land-Grant where I met the little boy who wanted to race around the open space with me. To join him in his "favorite way to have fun" filled my heart full of the "why" of what we do. In addition to the pulled piriformis muscles from which I suffered most of the summer (my fault for running in shoes that weren't up to the challenge), I smiled as the injured muscles reminded me of this beautiful child who should have a safe place to lay his head each night, a full belly, and an education. I think of him and his siblings and father often and pray that the connections we provided at our event translate to these important essentials becoming his new reality.
Alison Forche, Board President
I truly enjoy participating in the Pop-Up events as my availability permits. I especially love the opportunity to engage directly with our guests and witness the genuine joy on their faces as they receive the hygiene kits provided by CMHA.
Shauntae Greene, Board Vice President
For me since I joined around April, I’ve been learning about all the good this organization does on a daily basis in our community. I am excited to move into next year being a champion of this great work!
Maria Gentile-Feay, Board Member