The repurposing of the former McLaren Greenlawn campus into a vibrant community asset is not just a story of real estate; it’s a master class in strategic partnership and shared efficiency.
The most recent addition to this transformation is the Nonprofit Hub, a multitenant facility that houses a growing collective of organizations committed to holistic community support.
Dubbed the Corridor of Care, the vision for this partnership was developed and nurtured by Julie Thomasma, CEO of Child and Family Charities, as a result of years of conversations with peers wrestling with similar, persistent challenges.
“All the nonprofit leaders would get together, and we’d talk about the different challenges we had with funding or staffing,” said Thomasma. “It kept coming up: ‘Wouldn’t it be awesome if we could share a space, create efficiencies and work closer together?’”
That vision became reality when the former hospital space became available. After moving into another building on the campus, Child and Family Charities strategically purchased what is now the Nonprofit Hub, knowing the collective demand was there.
The following organizations now call the building home: Big Brothers Big Sisters Michigan Capital Region; By Dawns Early Light Home Care Services; CASA for Kids; Community Mental Health of Clinton, Eaton and Ingham Counties; DAP Services & Resources; Fair Housing Center of Southeast and Mid-Michigan; Helping Women Period; Michigan Energy Options; Michigan Youth Cannabis Action & Education Alliance; National Alliance on Mental Illness Lansing; Origami Rehabilitation; Positive Somebody; United Way South Central Michigan; and UnoDeuce Multimedia.
The strategic benefits are already proving substantial. Tammy Hannah, president and CEO of Origami Rehabilitation, shared the immediate impact observed at the open house.
“It was full of energy,” she said. “There were far more attendees than one single nonprofit would have ever had. Everybody who came and toured all of the spaces learned about nonprofits that have been in the community forever, but they had never been exposed to.”
This enhanced visibility translates directly into greater resource linking and fundraising potential. Hannah cited a recent grant where the funding partner was willing to double the award because the funds would benefit more than a dozen nonprofits under one roof, rather than just one.
For the organizations, the Nonprofit Hub eliminates the isolation often felt in the sector.
“So often in the nonprofit world, we have this silly idea of competition, and we get so siloed,” said Rachel Swedburg, executive director of CASA for Kids. “This gets rid of that. It reminds us that we kind of all sink or swim together, and being able to be strategic about that collectively will have long-lasting impacts.”
Beyond internal efficiencies, the hub’s location serves the client base directly. Its placement directly on a bus line solves a major barrier to access for many families. It is also centrally located. Nearby Stabenow Park is the exact center of the city of Lansing.
The community response has been overwhelmingly positive, celebrating the repurposing of a significant institutional space. With new partners moving in, offices still available and plans for green space development underway, the Nonprofit Hub has quickly become a blueprint for how shared infrastructure can foster deeper collaboration, lower operating costs, and — most importantly — provide more coordinated and impactful service to the community.
Stacy Bogard
Stacy Bogard is a senior content and PR strategist at M3 Group and is a writing and editing contributor for 517 Business. A native of East Lansing, she’s active with the Junior League of Lansing and Central Michigan chapter of the Public Relations Society of America. She also loves watching sports and traveling.
