What started on Facebook, has grown into a community where anyone can go asking for help. Anything from food, a bed, or even a ride to work, nothing is too big or small for “Spark in the Dark.”
Abagail McKiernan launched “Spark in the Dark” in 2015, after facing hardships herself.
“I had no support system, and I had experienced this really impactful moment, right? Of somebody giving just because they could,” she said.
It was that impactful moment that eventually helped inspire the creation of her nonprofit.
“And as I look back on that, I woke up and wanted to recreate that moment of hope as many times as I could for my community, and the fact that we have done that 72,000 times,” she said.
Since 2015, “Spark in the Dark” has become more like a roaring fire. Abagail and her team of volunteers worked on nearly 15,000 needs in 2021, brought in 8 new volunteers, and increased membership by 36%. They even created other chapters in places like Mount Pleasant, Lansing, and Wexford and Missaukee Counties.
“It’s very rewarding,” said Nicole Bosscher, a volunteer for “Spark in the Dark.” “You can see immediately how it is helping people, and people are so thankful to have this resource.”
In 2021, Abagail even found herself asking for a helping hand. She used her own nonprofit to see if someone could come look at her house after the foundation had cracked, and that’s when a man responded, bringing everything full circle.
“He had told me that last year, when his family was struggling and when they didn’t have food, and when they didn’t have clothes, and they didn’t know how they were going to get those things during the layoff, I was able to help them,” she said. And that was worth more than any money I could ever give them.”
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