FLINT, Michigan — More families can now enjoy the Flint Children’s Museum at no-cost to them, thanks to a $20K donation from the GM Flint Assembly Plant. The funding provides free admission for up to four people with EBT/WIC cards from now until March.
The $20,000 donation is part of $270,000 in grants provided to local nonprofits from GM’s Flint Assembly, Flint Metal Center, and Flint Engine Operations in Michigan. They also funded dollars to Boys and Girls Club of Greater Flint, Red Ink Flint, Inc., Flint River Watershed Coalition, Kettering University, United Way of Genesee County, and more.
These grants aren’t just about the money, they’re a demonstration of the commitment to the Flint community. GM has more than 6,000 employees in the Flint area, and has donated more than $7 million to support groups in the Flint-Genesee region since 2019.
GM’s Flint Metal Center Plant Director Jim Gaeschke says he is “inspired by the impact of the work these eight local nonprofits are doing in our community,” he says in a press release. GM’s Flint Engine Operations Plant Director Lisa Mack says “it’s imperative to invest in our communities. GM is proud to support so many worthwhile initiatives by working with our local nonprofits.”
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Courtesy photoA young boy plays in the virtual sandbox at the Flint Children’s Museum.
Erika Simpson is the Director of Marketing and Communications at the Flint Children’s Museum, and sees firsthand the real impact funding like this has on families.
“In the last two years or so, the Flint Children’s Museum has made an effort to reach out to notable community foundations and other organizations to subsidize or completely eliminate admission for families who absolutely need it and deserve to play in the museum,” Simpson says.
The mission of the nonprofit Flint Children’s Museum is to create fulfilling playful activities for kids 0-8 years old, encouraging early childhood development, creativity, and hands-on play.
“We cover subjects in the areas of art, education, math, science, and love to bring those opportunities to kids and families through activities, crafting, and fun events,” Simpson says.
The museum offered a special ‘pay what you can’ day for MLK Day earlier this year, the first time they’ve done this. Simpson says efforts to remove financial barriers to encourage visitors is a big focus of the Flint Children’s Museum’s mission. Seeing kids and families be able to play for free is a ‘feel-good’ aspect of her role.
“I think it is one of my most rewarding parts of my job to take photos of kids and families who are able to experience the things that they can at the museum,” she says. “That is an experience that they are going to instill in their child that their child will remember for years.”
It’s also an experience that helps shape young minds, inspire future careers, and can help foster a greater sense of pride in themselves, and community.
“We have visitors who say ‘my kids are creating stuff, crafting, looking at engineering or are looking at being a firefighter because of the experience they had at the Flint Children’s Museum,’” Simpson says. “I really do think opening our doors the way we’ve been able to, thanks to sponsors like GM Flint Assembly Plan — those opportunities will stick with families, creating these endless memories.”
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Young boys play in the Future Dentists area at the Flint Children’s Museum.So far, the free admission to WIC/EBT families has been positive, says Simpson, who’s been seeing many interact with the posts on social media.
“In the end of December, I posted about it, and ever since then, we’ve had hundreds of people sharing and tagging their friends,” she says. “It just kind of highlights the need. It’s amazing to see in real time all of the sharing, love, and appreciation for the Flint Children’s Museum. We’ve definitely had people come in and take advantage of it.”
Previous sponsorships for similar EBT/WIC admission funding have been provided by the Child Welfare Society of Flint, Hastings Mutual Insurance Company, and others. Simpson is grateful for community partners who are helping to increase the amount of people who can walk through the museum’s doors, and leave inspired and educated.
This month at the museum, visitors can enjoy their favorite PBS characters, weekly programming, stories and music, floor puzzles, and a scavenger hunt to win PBS games. There’s also a Discovery Zone: Under the Sea, where visitors can experience a fully immersive floor-to-ceiling deep sea glow room, ocean animals, sandcastles, and other activities.
On the second Sunday of each month, the museum hosts a ‘Sensory Sunday,’ where visitors can come in early, before crowds. They’re given sensory backpacks with ear and eye protection, helping to comfort them from overstimulation.
During a cold winter, many families are looking to get out of the house, but still stay warm inside, and museums can provide a great escape. With this special funding, now is a great time to visit the Flint Children’s Museum, says Simpson.
The Flint Children’s Museum is located at 1602 University Ave., and general admission is $8 per person. For more information, visit flintchildrensmuseum.org or by calling 810-767-5437.