MEA member Nicole Haney has been heart-broken by images of immigrant children in detention. The news has forced her to imagine being separated from her one-year-old son, Liam. A Waverly schools instructional coach, Haney found inspiration to act in her own front yard. Two years ago, she and husband Dustin bought a Lansing home previously owned by a gardener who planted varieties of perennial flowers. As the blossoms emerged this year, Haney created arrangements of cuttings which she advertised on a Facebook group of her neighbors. Those interested could take a vase of flowers and leave a donation.

She dubbed it Border Blooms, @borderbloomsmi on Instagram. She has raised hundreds of dollars to donate supplies to a relief organization. Haney and a neighbor have discussed keeping the effort going by baking pies for donations. She says, “I don’t know what will come of it, but a lot of people are feeling and thinking what can we do? I think it gives people a way of doing something and helping.”