Author

Emily Benda

Emily Benda's Latest Articles

The Washtenaw County Food Policy Council.
Washtenaw County Food Policy Council annual report highlights food insecurity dashboard

The council, a sub-committee of the Washtenaw County Board of Commissioners, includes representatives from various sectors of the local food system, including education, economic development, and waste management.

Job seekers can connect virtually with Ann Arbor-area companies at this year’s Tech Homecoming

Tech Homecoming is traditionally held in person on the night before Thanksgiving, encouraging those who are visiting family in Ann Arbor to consider relocating here for work, but COVID-19 prompted the switch to a virtual platform this year.

Washtenaw County organizations receive over $1 million from state COVID racial disparity task force

The United Way of Washtenaw County, Ypsilanti Meals on Wheels, Food Gatherers, and the Washtenaw County Health Department recently received over $1 million combined in Rapid Response Initiative grants.

A nasal flu vaccine is administered in the Washtenaw County Health Department parking lot in Ypsilanti.
Washtenaw County providers ramp up flu vaccination efforts to better combat COVID-19

Flu vaccines are especially crucial this season to protect individuals from contracting both the flu and COVID-19 at the same time. 

TheRide will make changes to its Temporary Service Plan, including adding a modified version of Route 26 to restore services to western Ann Arbor.
AAATA to restore additional transit services, introduce new buses with USB chargers

The Ann Arbor Area Transportation Authority will host multiple virtual town halls to share updates to its Temporary Service Plan, its Title VI program, and new mobile ticketing system, EZFare. 

Jottful designed this website for Milan-based Heath Farms, which went online for the first time during the pandemic.
Ann Arbor-based Jottful helps small businesses survive pandemic by going online for the first time

As many activities have shifted online during the pandemic, Jottful has helped small businesses build their first websites – often at no cost to the business owners, thanks to federal funding.

Oxford Instant Office floor plans range from a 130-square-foot single office to a larger 4,500-square-foot space for 20-25 people.
Oxford Companies introduces flexible, short-term office space leases aimed at startups

Although the program is well suited to how COVID-19 is changing the way people do business, it arose out of feedback the property management company has been receiving for a few years.

Michelle Bellino, Nate Phipps, and Reed Bellino Phipps.
Ann Arbor’s Healthy Streets program test-drives non-motorized transportation infrastructure

As the COVID-19 pandemic has prompted Ann Arbor to block off car traffic lanes to allow for more distanced pedestrian and bicycle traffic, walking and cycling enthusiasts are seeing an opportunity for longer-term change.

EntryPoint will spotlight Midwest businesses in a holiday gift guide and feature some of them on its Facebook Live interview series, "The Cackle," from Nov. 30-Dec. 4.
Ann Arbor nonprofit to release holiday gift guide spotlighting Midwest businesses

To promote shopping locally this holiday season, Ann Arbor-based entrepreneurial research nonprofit EntryPoint will release a gift guide Nov. 1 highlighting products and small businesses across the Midwest. 

A promotional image for the WXW forum.
Annual Washtenaw women’s business group forum to focus on “redesigning the paradigm” for next decade

The theme of this year's Women's Exchange of Washtenaw forum was inspired by the idea of 20/20 vision and going into a new decade with a fresh outlook and openness to change.

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