Nonprofit opens barriers to jobs, helps keep CMU clean

Central Michigan University has been kept pristine since 1988 thanks to the efforts of Mid-Michigan Industries’ grounds crews.

MMI is a non-profit organization formed in 1973 which arranges work for “individuals with barriers to employment.”

“We have crews, so people can get job exposure, so they can get jobs on their own someday,” said Shad Welke, Assistant Director of Community Employment at MMI. “They like what they do.”

Welke, a CMU alumnus, said the crew learns a lot, not just in working experience, but in social experience as well.

“They learn the balance between speed and quality,” Welke said. “They get to interact with the grounds crew and the students.”

Tom Prenkert, manager of Landscape Operations at CMU, said the work MMI does helps more than just make the school look clean.

“The staff is great and the workers are great. They get a lot of the litter cleaned up, which helps my staff work on the other things they have to do,” Prenkert said.

Russ Atwater, a coordinator with the work crew, said students and faculty usually are appreciative of the hard work the crew does. Atwater, a retired teacher from Hazel Park and job coach, makes sure the crew stays safe and on task.

“It’s just awesome, it’s really awesome. We’ve never had a bad contact with students,” Atwater said.

But MMI work crews do not just pick up the litter around campus. They service many needs a large public university such as CMU has.

“We have a crew that goes in (to Robinson Residential Restaurant) and buses tables,” Atwater said.

Crews also pick up recycling all across campus. MMI workers deliver Central Michigan Life print editions throughout campus and the community.

The MMI work crews assist with diverse tasks all over Mount Pleasant as well.

“We do the recycling for the city,” Welke said.

He mentioned MMI has 80 contracts around town.

“They feel useful and they make a little bit of money,” Atwater said. “It’s a big part of their day,”