How one Brighton middle schooler raised thousands for local families
BRIGHTON— Evan Alford has made a big difference in the lives of families facing hardships — and he's only 11.
Over the last three years, Alford has made thousands of Christmas ornaments from clay left over from his mother's custom ceramic handprint pieces. He's raised thousands for Brighton-based nonprofit organization Fund A Life, which issues grants to local families and individuals facing life-changing medical, financial, and other challenges.
The Maltby Intermediate School sixth grader is good buddies with Fund A Life founder Mark Howell's son, Gabe. He ran in a 2021 5K fundraiser for the nonprofit, which inspired him to ask his mom: "What can I do to help people?"
"(Howell) explained what Fund A Life did at the beginning of the 5K, and I felt bad and wanted to help," Alford said.
Alford starts making ornaments during summer break. He takes his mother's extra clay, rolls it flat, cuts out shapes with cookie cutters and uses stamps. His mother fires them in her kiln, and he paints them. This year, he made a variety of holiday and sport-themed ornaments. He's gotten help from his sister, 14, and Gabe.
The ornaments are $10 for one and $15 for two.
He leaves some unpainted, available for others to paint themselves at Four Circles Brewery, 709 W. Grand River Ave. in Brighton. The business is owned by his former elementary school teacher, Colleen Miller.
"This year, he’s done almost 1,000," his mother, Emily, said.
The ornaments can be found at Four Circles Brewery, the Legacy Center Sports Complex (9299 Goble Drive in Green Oak Township), My Urban Toddler (2631 Plymouth Road in Ann Arbor), Peak Training (41180 Vincenti Court in Novi) and Next Level Training (46039 Grand River Ave. in Novi).
Fund A Life also has a donation page for "Evan's Ornaments" at give.fundalife.org/campaign/evans-ornaments/c537081.
In his first year, Alford raised about $2,800. Last year, he braved the cold to sell ornaments at Brighton's Holiday Glow, and during a craft fair at 2/42 Church. He raised about $3,200.
This year, he hopes to raise $5,000. As of Wednesday, he's already raised nearly $2,000.
Howell said the money he's raised is the equivalent of multiple grants for people in need, which normally range from $2,500-$5,000.
"Every year, he's granted a family hope," Howell said. "He's helping ignite hope, and it's added exposure."
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Miller, his former teacher, says Alford is "incredibly passionate."
"I'm not surprised," she said. "He has a way of touching hearts."
— Contact reporter Jennifer Eberbach at jeberbach@livingstondaily.com.
This article originally appeared on Livingston Daily: How one Brighton middle schooler raised thousands for local families
