June 2025 Newsletter
As summer begins, we're reminded that healing happens in community. This month's newsletter offers meaningful ways to deepen your involvement with Garrett’s Space—from our new Corporate Circle partnerships to a Q&A with Executive Director Dave Garcia about his background and what excites him about this work.
Plus, go behind the scenes as we gear up for our Go4GarrettsSpace fundraising event—and save the date to join us on Saturday, August 23rd!
Our community continues to demonstrate that when authentic support meets practical coping skills, remarkable growth becomes possible. This shared resilience inspires everything we do —and together, we're creating a community where hope thrives!
Getting to Know Our Executive Director: A Q&A with Dave Garcia
We're excited to share this conversation with our new Executive Director, who brings over 30 years of nonprofit leadership experience to Garrett's Space. From his early days as a YMCA camp counselor to leading Michigan's largest LGBTQ+ center, his journey has prepared him uniquely for our work ahead.
We're excited to share this conversation with our new Executive Director, who brings over 30 years of nonprofit leadership experience to Garrett's Space. From his early days as a YMCA camp counselor to leading Michigan's largest LGBTQ+ center, his journey has prepared him uniquely for our work ahead.
What are your key areas of responsibility at Garrett's Space?
One could argue everything, to some degree, but I focus on several key areas: development and helping to raise the dollars we need to run our programs, community outreach and building relationships in our community, media relations, and administration—everything from budget management to developing committees and best practices for the organization. Staffing is also crucial—hiring and developing our team. Really, it touches everything to some degree.
What was your career path before joining Garrett's Space?
I've been in the nonprofit sector my entire career, starting more than 30 years ago as a camp counselor at the YMCA. I worked my way up through the Y to become camp director of YMCA Camp Ohiyesa in Holly. Then my career pivoted to LGBTQ+ organizations. I served
as executive director of the Kalamazoo Gay and Lesbian Resource Center (now Out Front Kalamazoo), then led Affirmations, Michigan's largest LGBTQ+ center—actually twice, returning to help turn the organization around during financial challenges.
Between those roles, I spent time in Los Angeles as policy and advocacy director for the world's largest LGBT organization, the LA LGBT Center. Most recently, I've been handling contract work with organizations like Mi Poder, a progressive Latino statewide organization, and MiGen, an LGBTQ+ senior organization, helping with their policy and advocacy efforts. I also work with nonprofits across the country to strengthen their boards of directors.
How did that experience prepare you for this role?
It's been a perfect combination of experiences. Those early years running a 100-acre camp gave me facility management experience, while the last 15 years have provided nonprofit leadership skills—working with boards, managing budgets, all the skills I'm bringing to Garrett's Space. Both worlds have prepared me for what we're building here.
What attracted you to Garrett's Space?
Three main things. First, I've always wanted to get back into something with a significant outdoor element and team-building component. Second, I wanted to continue serving the LGBTQ+ community in a meaningful way— and since we have a significant queer population that's going through extremely challenging times, I'm still able to help my community.
But perhaps most importantly, suicide and suicidal ideation have been issues close to my heart throughout my entire career. I've lost very close loved ones to suicide and working in the queer movement, we've lost so many people. Having dealt with this issue so closely my whole career, that was a huge pull to Garrett's Space.
Finally, the opportunity to build something new from the ground up—something that really hasn't been done before quite like this—was incredibly exciting to me.
What are you most looking forward to in your role?
I'm looking forward to the day when we're up and running and humming along, when the team can look around together and see that the residence is built, the creativity studio is complete, the house is remodeled, and we're raising dollars consistently. It's going to take
us a while to get there, but we're going to get there. I hope that in just a couple of years, we can all look around as a team and say, "This is what we've been working so hard to build."
What do you enjoy doing when you're not working?
Being outdoors is huge for me. I'm always on my bike and love hiking both in nature and in urban areas exploring new cities. I'm passionate about sports: softball, basketball and I've recently taken up golf. I love music and attend many alternative rock concerts. Twenty One Pilots is my favorite band right now, but I also enjoy Cage the Elephant, Manchester Orchestra, and I Don't Know How But They Found Me.
I'm also a regular at the Detroit Symphony Orchestra and love theater. I actually wrote a successful play that's been fun to produce over the years. Writing is a big part of my life. I've kept a journal for over 30 years and write a lot of poetry and theater scripts.
Most importantly, I'm very close to my big Latino Mexican American family. My siblings, cousins, aunts, and uncles are always doing something together. We're best friends and I spend a lot of time with them.
Introducing the Garrett's Space Corporate Circle!
Do you own a business or work somewhere that champions community philanthropy?
Support our vision for hope by becoming a founding member of the Garrett’s Space Corporate Circle! You’ll receive recognition at our annual Go4GarrettsSpace fundraising event and through our channels year-round, increasing your reach and expanding our partnership opportunities as Garrett’s Space continues to grow.
Whether you own a business or can introduce us, we'd love to connect! Contact our Development Director, Marissa Alaniz, at marissa@garrettsspace.org. Together, we can cultivate a community where hope and healing flourish.
Community Voices
We asked our wellness group participants what advice they'd share with someone hesitant to join our groups. Their responses perfectly capture the essence of what we're trying to build together:
Thank you for making this work possible!
To get help for you or someone else, please contact Peggy Galimberti (peggy@garrettsspace.org or 734-212-6890) or visit our website to learn more.
All About Go4GarrettsSpace
Save the date! Our annual fundraising event, Go4GarrettsSpace 2025, is just eight weeks away. Tickets will go on sale in July!
Behind the Scenes: Preparing for the Go4GarrettsSpace auction. We've been busy gathering local and regional auction items for this year's Go4GarrettsSpace fundraiser. From restaurant gift certificates, to live performances, sports tickets, wine tastings, and museum admissions, all funds raised at our auction will directly support young adults facing mental health challenges in our community.
You can help by connecting us with unique opportunities or businesses you love. Personal connections make all the difference! Consider donating sports tickets for a game or approaching your favorite coffee shop, boutique, spa, or restaurant to see if they would be willing to contribute. For more information, see our auction letter or contact sarah@garrettsspace.org.
Interested in volunteering at the event? We're seeking community-minded volunteers to help make our upcoming fundraising event a success. Join us in creating an evening of inspiration and hope! See the volunteer registration form for more details.
Thank You to Our Founding Cardinal Circle Members!
We met our monthly giving matching gift challenge! Early in our campaign, we set a goal to welcome 100 Cardinal Circle members by the end of this year—and you helped us get halfway to this goal!
Thank you to everyone who joined our new monthly giving society during this special campaign. Your overwhelming response shows the power of community coming together. We are so thankful for your ongoing support!
P.S. It’s not too late to become a founding member of our Cardinal Circle! Join us here and you’ll receive our first exclusive Cardinal Circle update in July!
How You Can Help
Thank you for your generous contributions to our efforts! Your support helps us offer free wellness groups and monthly in-person gatherings while we work towards realizing our vision of creating a residential space for young adults in need. We are excited to continue this journey together and are grateful for your ongoing commitment! Here’s how you can stay involved:
Volunteer: Join our dedicated team of volunteers to support events or help with tasks that keep our mission moving forward. To learn more contact info@garrettsspace.org.
Donate: Your generous contribution directly supports our programs, offering hope and healing to young adults facing mental health challenges. Every donation, no matter the size, makes an impact. Donate at our website or become a member of the Cardinal Circle.
Spread the Word: Follow us on Instagram and Facebook. And share our mission with your network to help raise awareness and grow our community of support.