Gallery & Events
03/16/2024 - Hoop Guru
Hoop Guru was the place to be, With the LMAD crew, wild and free.
Saturday night open play, we'll be back on another day!🤾♀️🏃♂️🏃♀️
Hope everyone had fun, remember tomorrow is about that leprechaun!☘️ Big thanks to the parents, for sticking around!
02/17/2024 - Can We Talk? Girls Book Club
LMAD has recently kicked off “Can We Talk? Girls Book Club” led by Michelle Powell and Carey Knox. What an amazing group of young ladies learning how to be the best version of themselves.
12/17/2023 - Christmas Breakfast and Toy Drive
Thank you to the many donors, volunteers and organizations that contributed to the 2023 Toy Drive and Christmas Breakfast. The event took place at Loyal Order of Moose in Medina with over 40 children participating who all left with smiles and a large bag of gifts. Breakfast was provided by Gene's Mechanical Services.
12/22/2023 - Holiday Cookies
What an amazing evening with our LMAD kids! We decorated Holiday cookies, played games, made a big mess and cleaned it all up together. These kids are outstanding! We had a blast!
Many thanks to our sponsors including Cool Beans for the cookies and Stephanie Robinson and Hope Recovery for hosting tonight’s festivities!
12/09/2023 - MCBOR
MCBOR President, Leslie Burns presents Michelle Powell with a large contribution from area Realtors to Let's Make A Difference Efforts.
You Rock, Medina County Board of Realtors !!
10/23/2023 - Fall Harvest Fest
LMAD joins area organizations for the Fall Harvest Fest at Second Baptist Church. We provided candy, crafts and supplies to kids in the community.
LMAD Memorable Moments
Leadership Medina County
Michelle Powell '12, has returned to Let's Make A Difference after retiring from her Executive Director role in 2021. The organization boasts a new mission statement from Michelle, "Our mission is to instill love, hope and confidence so that every child may thrive." She is happy to be back, as the need for children to feel loved is greater now than ever.
Making A Difference - Inspiring Cleveland Area Students
What an honor it was speak to the students and share my story. To hear the positive feedback really touched my heart. I've been asked if I would speak at other schools in Cleveland. I stayed around and played Uno. Looking forward to coming back! I'm now apart of the advisory board. God is enlarging my territory!! All the glory goes to God. I'm just a humble servant.
December 2022
50 stockings stuffed to make the holidays a little brighter for local kids, especially those most in need. Can’t wait to hand these out this week. Thanks so much to Greater Medina Chamber of Commerce for donating all the goodies! And thanks to Joanne Weiler and Melissa Plute Levine (and Vida!) for all the help. (Thanks to our friends at Cups Cafe for use of the community space.)
November 17, 2022
October Design Club meeting at Cups Cafe with Jacinda from designExplorr ! The kids had a great time learning to think like a designer, then brainstorming and prototyping their ideas with their partners. The design challenge: Design a tech wearable to help you in a school subject while you're doing your favorite thing at home! The kids worked together to come up with an idea, prototype, then present back to the group.
October 30, 2022
Thanks to all those who came out and supported our first annual Trunk or Treat! Shout out to our community partners including: Medina (OH) United Methodist Church, Medina Recreation Center, Medina County Police Activities League - MCPAL, Jim Shields, Karen McGinty, Hope Recovery Community, Jen's Play n' Learn Home Child Care, Live Inspired, The Mantrell Price Foundation, AAUW Medina County,
November 20, 2021 - A Dash Of Grit with Michelle Powell - "If you can't handle the bottom, you're not ready for the top." - Michelle Powell
Disclaimer: you may need a box of tissue when viewing! It’s inspiring! Podcast hosted by Bryan Lefelhoc (SPIRE)... Michelle shares her story, her passion, her purpose and her LOVE that has lead to countless awards but even more important, countless lives changed with so many children guided to a bright, successful future.
Congratulations, Michelle Powell on being recognized tonight as a 2021 Honorary Hidden Philanthropist by The Soul of Philanthropy. Very well deserved! The stories and efforts shared among the honorees tonight were stories of inspiration and amazing efforts by individuals who understand the power of Love.
NewsChannel 5
New hope on the horizon for non-profits in Northeast Ohio
8/27/21 - Cleveland Black Equity & Humanity Fund fills void
Teamwork
7/30/21 - Thanks so much to Jammin Jumpers Jump Rope Team for coming to our summer program this week! The kids learned from experienced jump rope athletes and each child had the opportunity to make a jump rope of their own. Not only did the kids get to learn how to jump rope, but the importance of teamwork!
Hip Hop Dance!
7/27/21 - This summer our kids are doing a Hip-hop dance camp with a professional choreographer twice a week. Dancing is a way for kids to learn the importance of regularly moving our bodies while still having fun.
Cooking Class!
12/19/2020 - From one of our parents after the class: "Thank you so much! It was so nice to see my son engaged with an activity and enjoying it. He said it was so good and he does not try new food!"
Let's Make a Difference is committed to the support of kids in our community by providing access to necessary resources that help our kids flourish and thrive.
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20th Anniversary Video
featuring Medina Mayor Dennis Hanwell, Michelle Powell, Lt. Birckbickler and Dontez Taylor.
"A hundred years from now, it will not matter what kind of car I drove, what kind of house I lived in, how much money I had in the bank... but the world may be a better place because I made a difference in the life of a child."
Press Release - 10/07/2023
BIG NEWS! DRUM ROLL PLEASE!
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Founder & Philanthropist, Michelle Powell, has returned to the reigns of Let's Make A Difference (LMAD) in Medina, OH. Powell is a widely known figure in our area who dedicated over 20 years to guiding children through her LMAD program, many who went from troubled performances to merit and honor roll status, earned scholarships and graduated from college. Her genuine care and dedication to children in the Medina community has led to countless awards including The Soul of Philanthropy, Paul Harris Fellow Honoree (Sunrise Rotary Club), Athena Leadership Award (Medina County Women's Journal), Hall of Fame (Medina City Schools), YWCA's Women of Distinction, Mother of the Year (Jack & Jill of America), Agent of Change (American Association of University Women) and many others.
Powell retired from her Executive Director role in 2021, but with heightened concerns for our younger generations and the growing need for mentorship, Powell has decided to resurrect her role but this time with a mission to take LMAD to a higher level. "Kids have reached out that they are bored with nothing to do. Some are struggling. LMAD has a history of providing opportunities that some may never have. Our kids need love now more than ever!" states Powell, "And I quote: God doesn't call the qualified. He qualifies the called."
Her new missions statement for the organization, "Our mission is to instill love, hope and confidence so that every child may thrive."
Along with her return, a new wave of dynamic members have joined the LMAD Board of Directors. Malik Tuck, Malicia Tuck and Jasmine Rogers were all born in Medina, OH and were child participants of the program. All are high achieving college graduates who look forward to giving children the opportunities that laid a strong foundation for their successes. In addition, Jennifer R. Burke, who has sponsored and supported LMAD since it's inception in 2000, returns to the Board of Directors to provide Executive Support to the organization. Welcome back, Michelle!