Michigan Welfare League during the war years
The 1940s were dominated by the events of World War II and the bombing of Pearl Harbor. The resulting war production pulled the country out of the Great Depression and changed the culture of the country in many ways.
Automobile production ceased in 1942, as production shifted to the war effort. In 1943 rationing of food supplies began. Women began to enter the workforce as men went to war, marking a radical shift away from women staying in the home. During the 1940s the development of penicillin revolutionized medicine as it greatly increased the survival rates for surgery. In a sorry chapter for our country, Japanese immigrants and their descendants were sent to internment camps, as fear and suspicion spread after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.
With the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the war came to an end and the nation’s servicemen returned home. The GI Bill allowed more men than ever before to get a college education. By the close of the decade, three times as many college degrees were conferred as in 1940.
After the war, labor-management conflicts grew, and the year following the war’s end saw more strikes than any other 12-month period in U.S. history. The United Auto Workers offered a “no strike” pledge during the war but went on a 113-day strike against GM in November 1945. Membership grew rapidly during this time period as unions fought to strengthen their positions.
In Michigan, the newly named Michigan Welfare League was just embarking on its three-pronged program of education regarding social welfare issues, improved standards in the field of social welfare and assistance in the development of a public welfare program. Nevertheless, national defense took center stage. Gas rationing and other war-time restrictions brought about many changes, including discontinuance of the annual conference for two years—the first time since 1914 that a conference was not held.
With war-time labor shortages came organizational changes. During the war years, the League joined forces with the Michigan Society for Mental Hygiene, sharing an executive director and sponsoring regional meetings focused on mental health and social welfare concerns. During this period the office of the two organizations was moved to Detroit. As talks began about a permanent merger of the two organizations, the joint arrangement ended in 1947; the League’s leadership was concerned about the potential dilution of its agenda in a merged organization.
In 1943 the mission statement of the League described the organization as, “an association of citizens to advance the common welfare through sound and efficient administration of child welfare, public health and relief, prisons, parole, probation, mental hygiene and related social services.” Issues mentioned in newsletters and board minutes included children in wartime, family economic security, juvenile delinquency and men rejected for military service due to medical conditions. The League opposed a proposed change in Michigan’s Social Welfare Act that would have increased the residency requirement for receiving services from one year to three. The League also called for changes to Michigan’s child welfare legislation.
It was during this period that the League’s program of providing services to local communities began. From 1946 to 1948 the League served communities throughout Michigan through an arrangement with the Michigan United War Fund, whereby a staff member was loaned to provide field services.
Funding became a primary concern during this period, since yearly expenses paid by members’ dues and fees could no longer support an organization so broadened in focus. In 1949 these pressures were relieved when the United Health and Welfare Fund of Michigan (now the Michigan Association of United Ways) assumed major financial support, a practice that continued for many years.
By the close of the decade the League had relocated its offices to the Hollister Building in Lansingand had laid out a four-point program:
o Hold annual and regional conferences
o Provide legislative services
o Provide consultation and field services to small communities
o Provide liaison and education services in the fields of health and welfare
Click here for a selection of clips from the late 1940s.
— By Sharon Parks
Jay Cutler joined the League in March 2026 as the Kids Count Senior Data Analyst, where he collects, analyzes, and prepares data for Kids Count in Michigan.
Danielle Taylor-Basemore joined the League as the Development Data and Stewardship Coordinator in June 2025. She brings with her five years of nonprofit experience with a special focus on community engagement, data visualization and strategic programming. Prior to joining the League, Danielle served as the Business District, Safety, and Digital Manager at Jefferson East, Inc.
Scott Preston is a Senior Policy Analyst with the Michigan League for Public Policy, where he leads the organization’s immigration and criminal justice reform portfolios. In the three years prior to joining the League, Scott facilitated the Southeast Michigan Refugee Collaborative and managed a small business economic development program at Global Detroit. His work included launching Michigan’s first Refugee Film Festival and building on a trusted connector model that linked marginalized communities with crucial resources. Scott’s work at the League is informed by his background in journalism and research. He spent four years covering the Syrian refugee crisis in the Middle East for publications such as The Economist, and later worked with unaccompanied refugee minors through Samaritas. Scott holds a master’s degree in international migration and public policy from the London School of Economics and Political Science.
Kate Powers joined the League as the Chief Development Officer in February 2025. Prior to joining the League, Kate held leadership positions at many Michigan nonprofit organizations, most recently serving as the COO and Chief Development Officer of Ele’s Place. Kate has spent the bulk of her career in fundraising, with a short stint in the state Legislature as a legislative aide to members in both chambers. Kate is a graduate of Michigan State University’s James Madison College with a Bachelor of Arts in Social Relations and has a certificate in fundraising management from the Lilly Family School of Philanthropy at Indiana University. Additionally, Kate served on the East Lansing Public Schools Board of Education and is a past President of the Junior League of Lansing. In her free time, she enjoys traveling with her husband and her son and saving outfit of the day and home decor ideas on Pinterest. 
Nicholas Hess joined the League as the Fiscal Policy Analyst in September of 2024. In this role, Nicholas focuses on tax policy, government revenue, and their impact on working families and racial equity, including the effects of the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and Child Tax Credit (CTC). Nicholas values the role that judicious fiscal policy can play in the improvement of people’s lives and the economy, alleviating inequities along the way.
Audrey Matusz joined the League as the Visual Communications Specialist in September 2024. She supports the team with implementing social media strategies and brainstorming creative ways to talk about public policy. She brings with her nearly a decade of experience in producing digital products for evidence-based social justice initiatives. 
Jacob Kaplan 
Donald Stuckey 
Alexandra Stamm 
Amari Fuller
Mikell Frey is a communications professional with a passion for using the art of storytelling to positively impact lives. She strongly believes that positive social change can be inspired by the sharing of data-driven information coupled with the unique perspectives of people from all walks of life across Michigan, especially those who have faced extraordinary barriers. 
Yona Isaacs (she/hers) is an Early Childhood Data Analyst for the Kids Count project. After earning her Bachelor of Science in Biopsychology, Cognition, and Neuroscience at the University of Michigan, she began her career as a research coordinator in pediatric psychiatry using data to understand the impacts of brain activity and genetics on children’s behavior and mental health symptoms. This work prompted an interest in exploring social determinants of health and the role of policy in promoting equitable opportunities for all children, families, and communities. She returned to the University of Michigan to complete her Masters in Social Work focused on Social Policy and Evaluation, during which she interned with the ACLU of Michigan’s policy and legislative team and assisted local nonprofit organizations in creating data and evaluation metrics. She currently serves as a coordinator for the Michigan Center for Youth Justice on a project aiming to increase placement options and enhance cultural competency within the juvenile justice system for LGBTQIA+ youth. Yona is eager to put her data skills to work at the League in support of data-driven policies that advocate for equitable access to healthcare, education, economic security, and opportunity for 0-5 year old children. In her free time, she enjoys tackling DIY house projects and trying new outdoor activities with her dog.
Rachel Richards rejoined the League in December 2020 as the Fiscal Policy Director working on state budget and tax policies. Prior to returning to the League, she served as the Director of Legislative Affairs for the Michigan Department of Treasury, the tax policy analyst and Legislative Director for the Michigan League for Public Policy, and a policy analyst and the Appropriations Coordinator for the Democratic Caucus of the Michigan House of Representatives. She brings with her over a decade of experience in policies focused on economic opportunity, including workforce issues, tax, and state budget.
Simon Marshall-Shah joined the Michigan League for Public Policy as a State Policy Fellow in August 2019. His work focuses on state policy as it relates to the budget, immigration, health care and other League policy priorities. Before joining the League, he worked in Washington, D.C. at the Association for Community Affiliated Plans (ACAP), providing federal policy and advocacy support to nonprofit, Medicaid health plans (Safety Net Health Plans) related to the ACA Marketplaces as well as Quality & Operations.
Renell Weathers, Michigan League for Public Policy (MLPP) Community Engagement Consultant. As community engagement consultant, Renell works with organizations throughout the state in connecting the impact of budget and tax policies to their communities. She is motivated by the belief that all children and adults deserve the opportunity to achieve their dreams regardless of race, ethnicity, religion or economic class.
Emily Jorgensen joined the Michigan League for Public Policy in July 2019. She deeply cares about the well-being of individuals and families and has a great love for Michigan. She is grateful that her position at the League enables her to combine these passions and work to help promote policies that will lead to better opportunities and security for all Michiganders.
Megan Farnsworth joined the League’s staff in December 2022 as Executive Assistant. Megan is driven by work that is personally fulfilling, and feels honored to help support the work of an organization that pushes for more robust programming and opportunities for the residents of our state. She’s excited and motivated to gain overarching knowledge of the policies and agendas that the League supports.
