Bringing together communities with events to support at-risk and underprivileged children and families
Main Street Programs are designed to help our communities be aware of illicit drugs, drug abuse, drug addictions, and other related problems through the promotion of multiple community events throughout the year in several different cities across the state of Michigan.
Help Make a Difference
Suggested donation: $10-500
Main Street Association of Michigan is a Non-Profit Organization (501-C 3) registered as a charitable trust in the state of Michigan.
Our Programs
Main Street Association Events
Main Street Association organizes several community events including, the Annual Main Street Area Reunion and the Main Street Programs across the state of Michigan. These events bring together communities and serve as a platform to strengthen children and families.
Mr. B-Wise is a charismatic Grand Fatherly figure and guardian whose message is to “Have a Good Heart, Be Wise, and Do right.” Mr. B-Wise informs, entertains, encourages and motivates students to develop life skills such as self-worth, positive attitudes and relationships, decision-making, education, and living a drug free life.
American Educational Incentive
The American Educational Incentive Program. The program is designed to deliver important lessons focused on character development and learning through presentations in schools and the community. The presentations may include skits, monologues, and activity-based lessons, and may be done at the district-wide, school-wide, grade-wide, or classroom level. The American Educational Incentive Program has two phases. Phase 1 is called Promoting Substance and is designed for kindergarten through fourth grade students. Phase 2 is called the American Educational Incentive Assembly and is designed for fifth through twelfth grade students.
Main Street Association Reunion – The reunion brings together communities from all walks of life, to serve as a positive youth influence and a platform to support at-risk and underprivileged children and families; to motivate and generate a mind-set of self-worth, higher education, and career goals.
Christmas on Main Street – This program reintegrates and regenerations the information from the Annual Main Street Area Reunion with an emphasis on character development and focusing on the holiday season. One of the primary goals is to provide fellowship to community organizations and neighborhoods throughout the state.
Main Street Boardroom Classics – is a program designed to assist parents in becoming positive role models for the children. The program provides a setting around the premise “you can’t have your Cake and eat it too” and in order to have good things in life you have to earn it! The program encompasses real life scenarios with topics that are discussed in a question and answer format; discussions take place and are administered in a light-hearted competitive entertaining manner, which provides a shared experience for all involved adults from the various communities.
Mr. Simple – This program features a positive charismatic character that wears a cap and gown and helps students to learn about the path to graduations. This is the example Mr. B-Wise refers to in his lectures to the students and their families.
Who We Serve & Testimonials
Dedicated to schools, community groups, churches, associations and agencys
Burton Elementary School
The Main Street Association is a legitimate organization that has worked closely with our community and school by providing anti-drug activities. Last year’s community turn out was great and we expect a bigger turn out this year. – Margarita Hernandez, Principle
Pattengill Middle School, Lansing
We wanted to tell you how much we enjoyed your presentation to our 6th, 7th and 8th graders. The characters of Mr. B-Wise and Mr. Simple were effective in sending the message that it is important to take the right road in life. The lessons included examples of having a good attitude, dressing for success, and to be respectful of yourself and others. Thanks for a great program. – Susan Cheadle, Assistant Principal
Kendon School- Lansing School District
Thank you for your excellent presentation, it provided a great learning experience for our students. There were many positive comments about the quality of your presentation.
Martha Rusesky- Principle
Douglass Community Association – Kalamazoo, MI
Thank you on behalf of the (DCA) kids and parents who have enjoyed celebrations through your gracious efforts. Whether it has been Christmas on Main Street, Main Street Summer Fun, or a visit by Mr. B-WISE. We appreciate you for allowing more and more youth the opportunities to engage in substance free celebrations. – D. O’Neal Ollie, Program Manager
Silver Stone Townhomes
Our residents and friends thought your show was awesome, and left smiles on many young and old faces alike. – Donna Nowosad, Manager
Campau Common – Grand Rapids, MI
Thank you so much again for coming to the Father’s Day Event. You provided such an amazing service and did such a wonderful job bringing our kiddos and their families together to enjoy great music, fun games, and lots of laughter. We can always count on you guys bringing entertainment and fun! – Joyce Smith, Communications and Program Coordinator
Grand Rapids Housing Commission
Grand Rapids Urban League
Our Community members really enjoyed the Annaul park Party event and even more so with the participation and co-hosting of Main Street Association. We have received great feedback. We were pleased with all the services that Main Street Association had to offer. – Lisa Knight, Director of Health, Wellness, Youth & Education
Jackson Housing Commission
Thank you for bringing the Christmas on Main Street Celebration program to our community and sharing motivational skits, singing, prizes and gifts. We sincerely appreciate all that you do. – Jannaa Pool, Housing Manager
Aquarius Pools & Spas Lansing
I choose to support the Main Street Association to encourage the local youth to make better decisions. It helps them into the right direction for a brighter future. It keeps them safe and helps them make wiser decisions in their free time. The positive message of the program, and the progress it has made, keeps me donating. – Dave Richardson, Owner
Electric Motor Warehouse – Burton, MI
I have supported the Main Street Association for many years because I believe in their mission to help children learn respect and love for themselves and others. They work tirelessly in our schools and community to make a difference in children and young adult lives by showing them how to make good decisions that will affect them throughout their lives. – Barry, Owner
It was 1989 in Lansing Michigan that Leonard Leek and friends rallied to have a picnic to fellowship with friends, families and community. After that first gathering, it turned into a annual event called the Main Street Area Reunion Celebration hosted by Main Street Association, which at the same time Leonard realized that this is a great opportunity to utilize the event as a social platform to inform and motivate the community as a whole. Mainly the focus would be to nurture a positive mindset within our youth.
As time progressed the Christmas On Main Street Celebration evolved to reinforce the positive mind set strategies for family unity for the holiday season. Funding has been provided by citizens and area business, thru advertising and donations. As these programs grew, Leonard thought to share parts of the programs with other communities, churches, schools, etc, across the state in its fifth year.
Since then the association’s efforts has transcended from events of many, to having several charismatic mascot characters, with motivational skits and monologues that Leonard performs for the events. Main Street Association has 30 years under its belt, with maintaining programming and networking in as many as 10 plus cities across the state. So to that avail, the association’s mission and goals subsequently and overall, have proven to maintain effective projects and programs within many social welfare frame works of our society for all ethnic groups. The efforts have been to help strengthen communities, while staging a motivational platforms for all communities. Where as the youth are encouraged through the monologues, skits, assemblies, incentives, etc, in the process. Families as a whole are given the basic elements that enables them to reach their potential’s to have bright, safe and successful futures.
The activities, benefits and accompany’s community support groups and agencies also to be directly available and on hand at most of all of the venues. With that being said: Leonard’s efforts to continue serving these current communities and more, solely rest on the shoulders of more potential donors and funding sources. Thank you for your contributions!
Contact Us
4517 W. Saginaw St. Suite G-10, P.O. Box 15033 Lansing, MI 48901-5033 Phone: 517-599-1952 Fax: 517-332-4162 leonard@mainstreetassociationmi.org
Give us a call or fill out our contact form and we will be in touch with you soon.
We do not charge for our programming and operate solely on donations. Any contribution you could make would be so greatly appreciated. All donations are tax deductible.
Help Make a Difference
Suggested donation: $10-500
