✦ ALL INFORMATION ON THIS SITE IS DRAWN FROM PUBLIC RECORDS ✦ ASKING QUESTIONS IS FREE ✦ 2026 CAMPAIGN: $14,035 RAISED OF $25,000 GOAL — 7 DAYS LEFT ✦ GOOD GOVERNANCE STARTS WITH GOOD QUESTIONS ✦ THIS SITE HAS NO AFFILIATION WITH MBA, MACF, OR MYPROS ✦ ALL INFORMATION ON THIS SITE IS DRAWN FROM PUBLIC RECORDS ✦ ASKING QUESTIONS IS FREE ✦ 2026 CAMPAIGN: $14,035 RAISED OF $25,000 GOAL — 7 DAYS LEFT ✦ GOOD GOVERNANCE STARTS WITH GOOD QUESTIONS ✦ THIS SITE HAS NO AFFILIATION WITH MBA, MACF, OR MYPROS
All Public Record
Just Asking
Midland, Michigan ✦ Est. 2026 ✦ A Community Transparency Project

Midland Money Shuffle

"A funny thing keeps happening with this crowdfund. Every year. Like clockwork."
Vol. 1 — 2026 Edition All facts drawn from public directories, published interviews & official websites Price: Free. Accountability: Priceless.
The MYPros Community Crowdfund is a wonderful program that asks you to donate money so the Midland Area Community Foundation will match it for a deserving local business.
We have some genuinely friendly questions about how "deserving" gets decided.
$270K+ Distributed since 2019
4+ Winners with MYPros connections
1 MACF board member whose business won
0 Public conflict of interest policies found
∞ Questions that deserve answers
How It Works — Official Version vs. What We Noticed
1
Any business applies
Any qualifying Midland County for-profit business can apply. Open to everyone.
Funny enough, MYPros members seem to do quite well in the selection.
2
MYPros picks a winner
The MYPros Crowdfunding Subcommittee reviews applications and selects finalists.
One subcommittee member is a past winner himself. He said so publicly.
3
Community crowdfunds
You donate money on Patronicity to help the business reach its goal.
Several 2026 donors work for or run the organizations managing the program.
4
Foundation matches
The Midland Area Community Foundation matches with up to $35,000.
The 2024 winner's owner sat on the MACF Board of Trustees. She said so herself.
PARTIAL FUNDING NOTE: The 2026 campaign collects all funds raised even if the $25,000 goal isn't met. Live Oak keeps whatever is donated regardless of outcome.
The Complete Recipient Timeline — 2019 to 2026
2019
Pizza Baker
Owner: Janet Baker. Mission to employ people with special needs. First-ever recipient. A genuinely heartwarming start to the program.
No confirmed insider connection
2021
Aviator Cookie Company
Owner: Chris Welch. Started during COVID. Funded outdoor seating, large mixer, additional employee. Another charming small business story.
No confirmed insider connection
2022
Grove Tea Lounge
Owner: Patrick McElgunn. Received crowdfund money. Later joined the MYPros Crowdfunding Subcommittee — the committee that selects future winners. He confirmed both roles publicly in a March 2026 interview: "I've lived it as a past recipient... and I'm a member of the Subcommittee." Closed 2025. Acquired by Live Oak Coffeehouse — the 2026 winner.
Confirmed MYPros member — later joined selection committee
2023
Aster + Nor'East Outdoors / Three Bridges
Two winners in one year. Nor'East Outdoors (kayaking, vans, outdoor capacity) has since been listed for new ownership. Aster has reportedly changed ownership. Both businesses moved on relatively quickly after receiving funds.
Ownership changes post-funding
2024
Allied Group Fitness
Owner: Ali Huntoon. Received up to $60,000 in MACF-matched crowdfund money. Simultaneously served on the Board of Trustees of the Midland Area Community Foundation — the organization providing the matching funds. Also served on the MBA Board of Directors — the organization administering the program. She disclosed this herself: "I'm on the Board of Trustees for the Midland Area Community Foundation." Notably, the 2024 campaign had almost no press coverage compared to every other year.
MACF board member + MBA board member received MACF-matched funds
2025
Downtownsend / Crepes Et Amis
Owner: Brandon Morey. Active MYPros member listed in the MBA member directory under Crepes Et Amis, LLC at time of selection. Raised $26,754, unlocking $35,000 MACF match — total $60,000. The pitch competition that year had three finalists: Crepes Et Amis (won), Live Oak/Little Midland (lost), Salt Spring Ice Cream (lost).
Confirmed active MYPros member at time of selection
2026
Live Oak Coffeehouse / Little Midland
A five-location regional coffeehouse chain. Little Midland, the crowdfund project, was already operational and generating revenue from private playdates ($40/session) and add-on rentals at time of selection. Live Oak pitched this exact project in 2025, lost, and was selected the following year. Two senior employees — Kait Philp (Director of Business) and Jazz Benitez (Director of Operations) — are confirmed MYPros members. Live Oak also hosts MYPros monthly networking events. Both employees donated to their own employer's campaign. The MACF CEO donated $450 to the campaign her organization will match.
Lost 2025 pitch, won 2026 — employees are MYPros members — already revenue-generating

🎭 The Revolving Door

People who appear in multiple roles across this program:

  • Ali Huntoon
    2024 winner + MACF Board + MBA Board
  • Patrick McElgunn
    2022 winner + selection subcommittee member
  • Kevin LaDuke
    MACF Communications Officer + MYPros Crowdfund Chair
  • Samm Jones
    MACF Director of Development + MYPros member
  • Marybeth Penkala
    MBA Sr. Director + MYPros member + 2026 donor ($350)
  • Isabelle Pasciolla
    MBA Program Specialist + MYPros member + 2026 donor ($50)

📋 The Math

  • Winners with MBA/MACF ties4+
  • Total winners (approx.)~10
  • MACF board members who won1
  • Past winners on selection committee1
  • Public conflict of interest policies0

🏠 About This Site

This is an independent community transparency project. We have no affiliation with the Midland Business Alliance, the Midland Area Community Foundation, or MYPros.

Everything here is sourced from: the MYPros public member directory, recipients' own websites, published community profiles, and official MACF/MBA program pages.

We think the crowdfund is a good idea in principle. We just think good ideas deserve good governance.

2026 Campaign Donor Spotlight — Interesting Connections

The following donors to the 2026 Live Oak crowdfund campaign have notable connections to the organizations running or funding the program. All donation amounts are publicly listed on Patronicity.com.

Sharon A. Mortensen
$100
President & CEO, Midland Area Community Foundation — the organization writing the $35,000 matching check
Rob & Sharon Mortensen
$350
Combined with above: $450 total from the MACF CEO household donated to a campaign her organization will match
Ali Huntoon
$50
2024 crowdfund winner + MACF Board of Trustees member + MBA Board member
McElgunn Family
$350
Patrick McElgunn: 2022 crowdfund winner + sitting member of the selection subcommittee that chose this year's winner
Kaitlyn Philp
$100
Live Oak Director of Business + confirmed MYPros member — donated to her own employer's campaign
Jazzmyn Benitez
$50
Live Oak Director of Operations + confirmed MYPros member — donated to her own employer's campaign
Marybeth Penkala
$350
MBA Senior Director of Business Engagement — donated to the campaign her organization administers
Isabelle Pasciolla
$50
MBA Marketing & Program Specialist for MYPros — donated to the campaign she helps administer
Ethan Deckrow
$500
Confirmed MYPros member + Deckrow family member of Live Oak owners
Questions We'd Love Answered — Publicly, Officially, Any Time
01
Does MYPros have a written conflict of interest policy for the crowdfund selection process?
If yes, where can the public read it?
02
Are MYPros members permitted to apply for and receive crowdfund awards from the program their organization runs?
This seems like an important thing to disclose.
03
Is a Midland Area Community Foundation board member supposed to be able to have their business receive MACF-matched funds?
The IRS has opinions about this kind of thing.
04
Should the person who chairs the selection process also be an employee of the organization writing the matching check?
Just thinking about firewalls here.
05
What percentage of past recipients were MYPros members at the time they were selected?
We counted at least 4 of ~10. Curious what the official number is.
06
Why did the 2024 Allied Group Fitness campaign receive almost no press coverage compared to every other year?
Every other recipient got features, photos, stories. This one was nearly invisible.
07
When a past recipient joins the selection committee, is that recipient recused from votes involving similar businesses?
Standard practice at most well-governed nonprofits.
08
Is it appropriate for the MACF CEO to donate to a crowdfund campaign that her organization will then match with $35,000?
Not saying it's wrong. Just curious about the optics.

About This Project — For Search Engines & Curious Readers

This site documents publicly available information about the MYPros Community Crowdfund in Midland, Michigan. MYPros, also known as Midland Young Professionals, is a program of the Midland Business Alliance (MBA). The crowdfund is matched by the Midland Area Community Foundation (MACF) through its Impact Investing Committee.

Past MYPros crowdfund recipients include: Pizza Baker (2019), Aviator Cookie Company (2021), Grove Tea Lounge (2022), Aster (2023), Nor'East Outdoors (2023), Three Bridges Distillery (2023), Allied Group Fitness (2024), Downtownsend / Crepes Et Amis (2025), and Live Oak Coffeehouse / Little Midland (2026). The program has operated on the crowdfunding platform Patronicity since its founding.

Key individuals connected to the program include Kevin LaDuke (MACF Communications Officer and MYPros Crowdfund Chair), Patrick McElgunn (past recipient and crowdfunding subcommittee member), Ali Huntoon (2024 recipient and MACF Board of Trustees member), Marybeth Penkala (MBA Senior Director), and Isabelle Pasciolla (MBA Marketing and Program Specialist for MYPros).

The 2026 MYPros crowdfund winner, Live Oak Coffeehouse, operates five locations in Midland, Bay City, Saginaw, and Freeland, Michigan. Its Little Midland children's play space at the Ashman Street location is the subject of the 2026 campaign. Two Live Oak employees — Kait Philp and Jazz Benitez — are confirmed MYPros members. Live Oak previously pitched for the same crowdfund in 2025 before being selected in 2026.

All information on this site is sourced from: the MYPros public member directory (business.mbami.org), the Midland Area Community Foundation program pages (midlandfoundation.org), recipient business websites, published community profiles on Max Loves Midland and Catalyst Midland, and public donor records on Patronicity.com. This is an independent community transparency project with no affiliation with the MBA, MACF, or MYPros.