By James Windell
In the beginning it was the Bridge Sit taking place on the Dyckman Bridge.
“The winds coming down the Black River were terrible,” recalls Erika Morrison, Executive Director of WE Care I.N.C. “Then Paul Layendecker suggested we move it to the island in downtown South Haven. That has been a good move.”
More than 60 volunteers will be on hand on Saturday, February 28, 2026 to take hour-long shifts standing on the island on Phoenix Street across from the South Haven City Hall to collect donations as part of WE Care’s annual month-long fundraising campaign Warm Your Heart. The Island Sit, the culminating event in the campaign, is sponsored by 103.7COSY FM, along with Harbor Light Brewery and Biggby Coffee. Campaign sponsors include Jay Capmbell, Mary Hosley, and Paul Hix and Edward James Investments.
All donations throughout the month-long campaign will be matched by the sponsors. Morrison says that she expects that the Island Sit, where people can drive up and hand a donation to one of the volunteers, will raise about $10,000. The goal for the month, though, is to bring in $44,000 to provide assistance to families in need.
“We helped more than 6,300 families in 2025,” says Morrison. “That means we provided assistance to about 14,500 individuals in need.”
Morrison adds that other events associated with their February fundraising campaign include matching donations collected by the Kal-Haven Outpost, Clementine’s restaurant donating a percentage of sales on Valetine’s Day, the Soup Luncheon at St. Basil Catholic Church on February 22, and Decadent Dogs donating a percentage of sales on February 28.
Morrison says that the winter time is WE Care’s busy season because there are always special concerns in the cold months. Also, she said that there is a greater need this winter as compared to some previous years. “Families that could make ends meet on their income three or four years ago are now struggling – especially with groceries tripling in cost,” she says. “We see people who were donors in the past now coming to us and asking for help. Their wages just are not keeping up with the cost of living. Some of the families we see may be able to buy groceries, but they often are not keeping up with the cost of rent, their utilities or transportation.”
Our goal, she emphasizes, is to help people during their times of emergency and crisis. “To help them bridge that gap.”
For more information, visit the WE Care website at www.wecare-inc.org.
