ALLIANCE FOR THE GREAT LAKES

I've been a volunteer for five years, and each year I see them strengthening the volunteer and Ambassador programs to do even more great work in the communities. Not only do they provide many interesting opportunities to do good work (from beach cleanups to tabling events to talking to community groups), but the Volunteer team also has monthly "deep dives" with experts from the AGL and outside of it, so we can further our knowledge. It's a great team that does incredible work, and I'm honored to be a part of it.

Our office has worked directly with the Alliance for the Great Lakes for four years as both donors and volunteers. The Alliance has hosted ~4 cleanups a year for our office in each of those years and each cleanup has been a fantastic experience. The team at the Alliance has been so great to work with and it's been great to play a role in protecting the ever important Lake Michigan. The team at the Alliance has been a great resource on education, helping us understand the important ecosystem and how many people rely on it. The cleanups are a fun and productive way to support our community and environment and we greatly appreciate the Alliance's work. We look forward to another year of volunteering with the Alliance next year!

I am deeply impressed by the exceptional work that AGL is doing to protect the Great Lakes. The organization’s commitment to collaborating with diverse communities across the region, coupled with its tireless advocacy for sound environmental policies, is truly commendable. AGL’s efforts not only help safeguard these vital ecosystems but also demonstrate a strong dedication to the long-term health of the environment.

The professionalism and personal commitment of the AGL staff are evident in their consistently going above and beyond to carry out the organization’s mission. Their work is a powerful example of how focused, collaborative action can drive meaningful change. The impact of their efforts is truly inspiring, and it is heartening to see such a passionate and dedicated team working to protect our natural resources for future generations.

Wonderful organization enabling citizen scientists to make a difference for the health of the Great Lakes. Provide enriching volunteer opportunities in the community with excellent volunteer support.

I've been a donor and volunteer supporting A4GL for about two years but my history with them goes back to the late 1980s with the predecessor Lake Michigan Federation. I've always been impressed with the advocacy programs through the years with the mission to protect the Great Lakes and environmental advocacy in general. I am also keenly supportive of their role in environmental education as a 40+ year career environmental professional trying to encourage the next generation of environmental leaders. My wife and I have also included A4GL is our legacy planning because of their educational programing. I'm honored to be associated with them.

I have been on the Alliance for the Great Lakes Board for the past five years and have served as Treasurer for the past four years. It has been an honor to work alongside the Alliance leadership and staff. The integrity, dedication and professionalism that they demonstrate is exceptional and inspiring. This includes ensuring strong governance protocols and financial controls, as well as a growth mindset. The Great Lakes are a precious resource. The Alliance continually seeks to do more and to do better to protect the Great Lakes and to sustain the lives dependent on the clean waters of the Great Lakes. Although they know there is so much more to do, they deserve kudos for all they have accomplished so far.

The Alliance is an outstanding, well run, impactful organization. Over my past three years as a board member, I've been incredibly impressed with the passion and sophistication of the staff and leadership in both advancing the mission and managing a growing non-profit.

As a Board member for just over two years, I have been deeply impressed with this organization. I am a business school professor and research and teach how to better manage organizations. So, I can say with great confidence that the Alliance is better organized, more fiscally responsible, and led with more professionalism than most businesses I know. All of the staff I have met have been incredibly professional, have great expertise in their roles, are highly knowledgeable on their specialities (plastics, invasive species, access and affordability etc. etc.), and are at the Alliance because they are deeply passionate about the Great Lakes. It is an honour to serve on the board, to donate, and to see what they are doing to protect and enhance our beautiful lakes!

I am proud to have a role with the Alliance for the Great Lakes because of how committed the organization is to improving the significant resource that is the Great Lakes. The vision of the organization aims to see the Great Lakes as a healthy, vibrant, and resilient habitat not just for preservation's sake, but also for the species that rely on it, including humans. The passion of the staff and board is clearly apparent in the projects taken on and how well challenges are met. They are not afraid to try new processes and stand up as leaders for environmental issues and social justice while staying above the mire of politics.

I have been involved with the ALLIANCE FOR THE GREAT LAKES in many capacities for close to 15 years. They work very hard to protect our lakes and the accessibility to clean drinking water. As a lake lover for my entire life I will continue to stay involved!

I have only amazing experiences and thoughts to share about Alliance for the Great Lakes, who I have worked with for almost 20yrs. They truly have helped move our precious resource forward towards a better place with the help of all the communities and people that surround the lakes. I am honored to be able to help them in all of their efforts to keep our freshwater clean and accessible to all people.

During my time with A4GL, now a little over a year, I've had the best experiences and met some of the best people. Their ongoing education opportunities with local officials and experts are so enlightening. It's a such a great feeling getting to help educate the public on our Great Lakes. I feel truly appreciated as an Ambassador and am always glad to be an active part of this growing group.

I’ve been a volunteer with the alliance for a year and a half now, and what has really blows me away is how they are able to take volunteer opportunities and turn them into genuine learning experiences. In my time helping to lead their “adopt-a-beach” cleanups, I’ve been amazing by the impact it has on people. As you collect individual trash and tally it on a data form, the action of recording your ‘findings’ really strengthens the effect of the clean-up. It forces you (in a positive way) to confront the very nature of the litter. How did it get here? What type of litter am I finding most commonly? And how after picking up over 100+ pieces in an hour is there still so much? I think this marriage of quantitative and qualitative work in trash removal is incredibly impactful. I’ve had people personally tell me that the clean-ups and the data they’ve seen from it will change their future purchasing behaviors and makes them just generally more aware of litter in their personal environments.

This is truly just one example of countless I’ve seen from them and the impact they have. From education to advocacy, research to organizing, the alliance for the Great Lakes makes a considerable positive impact on our regions most important - and I can’t stress that enough - resource and the people of the region all benefit for it.

After moving to the Great Lakes region, I reached out to the Alliance for the Great Lakes to learn more about opportunities to get involved in advocating for the lakes. I found that they had exactly the volunteer opportunity I was looking for as part of their Ambassador program. Once a month I have an opportunity to virtually gather with others across the region to learn something about the lakes (topics have ranged from learning about the Chicago Water Reclamation Authority, sewers and stormwater management to environmental justice). I'm kept up to date on opportunities in my own region to attend events on behalf of the Alliance and share information about the lakes and the Alliance's position on environmental issues related to them. I find the Alliance materials and messages to be very accessible and clear. Staff have been consistent, responsive, and engaged with volunteers.

The alliance has allowed me to volunteer as a leader of several beach cleanups, and getting people from my area to work on our shore has brought up awareness and care from me and my neighbors. What they do is provide a critical infrastructure for Chicagoans to get involved in the fight of protecting the Great Lakes. I cannot speak highly enough about them and their numerous fronts on which they are fighting for the lakes that I love.

I have the privilege of serving as a Board member for the AGL. I have been continuously impressed by the thoughtfulness, vision, and implementation of AGL initiatives. Joel Brammeier and Molly Flanagan lead this organization in a compassionate and forward thinking way, leading a motivated and passionate staff to tackle the most pressing issues facing the Great Lakes. They are fiscally responsible and mission-oriented. I have served on multiple boards for many non-profit organizations, and this is certainly one of the best on which I have served.

AGL does great work around the Great Lakes, protecting and conserving this huge natural resource. Very well run and thoughtful organization!