St. Clair Butterfly Foundation

St. Clair Butterfly Foundation Beyond Trauma-Informed™: protection, regulation, and connection drive lasting change. Founded in 2007 by Chip and Lisa St. St.

Clair, and based on his bestselling memoir The Butterfly Garden: Surviving Childhood on the Run with One of America's Most Wanted (HCI, 2008), the St. Clair Butterfly Foundation (SCBF) provides free programs to children and teens facing adversity in underprivileged schools and facilities throughout Michigan and Florida. By utilizing mindfulness and the power of expressive arts, SCBF provides skill

ed instruction and life skills that help inspire at-risk youth and families to rise beyond their circumstances. SCBF programs have been incorporated into the curriculum of public schools and universities, and served as rehabilitation efforts in juvenile detention facilities -- with auxiliary programs in Florida, Oregon, Oklahoma, New York, and Connecticut -- thanks to the generosity of our volunteers and Butterfly Warriors. To date, SCBF has serviced over 15,000 children, teens, and adults. Clair Butterfly Foundation relies solely on community support and does not receive government grants.

We had a great time at the Benzie Central Schools Open House and even caught up with the Husky! 🐾We’re excited to begin ...
09/04/2026

We had a great time at the Benzie Central Schools Open House and even caught up with the Husky! 🐾

We’re excited to begin this three-year Beyond Trauma-Informed™ partnership together! 🦋

The momentum continues with Kingsley Area Schools! 🦋Last week, we hosted a professional development day for 60 Kingsley ...
09/02/2026

The momentum continues with Kingsley Area Schools! 🦋

Last week, we hosted a professional development day for 60 Kingsley staff members as part of our ongoing Beyond Trauma-Informed™ partnership. The group was engaged, open, and willing to take part in meaningful conversations about regulation-centered environments.

We are so thankful for everyone who took part. There is so much more ahead in this partnership!

08/31/2026

Join us tomorrow for our final Butterfly Labyrinth™ Gardening Experience at Grow Benzie! 🌱🦋

Kids ages 7 to 12 will explore gardening, mindfulness, and creativity through hands-on activities that support regulation and resilience.

📅 Tuesday, September 1
⏰ 10:00–11:30 a.m.
📍 Grow Benzie, 5885 Frankfort Hwy, Benzonia, MI 49616
💚 Free to attend, drop-ins welcome!

Come spend our last morning in the garden with us! 🦋

What a wonderful afternoon at the Kingsley Library’s annual Monarch Butterfly Release! 🦋Children and families learned ab...
08/31/2026

What a wonderful afternoon at the Kingsley Library’s annual Monarch Butterfly Release! 🦋

Children and families learned about monarch butterflies and their incredible migration before watching them take flight.

Children also participated in an expressive arts activity, painting rocks with inspirational words and creative designs. Expressive arts encourage self-expression, connection, and emotional well-being while spreading positive messages throughout the library’s rock garden.

Thank you to the Kingsley Library and everyone who joined us!

On Monday, we launched our three-year partnership with Benzie County Central Schools, and we did it with every adult in ...
08/28/2026

On Monday, we launched our three-year partnership with Benzie County Central Schools, and we did it with every adult in the ecosystem in the room: teachers, bus drivers, custodians, food service workers, coaches, paraprofessionals, office staff. The people on the front lines.

We said it out loud: these adults carry what their students carry. Vicarious trauma is real, and the people who absorb the most of it are usually the last to be supported.

Not in Benzie. This is the Year of the Adult. We regulate the adults first, and through them, the whole district transforms.

Deep gratitude to the Benzie County Board of Commissioners for their unanimous vote to invest opioid settlement funding in this work, and to the local businesses who donated gift cards to celebrate these amazing adults: Cherry Bowl Drive-In, Perks of Frankfort, Papano's Pizza of Beulah, A&W Restaurant of Frankfort, and Oryana.

When a community invests in the adults who care for its children, that is an ecosystem healing itself.

Protection precedes learning. Regulation precedes correction. Connection precedes compliance.

Continue to Soar!

08/26/2026

Join us tomorrow at Kingsley Library for the annual Monarch Butterfly Release! 🦋

Learn about monarch butterflies and their incredible migration to Mexico, then stop by SCBF’s rock-painting station to create a colorful addition for the library’s rock garden.

📅 Thursday, August 27
⏰ 1:00 to 2:00 p.m.
📍 213 S. Brownson Ave., Kingsley, MI

This event is free and open to the public!

🌧️ Please note: The butterfly release will be canceled if it rains because newly released butterflies cannot get their wings wet.

🌱 Learning & Grounding at Grow BenzieThis week, children explored how plants support our environment while practicing gr...
08/25/2026

🌱 Learning & Grounding at Grow Benzie

This week, children explored how plants support our environment while practicing grounding by feeling the grass beneath their feet and taking deep breaths.

Just one week left! Join us Tuesday, September 1 from 10:00 to 11:30 a.m. as we wrap up our Butterfly Labyrinth™ Gardening Experience at Grow Benzie. 🦋

Our final week of the Expressive Arts Healing Series at Grow Benzie has come to an end. 🥹This week, we explored movement...
08/22/2026

Our final week of the Expressive Arts Healing Series at Grow Benzie has come to an end. 🥹

This week, we explored movement through yoga, created a connection web to learn more about ourselves and each other, and ended with journaling and ideas for future experiences.

We’re sad to see the series end, but so thankful for every child and family who joined us, our amazing SCBF team, and Grow Benzie for welcoming us throughout the summer. 💙

And we’re not done yet! 🌱 Our Butterfly Labyrinth™ Gardening Experience continues at Grow Benzie on August 25 and September 1 from 10:00 to 11:30 a.m.

Address

Auburn Hills, MI
49685

Opening Hours

Monday 8am - 5pm
Tuesday 8am - 5pm
Wednesday 8am - 5pm
Thursday 8am - 5pm
Friday 8am - 5pm

Telephone

+12483304164

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when St. Clair Butterfly Foundation posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Organization

Send a message to St. Clair Butterfly Foundation:

Shortcuts

Share

Category