Down to Defend

06/05/2026

🎉 Calling All Community Partners! 🎉

As Down to Defend celebrates 5 years of serving families in our community, we’d love for you to be part of the celebration!

On June 27th from 5–7 PM, we’ll be hosting our Birthday Bash & Open House at our new location, and we’re inviting local organizations, businesses, and community partners to host a resource or activity table for attending families.

This is a wonderful opportunity to:
✨ Connect with local families
✨ Share information about your services and programs
✨ Build community relationships
✨ Celebrate five years of impact alongside us

Our Birthday Bash will feature family-friendly activities, bounce houses, yard games, treats, and more, making it a fun and engaging event for everyone involved.

Interested in hosting a table? We’d love to hear from you!

📧 Email us at [email protected] to reserve your spot.

Thank you for helping us create a stronger, more connected community. We can’t wait to celebrate with you! 💜

06/04/2026

🎉 Join Us as We Celebrate 5 Years of Down to Defend!

This year marks an exciting milestone for Down to Defend—our 5th birthday!

Over the past five years, we have had the privilege of walking alongside families, building connections, creating opportunities, and making a meaningful impact in our community. None of this would have been possible without the support of our incredible families, volunteers, donors, partners, and friends.

To celebrate this special occasion, we invite you to join us for our 5th Birthday Bash on Saturday, June 27, 2026, from 5:00–7:00 PM at our new office location:

4005 West River Drive, Suite B4
Comstock Park, MI

This family-friendly celebration will feature bounce houses, a dirty soda bar, popcorn, birthday treats, police cruiser, yard games, and plenty of fun for all ages. Whether you’ve been part of our journey from the beginning or are just getting to know Down to Defend, we’d love to celebrate with you.

As we reflect on the last five years, we are filled with gratitude for the community that has helped us grow and for the countless lives that have touched our organization along the way. We are excited for what the future holds and look forward to continuing our mission for many years to come.

Thank you for being part of the Down to Defend family. We hope to see you there as we celebrate five years of impact together!

06/03/2026

🎉 We have a new home! 🎉

We’re excited to officially welcome you to Down to Defend’s new location:

📍 4005 West River Drive, Suite B4, Comstock Park, MI

This new space represents growth, opportunity, and the incredible community that has supported us over the last five years. We can’t wait to create even more memories here with the families we serve.

And there’s more to celebrate! 🎂 Join us here on June 27 from 5–7 PM for our 5th Birthday Bash, featuring bounce houses, a dirty soda bar, popcorn, birthday treats, yard games, and fun for the whole family!

Thank you for being part of our journey. We can’t wait to celebrate with you in our new home! 💜

06/02/2026

🎊YOU’RE INVITED! 🎊

Five years ago, Down to Defend began with a mission. June 27th we’re celebrating five years of impact and we want to celebrate with YOU.

Join us on June 27, 2026, from 5–7 PM for our 5th Birthday Bash! We’ll share our special event location later this week, but here’s a sneak peek of what’s in store:

🎈 Bounce houses
🥤 Dirty soda bar
🍿 Popcorn & birthday treats
🎯 Yard games
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Fun for the whole family

Thank you for being part of our journey. We hope you’ll join us as we celebrate all we’ve accomplished together and look forward to the years ahead! 🎉💜

06/01/2026

🎵 Join us for Down to Groove, a parent-led music class designed for children and families in Barry County!

Down to Defend is excited to partner with to bring this fun and engaging program to our community. A special thank you to the Thornapple Area Enrichment Foundation for helping make this opportunity possible.

📅 Thursdays, June 18 – August 6
⏰ 10:00–11:00 AM
📍 Thornapple Valley Church, Middleville

This class is free to attend, but registration is required. Scan the QR code to sign up!

05/15/2026

🎶 Down to Groove is BACK for the summer! ☀️💚

We’re so excited to get back to music, movement, and fun with our families and friends! Join Sasha, our Groove Instructor, along with Mr. Manners for a fun-filled morning of singing, dancing, and connection. 🎵✨

While the class is free, sign-ups are greatly appreciated! Simply scan the QR code and you’ll be directed to our website where you can create an account or log in to register.

We can’t wait to groove with you again! 💚

https://downtodefend.org/become-a-member/

05/13/2026

🛝 Check out this opportunity from Caleb Smiles!

💛Our NEXT Sponsored Open Play – A Special Thank You! 💛
We are so honored to partner with Caleb Smiles to bring a meaningful and joy-filled event to our community ✨

📅 Friday, June 5th
⏰ 4–6 PM
🎉 25 kiddos can come play for FREE!

Caleb Smiles is a beautiful mission dedicated to spreading happiness, supporting families, and creating inclusive opportunities for children of all abilities. We are incredibly grateful for their generosity and heart for this community 💛

Spots are limited—be sure to call or email us to RSVP!
Let’s come together to celebrate, play, and continue Caleb’s legacy of joy 🌈

05/08/2026

👛 LAST CHANCE 👛

This is it-your last chance to support Down to Defend through purchasing a special edition Down syndrome Arrows handbag!

Preorder closes TONIGHT at midnight (May 8)
• 40% of every sale will be donated directly to Down to Defend!
• Each handbag is ethically made to order, arriving to you in June!
Don’t miss this chance to carry a bag that tells a story of possibilities.

Get your preorder in today!

www.purseandclutch.com/pages/down-to-defend

05/02/2026

May is National Water Safety Month 💧

As families head into pool and lake season, it’s a powerful reminder that water safety isn’t optional it’s life-saving.

Drowning is the leading cause of death for children ages 1–4 and the second leading cause of unintentional injury death for children ages 5–14.

In the U.S. alone, over 4,000 people lose their lives to drowning every year—many of these tragedies happening quickly and silently.

And here’s the part that matters most:
Drowning is preventable.

Research shows that teaching children basic water competency can reduce the risk of drowning by up to 88%.

That’s why at Down to Defend, we’re passionate about equipping families with more than just awareness—we focus on action.

Through ISR (Infant Swimming Resource) lessons, children learn critical self-rescue skills like floating, rolling onto their backs, and staying calm until help arrives.

With the guidance and dedication of instructors like Rebekah, we’re able to bring this life-saving layer of protection to families in our community.

If you’re looking for ISR lessons, please reach out to us!

05/01/2026

There’s still time to be part of something meaningful 💛

Our special fundraiser is open for just one more week, and every purchase directly supports Down to Defend’s mission and impact in our community.

Don’t miss your chance to carry this purpose with you! Preorder the limited edition Down to Defend handbag here:www.purseandclutch.com/pages/down-to-defend

Let us know if you’ve already ordered yours! 🤩