
"Running Rooster" raising money for addiction and recovery centers reeling from federal funding cuts
Addiction and recovery centers in Washtenaw County are some of the organizations scrambling to find additional funding after losing dollars to public health and ARPA cuts by the Trump administration.
Home of New Vision had to lay off 20 employees and close down their 24/7 engagement center after losing $1.2 million, while Dawn Farm asks for community donations to keep their family recovery housing program afloat.
A former Dawn Farm client who's found stability in his recovery is literally going the extra mile to give back to the organization he says gave him a second chance at life.
Long-distance running is something that comes naturally to Mateo Haase, but he says he lost that passion while battling addiction. Thanks to organizations like Dawn Farm and Home of New Vision, he's in recovery and lacing up those running shoes once again to give back and give meaning to why the chicken crossed the road.
"I've run marathons, and I used to be someone who ran sixty miles a week," Haase told us while jogging.
Dressed from comb to claw in his full-sized rooster suit, Haase didn't choose this outfit because he's cocky.
"The rooster is kind of the insignia of Dawn Farm. It's definitely going to be attention-grabbing," he said.
He's hoping to stand out to raise money for the organizations that got him back on his feet, running one mile for every $20 in donations to protect programs at risk from federal funding cuts.
"So I just started four days ago. I got about $2,500," Haase said.
That's a 125-mile pace already, and the donations are still coming in to keep Dawn Farm's Stronger Roots program running.
"It's a recovery housing program for single parents and their children. There's currently five parents and their children in this program. Asking five parents and their children to leave this program was not a realistic option," said Dawn Farm President Anna Byberg.
Thanks to community donations, including those from Haase, Dawn Farm was able to recoup the $85 thousand they lost in ARPA funding that was supposed to be available until the end of the year.
"It's cool to see him being successful, and him launching this campaign, and being excited to do it," Byberg said.
Haase is the example of why each mile he runs as the rooster matters.
"Because I would have been dead if I wasn't able to get services like Dawn Farm and Home of New Vision," he said. "If you think these programs don't matter, then you're saying I don't need to be alive right now. Recovery is a good investment for the community."
Donations can be made on the websites of either organization, but to make sure they count toward Haase's miles, don't forget to say you're donating on his behalf when filling out the prompts online.

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Vox
10 minutes ago
- Vox
RFK Jr.‘s new attack on vaccines, briefly explained
This story appeared in The Logoff, a daily newsletter that helps you stay informed about the Trump administration without letting political news take over your life. Subscribe here. Welcome to The Logoff: Today, Dylan Scott and I are focusing on US Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s decision to fire every member of a federal vaccine advisory board, an attack on medical science that will have negative repercussions for public health. What's the latest? Kennedy fired every sitting member of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices on Monday. What does this board do? For more than 60 years, the panel has advised the federal government on vaccine policy, providing guidance — that officials have almost always followed — on which shots people should get and when. What's next? The vaccine advisory committee was first convened by the surgeon general in 1964, but it is not enshrined in federal law. That means Kennedy can change its membership or dissolve the panel entirely if he so desires. In firing the board's members, Kennedy called it 'little more than a rubber stamp for any vaccine.' What does this mean for us? Absent clear, science-based federal guidance on vaccines, it'll be harder for us to know which shots health experts think we should be getting. And, more broadly, it'll be harder for the population to achieve 'herd immunity' — when enough people are vaccinated against a disease to prevent it from spreading widely. The Logoff The email you need to stay informed about Trump — without letting the news take over your life, from senior editor Patrick Reis. Email (required) Sign Up By submitting your email, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Notice . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. What's the big picture? Kennedy has a long history as a vaccine 'skeptic,' promoting unfounded theories about the supposed health risks of vaccines responsible for saving millions of lives. As Health secretary, he has made vaccine policy — and undermining the value of those vaccines — a centerpiece of his agenda. And with that, it's time to log off…

Washington Post
27 minutes ago
- Washington Post
Tracking Trump: L.A. troop deployment to cost $134 million; the World Bank calls for reduced tariffs; Hegseth gets grilled; and more
The Pentagon estimated the troop deployment to L.A. will cost $134 million. The World Bank called for lower, equitable tariffs. China thinks it's at a major advantage in trade talks. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth was grilled in a congressional hearing. Democrats accused the intelligence director of interfering with oversight. Trump warned protesters at his military parade to expect force. The Smithsonian's Board denied Trump has the authority to fire personnel. Before you go … Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced yesterday that he is removing every member of the HHS vaccine advisory panel. Want to stay on top of President Trump's second term? Sign up for the newsletter to get the top stories every weeknight.

Wall Street Journal
30 minutes ago
- Wall Street Journal
Agency Overreach Leaves Patients Untreated
President Trump is pursuing deregulation to boost economic growth, but he could also use it to encourage medical innovation. As a first step, he could end the Coverage and Evidence Development program at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. CMS established the program two decades ago to speed Medicare coverage of new treatments that had been approved by the Food and Drug Administration. Instead, CED has slowed it down. In 2005 advances in medical devices were solving major medical problems, but CMS bureaucrats worried about taxpayer costs and demanded more data before covering them.