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.

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.

We were honored to be part of Manistee County’s first Backpack Bash at the Maple Grove Community Center!It was a great d...
08/18/2026

We were honored to be part of Manistee County’s first Backpack Bash at the Maple Grove Community Center!

It was a great day connecting with local children and families as they received backpacks and school supplies for the upcoming school year. Events like this help strengthen community connections and create more supportive environments for children to learn and grow.

Thank you to everyone who stopped by the St. Clair Butterfly Foundation table and to those who helped make today possible. 🦋

Today, on National Nonprofit Day, we recognize the organizations meeting immediate needs, creating long-term change, and...
08/17/2026

Today, on National Nonprofit Day, we recognize the organizations meeting immediate needs, creating long-term change, and strengthening communities in countless ways.

At the St. Clair Butterfly Foundation, our Beyond Trauma-Informed™ framework works across schools, law enforcement, behavioral health, workforce, and community ecosystems.

We help recalibrate these ecosystems by strengthening the environments and relationships surrounding children, families, and professionals.

We are grateful for every nonprofit, professional, volunteer, partner, and supporter committed to serving others. National Nonprofit Day is an opportunity to recognize the work happening in our communities and the people who make that work possible. 🦋

08/17/2026

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

Children ages 7 to 12 will explore gardening, mindfulness, and creativity through hands-on activities designed to strengthen emotional awareness, regulation, and resilience.

Gardening is one of the expressive arts within SCBF’s Beyond Trauma-Informed™ framework. Time in nature, creative expression, and supportive connection help establish the conditions children need to slow down, engage, and grow.

The experience runs from 10:00 to 11:30 a.m. A parent or trusted adult must remain and is encouraged to enjoy the morning alongside their child.

Drop-ins are welcome, or you can RSVP by messaging us or emailing [email protected].

Today is the day!Visit the St. Clair Butterfly Foundation table at Manistee County’s first Backpack Bash. Children will ...
08/15/2026

Today is the day!

Visit the St. Clair Butterfly Foundation table at Manistee County’s first Backpack Bash. Children will receive free backpacks and school supplies to help them prepare for the upcoming school year.

Stop by our table, meet the SCBF team, and learn more about our work supporting children, families, and communities.

Today, August 15
9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
Maple Grove Community Center
9208 Kauko Street, Kaleva, MI

We look forward to seeing you there! 🦋

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

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