With striking murals and a mission as colorful as its walls, The Fledge has become more than just a community center in Lansing’s Eastside — some residents call it a cornerstone of the neighborhood’s identity.

Founded by computer scientist Jerry Norris, The Fledge operates as a system designed to support under-resourced individuals by providing basic needs and opportunity for growth.

His model — involving the blockchain, punk shows and advocacy — has received attention from Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and the federal government for helping tens of thousands across the state.

"If I were at the bar telling a businessman about what we do, I would tell him about our four pillars," Norris said. "If it was a mathematician I was talking to, I'd explain it in terms of chaos theory."

The Fledge partners with organizations like Punks with Lunch to serve the basic needs of Lansing residents, keeping individuals experiencing poverty and life-threatening substance abuse alive. 

Punks with Lunch volunteers assemble sack lunches at the Fledge to distribute at a park downtown every other Saturday, said executive director Julia Miller. 

Miller runs the Fledge's Harm Reduction Hub, where individuals can meet with her to find help managing addiction.

"I always tell people that ‘your goal is my goal,'" Miller said. "You’re the expert, and we’re going to get you the help you want."

Norris said the Fledge's top priority is community safety, but managing addiction requires an individual has more than their basic needs.

"Some people are flipping a coin with their life every time they use," Norris said. "We want to get them out of that place."

Getting opportunity from the Fledge starts with building trust, which the center does through a virtual token economy. Community members looking to get involved are given access to a virtual wallet app that can be used to earn and spend "Fledgecoin," a cryptocurrency that only really has value in the Fledge.

Helping at one of the Fledge’s community gardens or repairing their facilities are examples of ways to earn Fledgecoin, Norris said. The currency can be spent on unlocking the facility’s maker spaces, like a music production studio, screen printing tools for t-shirt and skateboard deck design and various STEM resources.

The spirit of ingenuity is a natural result of the Fledge's values, Norris said, and it often helps begin careers. In collaboration with the Lansing Economic Area Partnership, the Fledge offers resources for aspiring entrepreneurs to develop and start a business.

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