Joy Jennings (Spring Arbor Township Trustee, Michigan, candidate 2024)
Joy Jennings (Democratic Party) ran for election to Spring Arbor Township Trustee in Michigan on November 5, 2024.[1]
Elections
2024
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Joy Jennings completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Jennings' responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.
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Joy Jennings, a social worker, lifelong learner, and Spring Arbor University alumna, is running for township trustee in Spring Arbor Township, Michigan. Since graduating in 2019, Joy has worked for the State of Michigan Department of Health and Human Services as a foster care case manager in Jackson County, transitioned into a Departmental Analyst position within the Children Services Administration, and graduated in April, 2024 with her Clinical Master in Social Work degree from MSU with a focus in evidence-based trauma treatment.
Joy's experience as a foster care case manager and her advanced education have equipped her with skills in problem-solving, policy analysis, and community engagement. As a clinical social worker, Joy approaches people and issues with empathy, understanding, and a trauma-informed perspective. As a Township Trustee, she is committed to uplifting the community, addressing social issues, and listening to residents' needs.
- Community Engagement: I support the township taking measures to promote engagement with our neighbors through events and structural design.
- Community Resources: I value protecting and enhancing the quality of our natural resources such as water, parks, trails, and air
- Community Safety: I promote real and felt safety within our township through transparency, infrastructure, and trauma-informed approaches.
"She really cared about Spring Arbor and its people!"
Service, advocacy, and transparency.
Meetings and documents related to the functioning of government should be easily accessible to the public to promote resident engagement in the process and understanding of the process. Those elected to office should represent the needs of the people and use their power to advocate for those they serve.
As a mental health clinician, I am especially interested in policies which impact the mental health and resilience outcomes for communities. Promoting social engagement, green spaces, and joyful movement through policies are some ways to improve quality of life and health outcomes.
Federal and statewide politics tend to take center stage in our political landscape, but local offices, such as the township board, are essential positions that have the most connection to the constituents they serve. Members of the township board make decisions that directly impact all members of the local community, and thus, they have a ability to advocate for the unique needs of the local community.
While I have knowledge related to policy and budgets, I believe my community engagement skills and trauma-informed perspective from being a social worker will allow me to advocate for the community effectively and provide a new perspective to the board.
Run for Something, Jackson County Democratic Committee, Jennifer Shirk (Candidate for Jackson County Commissioner District 6), Gen Z for Change
Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.
External links
[1] ↑ Submitted to Ballotpedia's candidate survey in 2024.
