A Letter From The Founder
More Than a Program
In 2023, I had a conversation that changed me. I was speaking with the mother of Griffin, one of our neurodivergent patient volunteers. With a quiet strength, she told me about her son—how brilliant and capable he is, how hard he tries. But when it came to interviews, he struggled, and that struggle became a wall between him and meaningful work. She had watched the years pass with growing despair, feeling doors close one by one - the most recent being when Griffin’s college program was put on pause. Her son was 19 now, and her hope was nearly gone.
Knowing those struggles, we welcomed Griffin to our volunteer program to explore different areas of healthcare. What started as a small interest grew into a passion and Griffin is now headed to Calvin College this fall. Griffin shared his experiences with his friend and the LAUNCH program grew with our second official participant, Jack.
With tears in her eyes, Jack’s mom looked at me and said something I will never forget: “I felt like I was drowning, and this program threw me a life raft.”
In that moment, everything we are building with LAUNCH became so real. It wasn’t just a program—it was a lifeline.
But the truth is, LAUNCH started taking shape long before that conversation because of a young man named Anthony.
Anthony first joined Corewell Health as a volunteer in 2018. His first role? Serving popcorn to hospital staff with a smile that lit up the room. But he didn’t stop there. With quiet determination and curiosity, Anthony explored more opportunities, taking on new tasks and rotating through different departments. As he grew in confidence and capability, it became clear: there was untapped potential here—not just in Anthony, but in others like him.
Anthony was our first success story. He inspired us to ask a vital question: What if we created a structured path to help more neurodivergent young adults discover what they were capable of in a hospital setting?
That question became a vision. That vision became LAUNCH. The mission of LAUNCH —short for Learn, Advocate, Understand, Nurture, Coach, Hope – is to enable neurodivergent individuals to gain training, career exposure, and most importantly confidence in themselves while volunteering in various areas of the hospital.
We created it to help them take their first steps into a career with confidence, purpose, and pride. Through hands-on training, exposure to multiple departments, and one-on-one mentorship from our award-winning team, LAUNCH team members not only gain valuable experience—they discover their passions and grow the soft skills that will serve them for a lifetime.
We feel the word LAUNCH truly describes what happens to these young adults when they’re here. It launches them in a new direction—toward opportunity, self-discovery, and hope.
The impact has been powerful. We’ve heard from parents, team members, and staff alike: LAUNCH is changing lives. It’s building bridges to opportunity, and just as importantly, it’s restoring a sense of hope where it was nearly lost.
At Corewell Health, our commitment goes beyond the care we provide patients—it includes how we uplift our team and the broader community. We believe that everyone has something incredible to offer. Everyone deserves a place where they can thrive not despite who they are, but because of it.
For me, the greatest gift LAUNCH offers isn’t just the training or the skills. It’s hope. For our team members. For their families. For a future that sees the full potential in every person.
I hope to see you on our hospital campus soon.
Betsy Schulte
Director of Volunteer Services - Grosse Pointe, Troy, LAUNCH Founder
