What if where you work didn’t just shape your job, but shaped your entire life?

On Mackinac Island, like in many seasonal destinations, employee housing has too often been treated as an afterthought: crowded spaces, minimal amenities, and little regard for the dignity of the people who bring hospitality to life.

At Stonecliffe, we believe in doing better—and building something that lasts.

We’ve invested more than $13 million to create beautiful, family-ready homes for our team members. These aren’t just shelter, but real homes where individuals and families can find stability, comfort, and community. These homes offer more than a place to sleep; they offer the foundation to dream, to grow, and to thrive.

That foundation matters even more for those starting over. In Michigan and beyond, families fleeing violence and persecution come to the U.S. in search of safety and opportunity—but for asylum seekers, the barriers to stable housing and to building a future are even greater.

“Our Humanitarian Hotels exist to fund initiatives that make the world a better place, but we realized quickly that we must first make life better for those who work for us. Everyone deserves to have a dignified place to call home. ” -Kevin Doyle, COO Pulte Family Charitable Foundation

Prioritizing year-round roles—rather than relying solely on seasonal staff—has been a key part of this effort. In a seasonal economy, year-round employment brings stability to families and to the island itself. Without year-round families, Mackinac’s only public school risks closure. Our approach helps keep that school open and supports the health of the broader community.

Through this commitment, we’ve welcomed asylum seekers and their families into full-time roles and safe homes. Resourceful, driven, and hardworking, these new team members are already making powerful contributions—strengthening our workforce, enriching Mackinac Island’s community life, and adding to local school enrollment. As they succeed, they will not only realize the American dream for themselves—we hope that one day they will extend opportunity to others, creating ripples of generosity and renewal that last far beyond their own stories.

And when unexpected hardships arise, we are ready to stand alongside them. Our Hardship Fund provides immediate support for urgent needs—covering critical expenses like medical bills, housing emergencies, car repairs, and funerals. Recently, the fund provided emergency dental care for an asylum-seeking team member—a small but vital step in restoring health, dignity, and confidence.

As we’ve substantially raised the bar of what employees on Mackinac Island expect of their housing, we’ve seen other island businesses begin to rethink and increase investment in their employee housing as well. When stability starts to spread, the whole community benefits.

“When a family finally feels safe, when a child enrolls in school, when someone smiles because they have a place to call home—that’s why we do what we do.” -Patrick Conlon, General Manager, The Inn at Stonecliffe

This is what hospitality can be: not just welcoming guests, but welcoming new beginnings, strengthening communities, and helping every hardworking person build a life of stability, pride, and possibility.