In a gesture that speaks to both tradition and forward motion, Humboldt Hoo-Hoo Club 63 has donated $2,000 to We Are Up, helping advance the development of a one-of-a-kind inclusive community in Northern California.
The donation was formally presented during a hosted lunch at the historic Ingomar Club, where timber heritage and community spirit share a very long table. The gathering was hosted by lumberman and Hoo-Hoo member David Jones and Stacey Douglas Jones, bringing together leaders, advocates, and storytellers united by the common purpose of making a difference where there is need.
Joining the Joneses were Caprice Allen, president of Humboldt Hoo-Hoo Club 63; Mary Keehn, founder of We Are Up and Cypress Grove Cheese; and Morgan Maxon, whose personal journey as the mother of an intellectually divergent daughter has led her to co-create the podcast Mildly Crushing It alongside fellow mother of a special needs child, Sadie Nilsen.
The afternoon carried the easy warmth of shared stories, but beneath it ran something deeper—a recognition that what’s being built through We Are Up is not just housing, but a new way of living together.
“We Are Up is about creating a place where people are seen, valued, and connected,” said Mary Keehn. “This kind of support doesn’t just fund construction—it builds momentum. It tells us we’re not alone in believing that community can, and should, be designed with dignity at its core.”
The planned We Are Up campus will blend housing, agriculture, and community programming across more than 17 acres, offering opportunities for individuals of all abilities to live, work, and belong. The project has been described as a “blueprint for the nation”—a model rooted in connection rather than isolation.
Caprice Allen noted that the donation reflects the enduring spirit of Hoo-Hoo, the fraternal order of the forest products industry.
“Our club has always been about fellowship and lifting up the communities we’re part of,” Allen said. “Supporting We Are Up felt like a natural extension of that mission—because this is about people, about inclusion, and about building something that lasts.”
For Morgan Maxon, the impact is deeply personal.
“As a parent, you spend a lot of time wondering what the future will look like for your child,” Maxon shared. “Projects like We Are Up give families something rare—hope that there will be a place where our kids are not just cared for, but truly belong.”
The $2,000 contribution will support early development efforts, helping move the project from vision to reality—one thoughtful step at a time.
This article appears in My Humboldt Life April 2026.