Annual report: Kindness and legacy
July 1, 2026Jim and Jan Tuman
Jim Tuman spent years traveling as a motivational speaker in schools. Even when he returned home to the Detroit area, he kept working to help kids. The organization he created—Jimmy’s Kids—has gathered school supplies, food, Christmas gifts, and more for children and families since 1988.
“Jim experienced a lot of trauma as a young person,” Jan Tuman, Jim’s wife, shared. “He felt like he could reach kids in those situations because he had been there.”
After Jan and Jim married, they divided their time between Detroit and White Cloud, Jan’s hometown. While they had their work with Jimmy’s Kids in Detroit, they also wanted a way to help students here. “Jim knew I loved the kids here,” said Jan, who worked for White Cloud Public Schools for more than 30 years.
The Tumans decided to create a scholarship at the Community Foundation for White Cloud graduates. Tragically, Jim passed away in 2025, before the first scholarship could be awarded. The scholarship will now be part of the legacy of kindness Jim worked to build in Michigan and beyond.
“It can live on for him,” Jan said. “If you can be kind, if you can help, why wouldn’t you? That was Jim. We both had a heart for young people, and there’s nothing better than seeing them succeed.”
