When you sign up for Water Street’s Loyalty Rewards, you earn three reward points for every dollar you spend at any of our café locations. These points can be redeemed for discounts OR you can choose to donate a portion directly to our Featured Non-Profit. From July through September 2025, our Featured Non-Profit is Michigan Medicine University of Michigan, Lewy Body Dementia Research.

Since its founding in 1848, the University of Michigan Medical School has been on a relentless quest to transform the future of healthcare through leading-edge medical education, groundbreaking discoveries, and extraordinary patient care. Michigan Medicine—U-M’s academic medical center—embodies this mission every day. Its impact is amplified through deep collaboration with the university’s schools, colleges, centers, and institutes, creating a powerful ecosystem for innovation in medicine.

Among its many areas of excellence, Michigan Medicine is a national leader in Lewy Body Dementia (LBD) research. Through the Michigan Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center (MADRC) and a dedicated LBD team, the institution is making essential contributions to understanding how LBD develops, how to diagnose it earlier and more accurately, and how to improve care and outcomes for individuals and families living with the disease.

Researchers at the University of Michigan are exploring a wide spectrum of work—from advanced neuroimaging and biomarker discovery to clinical trials testing potential new therapies. Their approach is collaborative and patient-centered, valuing the lived experience of individuals and the crucial insight of caregivers. It’s research not only for patients but with patients.

Lewy Body Dementia is the second most common form of progressive dementia after Alzheimer’s disease. Despite this, it remains significantly underrecognized and underdiagnosed. LBD is caused by the buildup of abnormal protein deposits—called Lewy bodies—in the brain. These deposits disrupt brain function and impact thinking, memory, movement, behavior, and mood. People with LBD often experience vivid visual hallucinations, fluctuating levels of alertness, and symptoms similar to Parkinson’s disease.

This Loyalty Recipient hits close to home at Water Street.

Mark Smutek, the visionary behind Water Street Coffee, believed deeply in the power of coffee to bring people together. He didn’t just brew coffee or build cafés—he created community. His spaces were filled with beauty, connection, and meaning, reflecting his belief that everyday moments could be transformed into something extraordinary.

Mark lived with quiet intention and gave generously, without fanfare. He showed up fully—for his friends, his city, and his dreams. Even in his final years, as he faced the challenges of Lewy Body Dementia, Mark met life with courage, grace, and the same unwavering spirit that shaped Water Street.

By contributing in Mark’s honor, you’re helping to carry his legacy forward: fostering connection, supporting education and advocacy, and building a more compassionate, informed community for those impacted by LBD.

Water Street is proud to support Michigan Medicine University of Michigan, Lewy Body Dementia Research, and we hope that you can help us in this effort.

Supporting non-profits throughout Kalamazoo county

Water Street’s Loyalty Rewards Program began in 2018 and features a new non-profit each quarter. With the help of our customers, we've been able to give a total of $18,139 to non-profit organizations to help support the important work they do in our community.

Check out our Giving page to learn how your organization can apply to be considered as our next Loyalty Rewards Featured Non-Profit.