Few people, if any, did more to protect Michiganders from PFAS than AJ Birkbeck. The West Michigan attorney joined forces with citizen sleuths and scientists to hold a Rockford tannery accountable for fouling groundwater with legacy pollution. By building bridges, rattling cages, protecting activists and creating a sound legal strategy, AJ helped force the tannery to clean up its pollution, create statewide PFAS laws and make a nation aware of the impact of these “forever chemicals.”

With your help, the Scholarship Fund will annually award Michigan college students at least $3,000 to conduct community projects and research that continue AJ’s legacy. It will propel the PFAS movement toward a future where the chemicals’ threats are no more, and it will honor Birkbeck and his legacy.