Dwelling Place’s new leadership team reflects focus on people-first ...
Feb 26, 2024 · The organization says the new leadership will focus more on the human aspect of community development as it invests $100 million this year in improving 500 homes of low-income residents in West Michigan. “It’s an approach of listening and responding to the needs not just as you see them, but as others are experiencing them as well,” DeRoo ...
Geeking out: Thousands of fans proudly prove Grand Rapids …
Oct 27, 2016 · The Grand Rapids Comic Con is growing by leaps and bounds, this year drawing close to 30,000 visitors to the convention that is wonderfully proving 'geek' culture is for everyone. When you think about Comic Con, or any ‘Cons,’ really, you tend to think of really big cities: San Diego on the west coast, New York on the east, and Chicago in ...
Author, athlete, inspiration Chris Sain, Jr. helps city youth
Jun 3, 2014 · Sain, Jr., a social innovator, educator, and mentor to Grand Rapids’ inner-city youth, credits God’s grace and guidance, along with a combination of book smarts, street smarts, and common sense, with helping him escape the hustle and hopelessness of the hood. As a former Michigan State University walk-on, once he accepted his fate with ...
An interview with ICCF CEO Ryan VerWeys on the Franklin Campus …
Jul 14, 2021 · Ryan VerWeys, CEO of ICCF says about the project, “There’s a citywide shortage of affordable places for working families with limited assets and income.”. So, in 2015, when the Madison Church, an active community organization that has been embedded in the neighborhood for over 100 years, was gifted the 415 Franklin property by Ed DeVries ...
Taking action to address challenges of underrepresented …
Feb 15, 2021 · Through its Construction Allies in Action initiative, which launched in mid-2020, the organization is expanding its focus on assisting underrepresented individuals within the industry. The purpose of the Construction Allies in Action initiative is twofold, says Bovard Strong. “The first [purpose is] to create more opportunities for minority ...
2080 Union is a peek into the future and solutions found within ...
Jan 17, 2024 · Every unit at 2080 Union is treated to a unique color palette, fostering individuality within each home. Dwelling Place’s Community Land Trust Sales Coordinator Freshta Tour Jan wants folks to know that these new homes have spacious kitchens and are just one of the many community-informed amenities offered within these homes.
Breaking down the unique challenges of Michigan's migrant …
Jun 22, 2020 · Michigan has officially entered summer, a season that brings tens of thousands of migrant and seasonal farmworkers to the state for temporary employment picking produce. COVID-19 has complicated this journey, housing, and benefits for migrant workers, and attorney Ben O'Hearn of Migrant Legal Aid breaks down the unique challenges they face in ...
Uniting children and the elderly: Intergenerational centers create ...
Dec 20, 2018 · Now in collaboration with Vista Springs Riverside Gardens, the intergenerational preschool opened in the fall of 2017. Kate Hilts serves as the admissions coordinator at the elementary and preschool, as well as the liaison for the intergenerational preschool. With a background in geriatric nursing, Hilts was an advocate for this program.
Turning the tide: Red Project fights HIV, overdose, and stigma …
Jul 27, 2017 · The Red Project’s Naloxone distribution program, Hall says, is a game-changer. In 2008, the Red Project began providing Naloxone — a drug that can reverse the effects of opioid overdose — directly to concerned community members. Each Naloxone kit contains four doses of the medication, four syringes and a rescue breathing mask.
A place to call home: Well House opens permanent housing for …
Jan 26, 2017 · Well House, a Grand Rapids nonprofit, is opening a youth house for individuals ages 18 to 24, and the new space will give young adults the chance to build their lives. Ending homelessness is a top priority for metropolitan areas throughout the country. With churches, nonprofits and individuals' joint efforts, services such as temporary housing ...