Landlord group teams with local youth to clean up neighborhoods

For the second consecutive year, teens tackled unruly lawns, overgrown shrubs, and unsightly trash around problem properties as part of a partnership between West Michigan landlord organization, Rental Property Owners Association (RPOA), 1459 Michigan St. NE, and the Grand Rapids nonprofit The Other Way Ministries (TOW), 839 Sibley St. NW.

The event kicked off on Thursday, June 20 with 10 teens cleaning the yard at 1025 Chatham on Grand Rapids' West Side. The goal is twofold: to provide summer jobs for teens and to improve the appearance of Grand Rapids neighborhoods.

RPOA provides financial support to TOW's Youth Employment Service (YES) and neighborhood associations for certain cleanup projects. The YES program, a summer nonprofit ministry program that hires teenagers to do yard work, provides teens with work experience and character development. Ten teens, including one teen assistant supervisor, mow up to 40 lawns each week. As part of the experience, teens participate in a variety of skill and character development exercises.

"RPOA supports the work and goals of the YES program and is pleased to support that program again in 2013," says RPOA Executive Director Clay Powell.

The endeavor is a "win-win-win-win" of sorts, says RPOA, as TOW, teens, area neighborhood associations, and landlords all stand to benefit.

"We are grateful once again to the RPOA for the financial support, but more importantly we are appreciative of their concern for the future workforce," says TOW Ministries Executive Director Wayburn Dean. "Our YES program is a great model for character development, so we are hoping to reach as many area teens as possible."


Get involved:

- Ask your neighborhood association to identify owner-occupied and rental properties with the greatest need in your neighborhood. YES will contact the owner of the property to convey the offer of cleanup and schedule the service. RPOA will provide financial support for the cost of the cleanup.
- Visit RPOA's website.
- Donate to RPOA's Charitable Fund.
- Attend an RPOA event.
- Join RPOA.
- Visit TOW's website.
- Donate to TOW.
- Volunteer for TOW.
- Learn more about TOW.

Source: Contact: Craig Clark, Clark Communication
Writer: Victoria Mullen, Do Good Editor

Images: Courtesy of Craig Clark and The Other Way Ministries