Stories

Feature Story Teleah Mitchum stands by a mural at the E. Warren Farmers Market.

Resilient Neighborhoods: East Detroit nonprofit gets creative to help local businesses grow

From screwdrivers to digital expertise, this East Side Community Development Organization has embraced some unique approaches to helping local businesses expand and thrive.

Development News McKay Tower

Tribal purchase of McKay Tower honors the past and secures the future

The Match-E-Be-Nash-She-Wish Band of Pottawatomi Indians (the Gun Lake Tribe) and the Nottawaseppi Huron Band of the Potawatomi (NHBP), purchased downtown Grand Rapids' McKay Tower in January 2020.

Feature Story Every polling place in Michigan is required to have accessible equipment to help those with disability cast their ballots independently.

Poll worker training key to smooth voting experience for people with disabilities

Election inspectors are equipped with tools during training — known as disability etiquette — that they can use to assist voters with disabilities. 

Special Report Mental health report

Special report: COVID-19's silver linings for mental health care in Michigan

More robust mental health care delivery and reduced stigma are among the silver linings emerging from the COVID cloud.

Feature Story Elaine

Published Together: The inspiring power of youth voices

In addition to providing new perspectives, focusing on the power of intergenerational dialogue allows an organization to learn, grow and further its positive impact on the community.

Feature Story Ian Miskelley dives into the pool during competition.

Be Better; educating coaches, parents, student athletes on mental wellness

Starting with student athletes and the people who are closest to them — coaches and parents — Be Better; is starting an education curriculum to help youth and their adults navigate mental wellness.

Feature Story KDaLe program

KDaLe Brewing Program taps into local beer culture

Grand Rapids is known as Beer City, USA, with beer-related events and happenings year-round. With the KDaLe brewing competition and tap takeovers, the Kent District Library is putting the ‘pub’ in public library.

Feature Story Elizabeth Ferry, of Holland, rides her motorized wheelchair on the sidewalk along Howard Avenue in Holland Township.

Holland woman, and others with disabilities, faced enhanced challenges during COVID-19 pandemic

Even with masking and other precautions, Elizabeth Ferry said that she – like other people with disabilities she knows – lived in fear during the pandemic, afraid that her aides would quit, and she would be unable to replace them.

Feature Story Lori Hastings

Lori's Voice enriches lives of children with disabilities

Lori's Voice is an all-volunteer nonprofit founded to help young people with disabilities. Founder Lori Hastings remembers what it was like growing up a neurological disorder. Now, she's making sure other challenged youth have what they need.

Feature Story carlos sanchez

Looking back on FSU program that is steadily creating & retaining Latino leaders in West Michigan

The LEADeres program at Ferris State University has increased Latino representation at the school and continues to create new leaders and stakeholders throughout the West Michigan community.

Longform Diana Marin, Food Security Council member and supervising attorney with the Michigan Immigrant Rights Center, at the Ypsilanti Farmers Marketplace.

Michigan Food Security Council releases recommendations to expand access to healthy, affordable food

1.9 million Michiganders experienced food insecurity during the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, leading Gov. Gretchen Whitmer to launch the council.

Feature Story Ender Hall is located GRCC's main campus at 45 E. Fulton St.

GRCC’s Ender Hall renovation earns national recognition for design

Grand Rapids Community College’s renovation of the historic Steven C. Ender Hall in Grand Rapids into a new student space has earned national recognition for the architectural and engineering firm leading the project.

Development News X

New contest for small and emerging Michigan snack makers offers $50K in cash prizes and more

“The growth of new small craft and niche snack food companies in Michigan is exciting,” says Duncan Smith, President and COO of All Star Services, Inc. “All Star Services is a growing small business and we want to help bring more focus to the growing segment of snack food companies in Michigan.”

Innovation News Dallas Lenear

Nonprofit seeks to inspire people to achieve their economic goals with upcoming conference

Project GREEN, a Grand Rapids-based nonprofit, is working to dismantle barriers to achieving financial goals through its programming and annual Economic Empowerment Conference.

Development News Ron Yob

Legislative resolution pushes rightful recognition of Grand River Bands of Ottawa Indians

Michigan legislative resolution calls for federal recognition of Grand River Band of Ottawa Indians.

Feature Story Nearly a third of Michigan adults report having at least one disability.

Series to explore the state of West Michigan’s growing disability community

This article begins a weekly series that will explore the challenges faced by those with disabilities along with the efforts across West Michigan to address the discrimination and inequity.

Partner Content Jake Williams, Gleaners Community Food Bank nutrition education manager, and Bridget Brown, director for Gleaners' Food Secure Livingston program, at Shared Harvest Pantry in Howell.

SNAP-Ed inspires healthy eating in Southeast Michigan food pantries

Gleaners Community Food Bank is working to bolster nutrition security by actively sourcing a variety of fruits and vegetables for food pantries, and by providing nutrition education information for pantry guests. 

Longform Timothy Michling, research associate in health affairs at the Citizens Research Council of Michigan and author of a report entitled "Michigan Falls Short on Mental Health Services."

How can Michigan address its dire shortage of mental health professionals?

Even as mental health issues have risen worldwide, Michigan has fallen behind on having enough health professionals to address that trend.

Feature Story GVSU

Think we can't fix the talent pipeline issue here? Spectrum and GVSU have thoughts on that.

The BHSH Spectrum Health West Michigan Nurse Scholar program seeks to fill the nursing pipeline with an education scholarship program built in partnership with Grand Valley State University and a more than $19 million investment.

Feature Story Attendees at the 2020 Cause Camp. (Courtesy)

Grand Haven’s Do More Good brings Cause Camp to West Michigan

The nonprofit leadership and marketing event Cause Camp has been nationally recognized by Forbes as a “must-attend” event for the nonprofit sector. It will take place at DeVos Center in Grand Rapids on May 2-3.