For young people with disabilities, the transition from high school to adulthood can be a road filled with uncertainty. But a new initiative, fueled by a two-year, $120,000 grant from the
Steelcase Foundation, aims to change that trajectory in Kent County.
Disability Advocates of Kent County (DAKC) is leading a collaboration of five local organizations focused on improving postsecondary outcomes for youth with disabilities. The effort, backed by the Steelcase grant, connects young adults ages 18 to 26 to career and education pathways by uniting existing services under one umbrella.
The partners are Beyond 26, Goodwill Industries of Greater Grand Rapids, Steepletown Neighborhood Services, West Michigan Center for Arts + Technology (WMCAT), and Kent Intermediate School District (KISD). Each brings distinct expertise to the table and plays a role in guiding young people toward independence, gainful employment, and economic self-sufficiency.
“This collaboration is about making sure no young adult is left behind,” says Ella Bonner, DAKC’s workforce development manager. “It’s about wrapping them in support and connecting them with services they may not even know exist.”
Closing the gaps
Bonner says the initiative builds on the groundwork DAKC has laid through its Youth Transition Specialists (YTS), a team that works in schools and community spaces to help students envision their futures. Whether the goal is higher education, technical training, or employment, Bonner’s team helps chart a course forward.
![]()
Tommy AllenWill Dirk Bakhuyzen, and his co-worker, Nick, on the job at Weller Truck Parts in Wyoming.
But too often, students with disabilities fall through the cracks.
“What was happening before is that students and families didn’t know all the options,” Bonner says. “By coming together, we’re building a system where each organization fills a gap, and no one slips through.”
That approach is central to the Steelcase Foundation’s priorities. The Grand Rapids-based philanthropic arm has made systemic equity and access in education a focus of its giving. DAKC’s proposal directly confronts the longstanding barriers that youth with disabilities face, particularly in employment.
“We know from decades of research that these youth want to work and be independent,” says David Bulkowski, executive director of DAKC. “But the system doesn’t always support that. This collaboration gives us a unique opportunity to use data, shared resources, and best practices to increase those outcomes.”
![]()
Tommy AllenCo-workers Nick and Will collaborate beautifully at Weller Truck Parts in Wyoming.
Bulkowski emphasizes that organizations in the partnership already contribute more than $3.5 million annually toward youth transition services. The goal now is to create efficiency and collective impact.
‘We don’t quit’
One of the key collaborators is Beyond 26, a nonprofit specializing in job placement for adults with disabilities. Executive Director Dirk Bakhuyzen says this initiative aligns perfectly with the organization’s mission.
“Our entire focus is to find jobs in the community for people with disabilities,” Bakhuyzen says. “We don’t quit until we do.”
Beyond 26 supports job seekers across a wide range of abilities, from nonverbal individuals with Down syndrome to college graduates with autism navigating social barriers to employment. The organization also operates training programs such as a document shredding service and a church cleaning crew known as Pew Busters, which offer transitional work experiences for individuals with higher support needs.
“We view these programs as stepping stones,” Bakhuyzen says. “The ultimate goal is always community-based employment.”
![]()
Tommy AllenWill Dirk Bakhuyzen fist-bumps his co-workers.Nick and CJ at Weller Truck Parts.
But there are systemic hurdles. One is the income cap for people receiving Supplemental Security Income, or SSI. Under current rules, individuals can lose crucial benefits if they earn more than $85 a month.
“For many families, that’s a dealbreaker,” he says. “If we could align that threshold with what’s allowed under Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), which is over $1,500 a month, it would open up so many doors.”
Despite those challenges, the community response has been encouraging. Employers increasingly recognize the value that workers with disabilities bring: reliability, dedication, and a deep appreciation for their jobs.
“Our business partners often come back and say, ‘Johnny hasn’t missed a shift,’” Bakhuyzen says. “There’s a loyalty and a joy in the workplace that’s hard to match.”
Thriving at work
One such success story is Will, Bakhuyzen’s son, who has Down syndrome and is virtually nonverbal. Will works on the facilities team at Weller Truck Parts in Wyoming, with his friend Nick, who has a cognitive delay and limited use of one arm. The two are known affectionately as “yin and yang,” supporting each other in ways that highlight their individual strengths.
“They go from breakroom to breakroom, cleaning and keeping the place in top shape,” Bakhuyzen says. “They’re part of the family there and even enrolled in the company’s 401(k) program.”
![]()
Tommy AllenWill Dirk Bakhuyzen, and his co-worker, Nick, work in maintenance at Weller Truck Parts in Wyoming.
Bonner says stories like these are what the initiative is designed to replicate, at scale.
“When a student wants to pursue pharmacy tech or cybersecurity, we connect them with WMCAT for tuition-free career training,” she explains. “If they need job carving and placement, that’s where Beyond 26 comes in. Goodwill provides job coaching, Steepletown offers community-based options, and KISD keeps the education system looped in.”
She likens it to a relay race, where the baton is passed seamlessly between trusted hands.
Looking ahead
The planning phase has been underway for more than a year, with each organization defining its role and refining how services are delivered. A facilitator is helping to coordinate the details, and the full implementation is expected in year two.
“This isn’t about duplication, it’s about collaboration,” Bonner says. “By working together, we’re creating something more powerful than any of us could do alone.”
Bakhuyzen agrees.
“My dream is that every young adult transitioning out of school has a place to land — a job, a purpose, a sense of belonging,” he says. “That’s how we build stronger families and stronger communities.”
![]()
Beyond 26 Executive Director Dirk Bakhuyzen visiting his son, Will, at Weller Truck Parts.
The partnership is already attracting attention. Beyond 26 hopes to open a new office in Holland this year and expand to Muskegon in 2026. Bakhuyzen also authored a book outlining the organization’s model, with hopes that other communities will adopt the approach.
For the families involved, the impact is deeply personal.
“You can see the confidence grow,” Bakhuyzen says. “We’ve had job seekers come back and say, ‘I don’t want to do that job anymore, I found a new one myself.’ That’s graduation to us.”
With the Steelcase Foundation grant laying the foundation, DAKC and its partners are working to turn that vision into a reality, one job seeker at a time.