Grand Rapids-based Hope Network continues to expand to accommodate individuals with disabilities and disadvantages. The non-profit Christian organization is looking to hire 10 full-time employees and 36 part-time on-call workers to staff two new residential foster care homes opening in June.

Meijer Inc. announced this week it will offer the most commonly prescribed drug to treat Type 2 diabetes at no cost to those with a medical prescription. Its pharmacies at all 191 stores will dispense the generic immediate release tablets of metformin in doses of 500mg, 850mg and 1000mg, offering a relief to the exploding number of diabetics in America.

Deborah Johnson WoodGrand Rapids-based Appletree Christian Learning Centers, Inc. is well on its way to opening its 18th and 19th Michigan locations and the facilities are designed to meet the needs of children. This week the non-denominational childcare and learning centers broke ground on its newest building near the intersection of Breton and Burton streets, Grand Rapids; last month the company started construction on another facility on 52nd Street SW near Metro Health. "Our true focus is early childhood education, on what is best for the child," says Bridgett (Tubbs) Wohlford. Bridgett and her late husband Doug Tubbs founded the company in 1997. She and her husband Ted Wohlford now own the Monroe Avenue NW and the Rockford locations and have franchised the others. Bridgett Wohlford spent three years visiting childcare centers across the United States, and then designed the child-friendly buildings with safety and learning in mind."The center has wide open space and lots of glass between rooms and looking outside, no there are no hidden corners," she says. "We have a camera system so parents can observe their children and the teachers from their computers at work. ROI Design worked with me on color selection, designing safe spaces for the children, and creating nurturing, warm spaces for infants and toddlers."Entry is gained by an electronic thumbprint recognition system. Once kids are through the door, a tree house beckons them to climb into it. A slide gets them back to ground level so they can continue to their classrooms. There are lactation rooms for nursing moms, low window ledges so even toddlers can look outside and soft colors that don't over-stimulate children. The company has received inquiries from Illinois, Tennessee and Ohio, says Wohlford, and is considering opening franchises in those areas.Ken Watkins of Architectural Concepts is the architect. Pinnacle Construction is the builder for the Breton facility. Boverhof Builders is the builder for the 52nd Street facility. Source: Bridgett (Tubbs) Wohlford, Appletree Christian Learning Centers, Inc.Deborah Johnson Wood is development news editor for Rapid Growth Media. She can be contacted at [email protected]. Development News tips can be sent to [email protected].

Deborah Johnson WoodMatt and Jennifer Holmes' home décor store in Holland generated so much interest in its children's merchandise they've opened a second store downtown dedicated to all kinds of stuff for kids. Tip Toes, the offspring of parent store Home & Company, opened last week on the corner of College and 8th St. and offers children's goods that include clothing, shoes, toys, books, strollers and some furniture items for infants on up. "We also have a section for moms that includes accessories like jewelry and purses," says Matt Holmes. "And we have a collection of Grand Rapids' artist Carol Roeda's metal and magnet art that we call 'scrapboarding.'"Matt and Jennifer, both 30, know that shopping with young children can be a challenge – they have a three-year-old son and a daughter who's almost 12 months. So they included a 10-foot-high tree house in the store to keep kids busy while their parents shop. The tree house, designed by Ada-based Carlson Design, has two levels for playing and a stairway for easy climbing. Within the next couple of weeks the couple plans to launch another venture in the lower level – a high-end children's clothing consignment shop called Tip Toed, a playful variation of the main store's name. "Our goal is for people to shop for the fun stuff on the first floor and then search out the great clothes bargains on the lower level," Matt says. "We're excited about being in the new location," he adds. "Between us and the new Kilwin's is the new public fireplace that's built right in the sidewalk with built in benching around it so families can come and eat their ice cream by the fire. It's a great location for us." Source: Matt Holmes, Tip Toes; Mimi Fritz, Downtown Holland Principal Shopping DistrictDeborah Johnson Wood is development news editor for Rapid Growth Media. She can be contacted at [email protected]. Development News tips can be sent to [email protected].

Economic development gurus across the state are working to unite the state's manufacturing development, and Holland has scored big points by landing two major lithium ion battery manufacturing plants in the last year. According to excerpts from the story:Parochialism is poison to economic development. "Where there are opportunities to be supportive of each other, we should be, as opposed to fighting to keep one project going to another community," said CEO of Ann Arbor Spark Michael Finney. The growth of each individual community in Michigan generally boosts the state's brand - and improvements in the state's image affect all of us. Here's a concrete example: The city of Holland on Michigan's west coast is quickly becoming an epicenter for electric vehicle battery production. Holland has landed two major battery plants over the last year: A $220 million project byJohnson Controls-Saft and a $303 million project by Korean firm LG Chem, which is supplying lithium cells to General Motors for use in the Chevrolet Volt. Holland's success accelerates Michigan's efforts to earn a label as a global leader in battery technology and production. Read the complete story here.