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Feature Story ScottGeerlings

How collaboration is growing affordable housing in Ottawa County

By Shandra MartinezThursday, January 9, 2020
There is an affordable housing crisis in Ottawa County. Housing Next, created in 2018 to address the county’s affordable housing crisis, has set a goal of adding 7,500 units by 2023. In the past two years, the organization has had a hand in supporting a dozen projects that will add 2,000 new housing units at a range of price points.
Longform Samantha McKenzie at Hidden Harvest.

Michigan wastes massive amounts of food. Here's how it can be rescued to improve people's health.

By Estelle SlootmakerThursday, December 19, 2019
Food rescue operations in Michigan are doing their best to reclaim good food that would otherwise go to the landfill – and positively affecting public health in the process.
Development News Galactic

Local toy store “The Gathering” place in GR

By Estelle Slootmaker, Development News EditorThursday, December 19, 2019
Locally owned, independent Galactic Toys & Collectibles has two locations: 3120 28th St. SE and 4174 Alpine Ave. NW. The new location, which opened in November of this year in Comstock Park, is a gathering place for customers to play cards and games.
Innovation News art for all

Accessing the arts: Museums for All isn’t just about access, it is also about the experience

By Kendra R. McNeil, Innovation News EditorThursday, December 19, 2019
The Urban Institute for Contemporary Arts believes that art should be accessible to everyone living, working, and playing in Grand Rapids; and through its partnership with Museums for All, offers EBT card-carrying visitors access to its galleries year round for just $1.
Feature Story Yvonne Kupfermann

RapidChat: Yvonne Kupfermann on assisting immigrants in finding the right path

By Jenna K. Morton, Rapid Chat EditorThursday, December 19, 2019
Canadian-born Yvonne Kupfermann has always had a personal connection to immigration — with two Hungarian parents and a brother who immigrated to the US from Hungary just a few years ago. Through her roles as an immigration attorney at Varnum and a board member for Justice for Our Neighbors, Kupfermann helps aspiring residents who may not otherwise be able to afford or access critical legal assistance.
Feature Story GROW

How community support strengthens small businesses: Three local business owners share their stories

By Megan SarnackiThursday, December 19, 2019
The holidays are here and the sales never end. Before you start checking off your list, though, three business owners explain how shopping local recirculates back into the community, provides more opportunities for businesses and nearby neighborhoods, and helps promote entrepreneurship.
Feature Story Keith Remelts propietario de FiveW Pets.

Cómo el apoyo comunitario fortalece a las pequeñas empresas: Tres historias locales

Por Megan SarnackiThursday, December 19, 2019
Los día feriados están aquí y las ventas nunca terminan. Sin embargo, antes de comenzar a marcar su lista, tres dueños de negocios explican cómo las compras locales vuelven a la comunidad, brindando más oportunidades para las empresas y los vecindarios cercanos y ayudando a promover el espíritu empresarial.
Feature Story Ready for School

How focusing on a community’s youngest residents can close the opportunity gap

By Shandra Martinez, Lakeshore EditorThursday, December 19, 2019
Ready for School is at the center of a community-wide effort to close the achievement gap. In the last decade, the results have been impressive.
Feature Story books.JPG

Why doctors are prescribing books to children in Holland

By Shandra MartinezThursday, December 19, 2019
There’s a correlation between childhood literacy and healthy adults. At Lakewood Family Medicine in Holland, Dr. Kurt Lindberg has given out thousands of books to parents to encourage them to read to their kids.
Development News chinese language

Grand Rapids Chinese Language School: Speaking the dialect of diversity

By Estelle Slootmaker, Development News EditorThursday, December 12, 2019

For the past 28 years, the Grand Rapids Chinese Language School (GRCLS) has provided opportunity for families of Chinese descent to learn about and celebrate their heritage. The school has also served as a beacon of diversity and inclusion throughout West Michigan.

Innovation News Therapy

Representation and opportunity: Holiday art market exclusively showcased artists with disabilities

By Kendra R. McNeil, Innovation News EditorThursday, December 12, 2019

The This-Ability Holiday Art Market offered area artists with disabilities a way to use art as a tool for personal growth, and as a catalyst for community integration.

Feature Story Tori Champion gets a shot from Barbra Mustert at Calvin Health Services.

How Michigan health professionals are working to provide the best data on vaccines

By Lauren Fay Carlson, Managing EditorThursday, December 12, 2019
Information about vaccines is prevalent and varies widely. To combat misinformation, many groups in the state of Michigan have doubled down on their efforts to collate, disseminate, and constantly update credible, scientific information on immunization.
Feature Story eduardo

Small business spotlight: All in a day's work at National Supermarket

By Lauren Fay Carlson, Managing EditorThursday, December 12, 2019
Henry Eduardo is a local serial entrepreneur with 3 National Supermarket locations and a restaurant, showcasing diverse Latinx products and dishes for all.
Feature Story podcast

UIX: New podcasters find their footing in a crowd

By Matthew Russell, UIX EditorThursday, December 12, 2019
Whether diving right in to their first episode, or dwelling on the idea for a year before hitting record, new podcasters inevitably revisit their ideas of what makes a good show after the first season. Some even question whether it's worth recording a second. Here are three stories of podcasters who started off in different situations, and intend on continuing.
Feature Story WMCC2019

G-Sync: West Michigan Cuddle Connection on the importance of human touch in our society

By Tommy Allen, PublisherThursday, December 12, 2019
Rapid Growth's December radio show appearance on WGVU’s Morning Show with Shelley Irwin welcomed Sherri Rogers of the West Michigan Cuddle Connection to share how this group is helping folks in our community understand the importance of human touch.
Longform Dwayne Cole at Ruth Ellis Center.

Ruth Ellis Center helps LGBTQ youth feel "celebrated" through integrated primary and behavioral care

By Estelle SlootmakerThursday, December 5, 2019
The Ruth Ellis Center Health and Wellness Center, an integrative health clinic opened in 2017, provides a wide range of services for the young people it serves.
Development News St James Solar

St. James Apartments find a place in the sun

By Estelle Slootmaker, Development News EditorThursday, December 5, 2019
St. James Apartments and Townhomes’ now has 308 solar panels at its 750 First St. NW affordable housing project, which opened December 2018. With the solar panel installation completed last month, they began capturing energy from the sun and transforming it into electricity for the renovated school’s 52 units. The solar array is expected to generate 125,000 kilowatt hours per year and reduce electricity costs by 50 percent.
Innovation News Heartside

Activating Heartside: Downtown organizations implement new solutions to revitalize S. Division Ave.

Kendra R. McNeil, Innovation News EditorThursday, December 5, 2019

With results in from the City of Grand Rapids’ Heartside Quality of Life Study, leading organizations have shifted to implementing the study’s recommendations with innovative, community-based solutions that directly address problems identified; specifically, activating vacant spaces along South Division Avenue.

Feature Story WMSC

Why sports tourism could be the next big economic engine of Kent County

By Grant KammerThursday, December 5, 2019
As Grand Rapids continues to grow and invest in key infrastructure, the region attracts global-caliber sporting events, making it a new hotspot for sports tourism.
Feature Story A confection from Mokya.

Shop Local: A Rapid Growth holiday gift guide

By Lauren Fay Carlson, Managing EditorThursday, December 5, 2019
For those of us that have yet to check off everything on our holiday shopping list, there are plenty of local options to feed your desire for gifts friendly to the local economy.
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