Grandville Community Leaders Breakfast

 
The group continues to meet quarterly to share opportunities and needs.
Many times, the needs and opportunities mesh so that we are able to function as a healthy,
 helping community.

We encourage anyone in the greater Grandville area who has an interest in improving our community 
to attend the meetings and participate.

Non-profit organizations, the library, businesses, the faith community, schools, government,
 senior citizens, and other community groups are represented and are most welcome.
 
 Greater Grandville Community Leaders’ Forum
 
History and Focus - In 2006, Grandville First Reformed Church’s new pastor, Christopher Wolf, expressed an interest in meeting community leaders to learn about the needs of the community.  Amy Henrickson set up meetings and accompanied Pastor Wolf as he asked leaders about the problems or issues they faced.  Every person was eager to talk about challenges in the community.  From these meetings, the idea of a quarterly early morning community leaders’ meeting began.    
 
At the first meeting, held in January of 2007, 3 areas emerged as priorities:
 
COMMUNITY NEEDS

• Senior Citizens (isolated)

• Families

• Youth

• Assistance for adolescent depression (Be Nice/Mental Health Foundation support)
• Regular communication among leaders to better share information about programs and needs.
• Police and schools working together to curb student truancy
• Creation of a city volunteer bank (begun in 2015 – “On Call Crew” and the mayor’s “Snow Angels”)

• Utilizing project dollars, resources, and people from businesses and service clubs to meet needs.
• Develop a community fund (Grandville/Walker Community Foundation 2017 formed from dissolution of Greater Grandville Rotary Foundation)

• Increase senior citizen involvement in schools (including Increased participation in student mentoring programs such as Kids Hope)
• Young people’s involvement at Senior Neighbors
• Middle and High Schools’ Community Service Requirement – incorporate improvement projects; include homebound or isolated seniors who need assistance.
• Library partnering with schools, businesses, faith-based organizations, and others
• Community Events, Community Choir
• Met with representatives from The Rapid about implementing public transportation between Walker and Grandville as well as increasing the number of benches at Grandville area bus stops.
• Agreed to help with the advancement of the redevelopment of the rapids in the Grand River for more recreational activities at the river in Grandville.
• The after-school program for middle school students at the Visser YMCA was started by a core group from the Community Leaders. The program has been renamed “IMPACT” and it’s where kids get physical activity, a meal, and homework help.  About 120 kids are registered in the program.  45 of the kids who participated in the program regularly were taken on a field trip to Chicago at the end of 2015/16 school year. Schools help to identify students who would benefit most from the free program.