Community Involvement

Children

Grace coordinates a tutoring program for children at Campus School, an inner-city elementary school. We work with kindergarten, 1st and 2nd grade children to help them develop all-important reading skills. Throughout the school year, volunteers dedicate an hour or so each week to meeting with an individual student. At the beginning of every school year, we also donate funds to the In the Image SHOES program that provides 6,000 pairs of new shoes to children returning to school. For the past five years, we have also sponsored a Cub Scout troop at the same inner-city school where we provide tutoring services. The troop is housed at the school, but supported through our outreach efforts. Contact: Fae Milnes

Homelessness

Grace is committed to supporting homeless families and individuals and to ending homelessness in our community. We are entering our tenth year as one of 14 churches in the area that house homeless families four weeks per year through the Interfaith Hospitality Network. As a result of our Building for the Next Generation renovation, Grace is able to host up to 14 individuals each week we sponsor. We are also participate in the Vision to End Homelessness, a national initiative to end homelessness through rent subsidies, increased support for housing and support through mentoring. Contact: Kathy Brower

Housing

For many years, Grace has worked to address the critical need for affordable housing. We have participated in the building of six homes with Habitat for Humanity. We also worked with many other churches in the area on the revitalization of a neighborhood as part of the Franklin Street Partnership. In 2007, we will be helping to build our seventh Habitat for Humanity home. Contact: Kathy Brower

Education

In our effort to raise awareness of the daily hardships many people face, Grace sponsors Poverty Simulation workshops. We also have conducted workshops based on Ruby Payne's program, A Framework for Understanding Poverty. Other opportunities for learning come during Adult Formation classes on Sunday mornings. Contact: Kathy Brower

Hunger and Needs

In Kent County, there are ten key food pantries that work to meet the basic human need for food. Grace collects food items for one of these pantries, the Southend Community Outreach Ministry. Clothing and other household items are also collected and delivered to In the Image. In addition, Grace regularly sponsors a vigorous team of striders for the annual Hunger Walk. Contact: JC Veen

Health

This team reaches out to our own parish and the community by providing services such as flu shots and blood drives. Contact: Chris McClain

Christmas

Since 1981, Grace has had an "adopt-a-family" program during the Christmas season. Each year more than 200 persons are given food, healthcare items, a blanket, a sweatshirt and a gift. We also sponsor 50 children in a Pride for Parents program, for which parents volunteer time at a local agency and "earns" $50.00 for each child in their family. Grace donates the funding and shoppers to provide these gifts. We also give special help to 20-25 families from Sudanese Grace during this season. Contact: Sue Eldridge

Emergency Needs

Grace has always been a community of faith that responds to needs on an agency and individual basis. Through an emergency needs fund administered by our Deacon, who also coordinates our Community Involvement activities, each day Grace responds to emergency requests for help with food, clothing, shelter and utility needs. Our parish coordinates an average of ten requests for help each week. Contact: Kathy Brower

Global Concerns

Our concern for our community does not end at the city, county or even country limits. We work to respond to emergency and long-term needs in hunger, social injustice and the environment. Each month, we respond to these global concerns with a financial contribution to a coordinating agency. In 2006, our mite box money collected during the Lenten season totaled $2,000 and was used to provide water and school repairs in Southern Sudan. We are also coordinating with Sudanese Grace on a project to provide support to 9,000 Sudanese school children.

We also sell fairly traded, organic and shade grown coffee, tea and chocolate that raises funds to support this ministry and awareness of the environment and social justice issues in our world. Fairly traded coffee and tea are also served at Grace for coffee hours and all fellowship events. Contact: Glory Meyer

Sudanese Advisory Committee

This team assists members of our parochial mission, Sudanese Grace Episcopal Church, with administration of their congregation and assimilation into the Grand Rapids community.

Alice Hann Community Fund

Alice Hann was a tireless worker in outreach programs in the early history of Grace. Upon her death, a portion of her estate was donated as seed money for the establishment of the Alice Hann Fund to benefit Community Outreach programs. Additional monies for the fund come from individual contributions and the Grace Endowment Fund earnings. The committee administering the Fund receives grant requests from various Kent County ministries and agencies that work with persons at risk in our community. Twice a year, the committee studies such requests and makes grants to deserving organizations. Contact: Chris McClain