Access to Healthy Foods

Flat River Outreach Ministries

Flat River Outreach Ministries (FROM) is a community hub that strives to provide equitable access and opportunities to meet basic yet fundamental human needs for neighbors in the Lowell Area School District who make less than 300% of the poverty level. FROM supports the CHNA priority of increasing access to healthy foods through the delivery of six food programs that prioritize the provision of affordable, healthy food options with an emphasis on fresh fruits and vegetables. Increased need for food in the community, combined with increasing prices for food have left significant gaps in the amount of fresh produce that FROM is able to offer their food pantry customers. FROM has been awarded a $10,000 mini grant to purchase fresh produce to help close this gap and advance access to healthy, affordable food.

Roosevelt Park Neighborhood Association

Roosevelt Park is a unique neighborhood on Grand Rapids’ southwest side that is home to a diverse community of residents and a thriving business district. The Roosevelt Park Neighborhood Association (RPNA) maintains the integrity of the neighborhood as a good place to live, work and do business by empowering neighborhood residents to improve the community and prevent crime. Mini grant funding will be used to enhance and expand the Roosevelt Park Farmers Market to reduce health disparities and improve access to affordable, healthy food options. The market will expand operation from 3 to 4 hours per week and hire a bilingual market manager to recruit vendors with culturally relevant produce and manage the weekly market.

Access of West Michigan

“For The Health of It” is a 16-week program that provides diabetes education, fitness classes, cooking workshops, and real-world experiences to individuals with diabetes or at risk.  The program is a collaboration between Access of West Michigan (AOWM) and Baxter Community Center to address health inequities in the Baxter community, targeting low-income families and those facing barriers to accessing nutritious food and healthcare.  The mini grant will allow the program to provide fresh, culturally appropriate produce bags for each participant, ensuring they have access to healthy food as part of their diabetes prevention and reduction efforts.

Housing

North Kent Connect

North Kent Connect (NKC) serves individuals and families in northern Kent County who are at or below 200% of the Federal Poverty Level. Whether one needs food, clothing, rent or utility assistance, budgeting classes, or behavioral health management, NKC provides the services or connection to the resources they need. The $10,000 mini grant will support NKC’s Stable Housing Program, helping to provide financial housing assistance and comprehensive case management services for 20 households.

Disability Advocates of Kent County

With mini grant funding, Disability Advocates of Kent County is expanding its successful Rapid Response Housing Fund (RRHF), a program designed to help individuals with disabilities overcome housing barriers and maintain stable housing. The funds will be used to provide flexible, short-term financial assistance for various needs, including rent, security deposits, application fees, and moving costs. The RRHF serves individuals with disabilities who are at risk of eviction or homelessness, addressing urgent needs before they lead to long-term instability. By providing quick financial support with minimal requirements, the program helps individuals stay housed and promotes independent living.

Access to Healthcare/Mental Health Support

Grand Rapids LGBTQ Healthcare Consortium

The Grand Rapids LGBTQ Healthcare Consortium (the Consortium) is dedicated to improving the health and well-being of the LGBTQ+ community. Since the Consortium’s inception in 2018 they have been dedicated to addressing inequities in healthcare via education, collaboration, advocacy, and partnerships. The mini grant will allow the Consortium to enhance their educational offerings by holding Open Office Hours for Social Workers who are serving or interested in serving LGBTQ+ community members. The Office Hours are led by two experts in LGBTQ+ mental health and offer a professional development opportunity for social workers in the delivery of culturally competent care to members of the LGBTQ+ community. In addition to increasing cultural competency, the project aims to increase knowledge of and access to existing mental health resources.

Arbor Circle

With its mini grant funding, Arbor Circle aims to improve access to mental health and substance use services for non-English-speaking and multilingual populations in Kent County. Through the provision of 200 hours of professional interpretation services by July 2025, the organization will break down language barriers, ensuring that these communities can access the necessary care. Additionally, Arbor Circle will enhance cultural competence within its staff by conducting two training sessions focused on the mental health needs of diverse populations, including best practices for collaborating with interpreters. These initiatives will directly address the stigma around mental health care and improve service delivery for Kent County’s immigrant, refugee, low-income, and underserved communities.

Catherine’s Health Center

Catherine’s Health Center was awarded funding to support a Community Health Worker (CHW) at its clinic within Streams, a partner nonprofit offering social services. The CHW will serve as a key navigator, assisting with insurance enrollment, connecting clients to medical, dental, and mental health services, and addressing social determinants of health like housing, childcare, and food. This role will also link clients to the Streams food pantry and VeggieRx program, while working to reduce linguistic and cultural barriers through on-demand translation services. By integrating health and social services, the CHW will improve access to care, particularly for minority populations and those facing language barriers.

Reentry Reimagined

Reentry Reimagined supports individuals reentering society after incarceration, addressing barriers such as discrimination, mental health, stigmas and chronic health conditions. Through medical navigation, essential needs acquisition and evidence-based reentry services, Reentry Reimagined helps this population meet their needs. With mini grant funding, Reentry Reimagined will partner with the Michigan Department of Corrections, Michigan Department of Health and Human Services and the Michigan Friend of the Court Bureau to create three informational videos to highlight pertinent social support services available to incarcerated individuals upon their release. These videos will be broadcast in correctional facilities statewide to increase awareness about how to engage with these services within the community.

Gilda’s Club Grand Rapids

• Train a Spanish-speaking facilitator provided by Exalta Health in the “Living With Grief” curriculum and the philosophy of Gilda’s Club’s emotional health program.
• Cover program materials, including translation services and logistical support, to deliver the series at Exalta Health.
• Provide support for pre- and post-program evaluation tools to measure program impact.