Shanika’s journey to homeownership with Habitat Kent began with a desire for stability and growth for her family. After moving back to Michigan from Mississippi in 2021, increasing rent and inadequate space for her daughters prompted her to seek a better situation. Shanika’s co-workers introduced her to Habitat Kent, inspiring her to learn more about […]
Pictured above: Marvin Martin of Grand Rapids Urban League and Kenneth Cortez are part of the Baxter United Coalition. They are leading a group focused on improving economic opportunity for residents in the Baxter neighborhood in Grand Rapids. In 2022, Baxter United formed to help “build access, creativity, equity, and unity in the Baxter neighborhood.” […]
Background African Americans have struggled due to systemic racism for centuries and the policies that restrict them from a better life. The blatant racial differences in the U.S. are ongoing – education, employment, health, and wealth are connected to black families’ lack of opportunities for rightful homeownership. Affordable homeownership wasn’t always an urgent issue. After […]
Picture: Mayor Bliss celebrated the home dedication with our Executive Director, Bev Thiel, and the future homeowners of the all-electric homes on Diamond. Photo by Mojet Photography. The past, present and future of affordable housing was on full display at the recent dedication of Habitat Kent’s Diamond Avenue Project. Three families will make their home there, and just […]
Seeking to put God’s love into action, Habitat for Humanity of Kent County brings people together to build homes, communities, and hope. Bringing people together can be quite a feat. It seems easier to choose a side to fight for and defend. Finding common ground and creating win-win situations can be a rare event. […]
Homes are where families are nurtured, memories are created, and dreams are brought to life. Homes give us the space and security to work and plan for a better tomorrow. Last week we were able to celebrate this milestone with Nelson and Rosa’s family during their Habitat home dedication. Helping their children to have a […]
© Habitat for Humanity International/Jason Asteros Article written by guest contributor, Riley Juno, and exclusively submitted to Habitat for Humanity Kent County The housing crisis in America is growing at a frightening scale. Housing prices are increasing, the gap between rent and income is widening, and today, nearly half of renters are cost burdened. There […]
We are honored to welcome Greg McCormick to our Board of Directors. Now retired, Greg brings a wealth of knowledge from his background at Perrigo as SVP – Self Care Marketing, Insights and Analytics. Upon joining our mission, Greg says:“I believe affordable housing is a fundamental need and critical in the establishment of a successful […]
We recently welcomed three new faces to our Habitat team: Fiona Brennan Shea, Development Specialist, Jess Eglinton, Donor Relations Specialist, and Jade Johnson. They bring with them a wide breadth of experience and knowledge and we’re so excited to have them on board! We enjoyed getting to know all three of these wonderful women in […]
Jesenia Camacho joins Habitat Kent in our new role as Community Engagement Coordinator! She comes to us after working at Clark Retirement Community for ten years alongside elderly folks with Alzheimer’s and Dementia. Growing up in the Roosevelt Park neighborhood (one of our focus communities) and her certification in bilingual work make her a perfect fit for the role. Welcome […]
