Baxter Community Center: Market Place

The marketplace serves people in many areas assisting them with everyday essentials such as food and clothing. People have the opportunity to take classes pertaining to gardening, cooking, finances, taxes, computers, and fitness.

Baxter Community Center Wholistic Health CLINIC

This clinic is for low-income families who do not have insurance/ Medicare/ Medicaid. Services provided by this clinic include counseling, dental, and medical.

Cherry Health

Cherry Health provide a variety of services including medical, dental, counseling, and vision. They accept emergency walk-ins and assist in attaining insurance.

D.A. Blodgett St. John’s

Filled with a variety of services and programs, D.A. Blodgett serves: Foster Care youth, counseling for unplanned pregnancy, parenting education for young parents mentoring for pregnant and parenting teens, treatment for youth with delinquent behaviors, counseling for young offenders, in school services for families and children, mentoring services for youth with incarcerated parents, mentoring for school children, homes for youth that have been abused ages 13-17, and therapy for youth that have faced abuse ages 6-12. Emergency shelter(s) available for the abused and neglected.

GR Urban League

Assisting people with housing, employment, education, and health education.

HAP Housing

HAP works with clients to provide housing assistance for emergency and affordable housing.

Arbor Circle Homeless Youth Services/Street Outreach

Supports youth ages 16 to 20 who are experiencing homelessness and/or are without safe or stable housing. With the support of staff, Clients identify their goals and create a plan for achieving those goals. Personalized services are provided to assist in finding permanent housing & building new skills to gain self-sufficiency. Support can include everything from assistance with getting vital documents to support in completing education, managing money, and employment.

Services include: Crisis intervention, Intake and assessment, Case management , Counseling, Independent living and life skills training, Basic needs support, advocacy, and referral. Arbor Circle’s Street Outreach Team can be found around the Grand Rapids area and at HQ. The Street Outreach Team assists youth in connecting with community services, as well as basic needs such as food, clothing, and hygiene products.

HQ – Drop in center

Michigan Youth Opportunity Initiative (MYOI)

MYOI’S goal is to ensure that young people in foster care have successful outcomes in housing, education, employment, community engagement, and health. Each site provides:

Training: Training opportunities are provided to educate a person’s purchases, life skills, and preparation for adult hood including housing, employment, education, health, and community engagement.

Matches: Each youth has an individual development account, IDA. Youth are required to save money in their IDA each month. MYOI matches the IDA funds dollar-to-dollar up to $1000 per year for a used to purchase an asset.

Stipends: Use stipend payments for participation in events and meetings. The stipends assist youth to save money in their IDA’s. Earning stipends is a tangible way to recognize the time and effort that they have contributed to the program.

Youth Boards: The Youth board serve as the leadership and advocacy arm of MYOI. Youth are trained in leadership, media, and communication skills, including how to strategically share their story and present on panels.

Community Partners Boards: A community partner board is a group of business, public and private agencies, and community representatives that have an interest in assisting youth who are transitioning out of foster care. Community partner board members provide support, discounts to services, and advocacy as a form of care for youth.

Network180

The community mental health authority for Kent county including but not limited to services in case management, assessments, crisis intervention, residential services, and housing assistance.

The Bridge of Arbor Circle (Youth Shelter)

The Bridge of Arbor Circle is a safe shelter program for youth who are facing homelessness or considering running away. In the middle of a crisis, The Bridge offers youth ages 10-17 a stable and accessible place to stay. Along with a variety of supportive programs, it helps them connect with peers, learn new skills, and find resources to reconnect with their families, schools, and community. Shelter services available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year for up to 21 days at a time.