Wyoming Public Schools (WPS) has partnered with Feeding America Mobile Pantry to host a Mobile Pantry once a month.
*WHS November Mobile Food Pantry will be held Monday, Nov. 25 from 4:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.
What to expect
Though the selection of food varies each month, there are always a variety of fresh and frozen items available at the Mobile Pantry.
The Mobile Pantry is drive-thru style, and families are asked to remain in their vehicles for safety.
WHS Mobile Food Pantry Map (Courtesy, WPS)
Cars enter at the main entrance to WHS (1350 Prairie Parkway). Volunteers will direct traffic in the parking lot to help with efficiency.
Once in line, a volunteer will approach each car to record the name, address, number of people in the household, and the reason the food is needed for each family. Once a car has reached the front of the line, volunteers will load a box of food into the trunk.
Resources
To learn more about Feeding America West Michigan and the services they offer, click here.
For the Feeding America Mobile Food Pantry schedule, click here.
Woodland Mall is preparing for the season of giving and joy with activities supporting local organizations, a special visit from Santa and other festive events.
In addition to a number of charitable efforts, the mall is preparing for Santa’s grand arrival with a parade through the mall, a visit from Frozen’s Elsa and Anna, photo opportunities, dance and musical performances by local groups and more.
“Each year, Woodland Mall strives to offer the best holiday shopping experience with a diverse lineup of retailers, great deals and memorable events,” said Lisa Wolstromer, senior marketing director of Woodland Mall. “We take pride in being a hub of holiday cheer with special appearances from Santa, several charitable activities and performances from local artists.
“New this year, Woodland Mall will also host a Giving Machine, a unique giving experience that will help shoppers send donations to global and local charities to help change lives around the world.”
(Photo Courtesy, Woodland Mall)
Santa’s Parade – Nov. 16
Santa will make his grand return to Woodland Mall with an indoor parade beginning at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 16. Santa’s procession will begin near the entrance of the food court and end at his holiday home in the Macy’s court. Santa will be guided by the Academy of Dance Arts.
Following the parade, the mall invites children and their loved ones to the Santa Arrival Celebration to take photos with Santa and meet Anna and Elsa from Disney’s Frozen. There also will be balloon twisters, face painting and craft activities to enjoy from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Photos withSanta – Nov. 16-Dec. 24
Santa will take photos with guests and listen to holiday wishes from Nov. 16 through Christmas Eve. Reservations are encouraged, but not required for the photo opportunity. Digital photo packages are available with options to purchase prints and a family portrait.
(Photo Courtesy, Woodland Mall)
Beginning Nov. 18, visitors can bring their “fur babies” for a photo with Santa on Mondays through Dec. 16. Family pet members of all kinds are welcome as long as they are kept on a leash, in a crate/carrier or held by the owner at all times. Pet owners must also sign a release prior to visiting Santa.
Black Friday Deals – Nov. 29
Woodland Mall will be closed on Thanksgiving Day to enable retail employees to enjoy the holiday with their loved ones. The mall will reopen at 8 a.m. Friday, Nov. 29 so guests can enjoy an early start to the traditional shopping weekend. Several seasonal stores will offer discounted gift items on Black Friday. Visit ShopWoodlandMall.com for a full list of in-store deals and retailer information.
Byron Center Choir Performance – Dec. 5
The Byron Center High School Choir will perform a variety of holiday-themed songs to bring joy to those holiday shopping from 11 to 11:30 a.m. in the Von Maur wing.
Salvation Army Red Kettle Drive – Nov. 8-Dec. 24
The iconic red kettles and volunteers will be stationed at the mall’s JCPenney entrance throughout the season. Characters from Star Wars will make special appearances from 1 to 3 p.m. on Dec. 7 and 14. Additionally, there will be Salvation Army band pop-up performances. Donations go toward improving the lives of families in the local community.
Artists Creating Together Concert – Dec. 9
Artists Creating Together, which empowers individuals with disabilities to learn, grow and celebrate through the arts, will give a musical performance on ukuleles and Tubano drums from 5 to 6:30 p.m. in the Von Maur wing.
Giving Machine – Dec. 12
This holiday season, Woodland Mall also will welcome the arrival of the Giving Machine as another creative way for the community to give back. Starting Dec. 12, this vending machine will allow shoppers to choose and purchase various donation items, including school supplies, household items, meals and clean water to global and local charities. The Giving Machine will be located in the Von Maur wing and remain available until Jan. 4.
There will be Giving Machine performances throughout the holiday season, encouraging individuals to explore the machine and donate using the device. Learn more about the Giving Machine and listen to stories about donation recipients on their website.
(Photo Courtesy, Woodland Mall)
Holiday Hours
The mall will have extended hours to ensure guests are able to get all their holiday shopping completed. Visit ShopWoodlandMall.com/hours for details. To avoid the crowds, Woodland Mall recommends shopping Monday through Thursday when the traffic is lighter. As a friendly reminder for visitors, please be patient and respectful to employees during the busy shopping season.
On Christmas Eve, Woodland Mall will be open from. 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. The mall will be closed on Christmas Day. The mall is open the day after Christmas from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., on New Year’s Eve 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. and New Year’s Day 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Job Opportunities
With the holiday season being a busy time for Woodland Mall, there are plenty of job opportunities available. Find seasonal, part-time and full-time job openings for a variety of stores at Woodland Mall by visiting ShopWoodlandMall.com/jobs.
McDonald’s restaurants across the region will be recognizing Veterans Day in a special way, by offering current and former military members a free meal (Courtesy photo)
McDonald’s restaurants throughout Grand Rapids are honored to serve veterans, active-duty military members and their families each and every day. This year, McDonald’s restaurants across the region will be recognizing Veterans Day in a special way, by offering current and former military members a free meal.
Participating McDonald’s restaurants will offer a meal to all veterans with a valid military ID on Monday, Nov. 11. For breakfast, veterans can enjoy an Egg McMuffin or Bacon Egg Cheese Biscuit, along with a hash brown and any size soft drink, tea or coffee.
Meals are only available via dine-in or drive-thru, and are not available in the McDonald’s app. Breakfast meals are only available until 10:30 a.m.
(Courtesy, McDonald’s)
Supporting community
Local McDonald’s owner/operators are committed to feeding and fostering communities by providing meals in honor of veterans, teachers and first responders, and through support of youth sports leagues and neighborhood jobs.
Big Apple Bagels® in Grand Rapids (6670 Kalamazoo Ave.) will hold their official Grand Re-Opening Open House event to benefit the Kentwood Little Free Pantry on Saturday, Nov. 9, from 7 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Kentwood’s Little Free Pantry is a free resource that provides food to community members in need.
Helping those in need
All are encouraged to stop in, see the new Big Apple Bagels décor and receive a free coffee when you donate a non-perishable good to the Kentwood Little Free Pantry. During this one-day event, Big Apple Bagels will be offering bagels for just $0.75.
(Courtesy, Big Apple Bagels)
“We are grateful for the support from Big Apple Bagels for hosting a food drive for the Little Free Pantry. We typically see an increased need for donations around the holiday season,” said Val Romeo, Director of Kentwood Parks and Recreation.
“Whether it’s a collection of canned goods or a financial contribution, all donations help families in our community.”
Big Apple Bagels will be collecting non-perishable goods for the pantry through Nov. 30.
Pantry suggested donations
More information about Kentwood’s Little Free Pantry, including a list of suggested donations, is available at kentwood.us/littlefreepantry.
Wyoming Public Schools (WPS) has partnered with Feeding America Mobile Pantry to host a Mobile Pantry once a month.
*WHS October Mobile Food Pantry will be held Monday, Oct. 21 from 4:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.
What to expect
Though the selection of food varies each month, there are always a variety of fresh and frozen items available at the Mobile Pantry.
The Mobile Pantry is drive-thru style, and families are asked to remain in their vehicles for safety.
WHS Mobile Food Pantry Map (Courtesy, WPS)
Cars enter at the main entrance to WHS (1350 Prairie Parkway). Volunteers will direct traffic in the parking lot to help with efficiency.
Once in line, a volunteer will approach each car to record the name, address, number of people in the household, and the reason the food is needed for each family. Once a car has reached the front of the line, volunteers will load a box of food into the trunk.
Resources
To learn more about Feeding America West Michigan and the services they offer, click here.
For the Feeding America Mobile Food Pantry schedule, click here.
Grand Valley fans are encouraged to join Grand Valley Athletics and its partners, WLAV, SpartanNash and the American Red Cross, in relief efforts for hurricane victims across the southeastern United States.
Donation items
The American Red Cross is asking the public for donations of individually-wrapped snacks such as granola bars; fruit cups; bags of pretzels, chips, popcorn, or crackers; juice boxes or beef jerky.
Help hit GVSU’s goal of contributing 150,000 individually wrapped snacks. Something to eat can make a big difference for someone dealing with the aftermath of a disaster.
Even something as small as a snack can help those in need (Courtesy, pxhere.com)
Where and when to drop off
Lakers fans can drop off these items prior to Grand Valley’s home game against Northern Michigan from 3-7 p.m. on Oct. 12 in Parking Lot B2 at WLAV’s location in Tailgate Town.
Three SpartanNash store locations are also accepting donations through Saturday: Family Fare, 6370 Lake Michigan Drive, Allendale; D&W, 1116 Robbins Road, Grand Haven; and Forest Hills Foods, 4668 Cascade Road SE, Grand Rapids.
The City of Kentwood is debuting its Fall Festival to celebrate the change in seasons with food trucks, a beer tent, live music, a farmers market and activities for community members of all ages to enjoy.
The free-to-attend festival will run from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 21, on the lawn of Kentwood City Hall, 4900 Breton Ave. SE.
“We look forward to celebrating the start of the fall season as a community with a variety of outdoor activities,” Kentwood Parks and Recreation Director Val Romeo said. “We have something for everyone to enjoy, whether you want to lean into your competitive side in the volleyball competition or scarecrow building contest or opt for a relaxing activity like visiting the farmers market or artist vendor booths.”
The farmers market will be open 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., and the food trucks, beer tent, artist vendors will be available 11 a.m.to 8 p.m. The beer tent features craft beers and seltzers from Railtown Brewing Company as well as other local seasonal and domestic beers.
Food Trucks: from barbeque to kettle corn, and much more
There will be an array of food trucks offering cuisines like barbeque, tacos and burgers as well as sweet treats like kettle corn, cheesecake, ice cream, donuts and more.
Local artist vendors and farmers market
Local artist vendors will feature goods like jewelry, posters, woodwork, books, home décor and more. Farmers market vendors will sell everything from fruits and vegetables to coffee and baked goods and much more.
Live music starts at 11 a.m.
Live music will start at 11 a.m. with Hot Leslie, followed by DJ Snax, Astro Jackson and RocknSoul. Attendees will hear everything from rock and pop to blues and hip-hop.
The Fall Festival also will feature a scarecrow building competition for all ages. Each team of two to four people will have an hour to create a scarecrow. The straw, stuffing, and stake will be provided, but each team will need to bring all additional materials such as clothing and accessories to dazzle the judges at 4:30 p.m. Teams can pre-register online and are required to pay a $10 entry fee.
Free children’s activities: face painting, bobbing for donuts and more
Free activities for children of all ages also will be offered, yard games and face painting throughout the event. At 1:30 p.m. there will be bobbing for donuts and at 2:30 p.m. there will be pumpkin rolling.
The event’s diamond sponsors are Macatawa Bank and Mary Free Bed Orthotics & Prosthetics + Bionics.
Volunteers are needed for helping at the Kids Fun Zone. Sign up to support this new community event and find additional event details and volunteer requirements at kentwood.us/FallFest.
Wyoming Public Schools (WPS) has partnered with Feeding America Mobile Pantry to host a Mobile Pantry once a month.
*WHS September Mobile Food Pantry will be held Monday, Sept. 23 from 4:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.
What to expect
Though the selection of food varies each month, there are always a variety of fresh and frozen items available at the Mobile Pantry.
The Mobile Pantry is drive-thru style, and families are asked to remain in their vehicles for safety.
WHS Mobile Food Pantry Map (Courtesy, WPS)
Cars enter at the main entrance to WHS (1350 Prairie Parkway). Volunteers will direct traffic in the parking lot to help with efficiency.
Once in line, a volunteer will approach each car to record the name, address, number of people in the household, and the reason the food is needed for each family. Once a car has reached the front of the line, volunteers will load a box of food into the trunk.
Resources
To learn more about Feeding America West Michigan and the services they offer, click here.
For the Feeding America Mobile Food Pantry schedule, click here.
Ronald McDonald House Charities West Michigan (RMHCWM) is calling on the community to help ensure families staying at the House have access to the comfort of home-cooked meals, easy meals and individually packaged snacks. On Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024, from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m., RMHCWM will host a collection drive at 1323 Cedar St NE, Grand Rapids, MI 49503.
Your generous donations keep families nourished with the comforts of home (Courtesy, RMHC)
During their stay, families of hospitalized children rely on RMHCWM for a comforting place to rest and eat. By donating essential food items, you can help ease their burden, allowing them to focus on what truly matters—their child’s health. Your generous donations help stock the RMCHWM pantry and keep families nourished with the comforts of home.
Wish List:
Individually packed shelf-stable snacks: Chips, granola bars, fruit snacks, crackers, mini-muffins, etc.
Easy meals: Kraft macaroni, ramen noodles, soups, hamburger helper, etc.
Rice: Plain and mixes
Pastas: All varieties – 16 or 32 oz. boxes
Pasta sauces: Red sauce and alfredo, jarred or canned
Canned vegetables and beans: tomatoes (all varieties), corn, green beans, black beans, etc
Broths: Beef and chicken
Spices: Garlic powder, onion powder, Italian seasoning, parsley, oregano, chili powder, cumin, etc.
Marinades and sauces
Baking chips: Chocolate, white chocolate, cinnamon
Dessert mixes: Cakes, brownies, etc.
If you cannot drop off your donations in person, you can still participate by shopping on Amazon and shipping your items directly to the House. Visit the RMCHWM Amazon Wish List at https://a.co/9nk0vfN to find the items most needed.
Let’s work together to keep the RMHCWM pantry fully stocked (Courtesy, RMHC)
Spread the word!
Share this collection drive with friends and family, and let’s work together to keep the pantry fully stocked, ensuring that every family staying at RMHCWM has access to the comfort foods they want during their stay.
About Ronald McDonald House Charities West Michigan
The mission of Ronald McDonald House Charities West Michigan is to keep families together who travel to Grand Rapids when their child is receiving medical or mental health treatment in the hospital.
Since 1990, RMHCWM has been serving families throughout Michigan and worldwide. Families live at the House where they have access to a safe, clean, and comfortable room with bath plus hot meals and transportation to and from the hospital, all at no cost to the families.
After more than 40 years serving the Grand Rapids community, restaurateurs Frank and Wanda Vitale announce plans to semi-retire. Their plans include downsizing their restaurant to a catering kitchen and possible takeout for their next generation of Vitale children.
(Courtesy, pxhere.com)
The property will be enfolded into development plans for the Wyoming City Center project spearheaded through a public-private partnership between the City of Wyoming and Magnus Capital Partners, a privately held real estate developer.
“Although it is bittersweet, we feel strongly that this is the right time,” Frank Vitale said. “We’ve had an amazing 23 years running Frankie V’s with our children and grandchildren growing up here.
“We have also been a part of so many of the families that grew up with us. There have been countless birthdays, showers, retirements, anniversaries, celebrations of life and even four weddings within these walls. It was truly an honor for us to host so many families and their special occasions.”
Magnus and the Vitales had been in discussions for a couple of years about incorporating Frankie V’s into plans for the surrounding area. Terms of the sale have not been disclosed. The property will be integrated into a third phase of HōM Flats at 28 West, the award-winning housing community that serves as a central piece to the vision for the City Center development.
“The more we thought about it, with the struggles that came with hiring and retaining employees in the industry, we realized the time had come to let go,” Vitale said. “We are forever thankful to our community, but take comfort in knowing the future of Wyoming starts at a place where our roots go deep.”
Frankie V’s – A family tradition
Described as being cut from the same cloth, Frank and Wanda come from families who immigrated from Sicily in the early 1960’s and owned pizza shops. Since their early years, they worked in their families’ respective shops, coincidentally named Vitale’s Pizza Queen and Joe’s Pizza King.
(Courtesy, pxhere.com)
They married in 1985 and bought their first pizzeria in 1988 before opening Frankie V’s in 2001. Located at the former Sound Stage Café, the large space challenged the Vitales, who were accustomed to smaller takeout operations.
The space soon became a bustling restaurant for all ages. With the Vitales’ children attending Wyoming Public Schools, the community soon rallied behind them. They employed many of their children’s friends, as well as many nieces and nephews.
Team dinners were continuously supplied to sports teams. Donating catering services for community funerals, hosting banquets for various occasions and various other supportive activities were a call the husband and wife team happily answered.
The Vitales noted the community was just as supportive to them during the loss of their oldest son, Joey Vitale.
“We will never forget the support we received through this tragedy in our lives,” Vitale said.
The recession and COVID-19 pandemic also put an incredible strain on their business. Once again, the community stepped up and kept the take-out business flowing to support the business through the mandatory shutdowns.
“The incredible clientele of regulars who are an everyday staple will be forever part of our family,” Vitale said.
(Courtesy, pxhere.com)
The Vitales will be forever grateful to their children, who have taken on various jobs in the restaurant. Joey, Jonny, Sera and Frankie contributed their time and talents to make Frankie V’s what it is today. Jermaine Jones, who worked side-by-side with Frank in the small takeout beginning in 1988, continues to have the restaurant’s best interests at heart.
“We are so appreciative of our staff staying on to the end,” Vitale said.
“Frankie V’s and the Vitale family have been a cornerstone of the Wyoming community for decades,” said Wyoming City Manager John Shay. “We are immensely grateful for all their contributions over the years.
“It will be difficult saying goodbye to this place, but we are assured knowing Frank and Wanda are ready for what comes next in their lives.”
Family, friends, former employees and customers are encouraged to dine in and reminisce with the Frankie V’s team during the restaurant’s final weeks this summer. Their Metro Cruise party will be one of their final events.
Wyoming City Center – A vision for the future
Magnus and the City of Wyoming have been working together for over six years on a public-private development partnership to create the Wyoming City Center. The public investment in the project will provide an ADA-compliant pedestrian bridge, connection to 4.6 miles of paved trails and a public plaza.
The City Center project includes the construction of a pedestrian bridge over 28th Street (Courtesy, City of Wyoming)
The private side of investment consists of HōM Flats at 28 West, the flagship workforce housing development led by Magnus.
“We look forward to continuing our journey of reimagining Wyoming,” Shay said. “The public investments we are making alongside our partnership with Magnus elevate our excitement for the possibilities ahead. We share a commitment to creating a space everyone can access, engage with and be proud of.”
Wyoming City Center plaza rendering (Courtesy, City of Wyoming)
Magnus and the City are consolidating existing information related to revitalization plans to create a comprehensive vision of vibrant mixed-use developments, pedestrian-friendly public spaces and increased community engagement in Wyoming City Center, per the City’s Master Plan.
Magnus will submit the project plans for the next phase of development to the City in the coming months.
“Each day this project proves what is possible with a strong public-private partnership,” said Vishal Arora, CEO and Founder of Magnus Capital Partners. “Its success has catalyzed the opportunities for a revitalized Wyoming.
“We look forward to sharing plans for additional development at HōM Flats at 28 West soon.”
For some children heading back to school this fall, their biggest challenge may not be reading or math but, rather, something else that’s critical to their academic success: eating meals at school.
Children can experience all types of difficulties with eating, from limited diets (“picky eating”) to feeding and swallowing disorders, according to the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA). Feeding challenges may occur due to a medical problem or in conjunction with other developmental differences or disorders.
Regardless of the reason, all children need appropriate nutrition and hydration to learn and participate in the school day.
(Courtesy, pxhere.com)
Cafeteria Struggles
The cafeteria can present numerous challenges for children who have difficulty eating. These include:
Overwhelming sensory environment. The cafeteria can be loud, crowded, and hot. The sights and smells may bother some kids. The tables may be sticky, and the cafeteria benches may be uncomfortable. None of these factors makes eating easy or fun. Some students may require a distraction-free environment to safely eat.
Time constraints. Students often have a small amount of time to eat—usually, much shorter than they are used to having at home. Students receiving feeding and/or swallowing treatment may need more time to eat. This accommodation may be included in a child’s individualized education program (IEP).
School-based food restrictions. Some schools have rules about foods that children can or cannot bring, such as no peanut products. For kids who have limited diets, it’s not always easy to find alternatives to a preferred food. Also, some children may not have options if they are provided free or reduced-price meals at school. If a student has a documented feeding or swallowing disorder and requires a modified diet, then the school district’s food services program must offer the meal accommodations recommended in the student’s feeding and swallowing plan.
ASHA offers these tips to parents and caregivers to help their child eat successfully in the school setting:
Make their lunch gear fun. Let kids pick out a lunchbox with their favorite character or theme, or a Thermos® or bento box of their choice. Alternatively, have them decorate or personalize a basic lunchbox or other items that they already have.
Help them prepare. Have kids practice eating in the time they’ll be given at school. Try this for a few days before school starts. If you’re sending in containers or prepackaged food or drinks, make sure that they can open them first before packing such items in their lunchbox.
Go grocery shopping together. Look for new items that they may want to bring—or meal ideas to try. Be sure to try them at home first.
Brainstorm ideas. Write out a menu of options that are reasonable for you to prepare. Make sure that these foods can also be eaten at school easily (e.g., foods that don’t need to be cut up or kept at a very specific temperature). Have them choose their lunch from that menu each day.
Let them pack their meal. Kids love to take ownership and show some independence. They’ll be much more likely to eat what they choose to pack. If you don’t feel comfortable giving them total control, offer choices—let them pick one “main course,” one “side dish,” and one “dessert” out of items that you have pre-selected. Do this the night before, so you aren’t stressed or in a rush the next morning.
Troubleshoot together. Ask your child what makes eating in the cafeteria difficult. For example, maybe they don’t have enough time to eat when they buy lunch. Talk it through with them and see if you can solve the issue together.
Send foods that your child is comfortable eating. You may desperately want to expand your child’s diet, but you also want to maximize the likelihood that they’ll eat at school so they’re nourished properly during the day. Save the experimentation for home.
Aim for foods that will keep them full, but don’t stress over perfect meals. Ideal foods are ones that are protein-rich and/or high in fiber because they’ll keep kids full for longer. But remember, the best foods are the ones that your child will actually eat.
Don’t obsess over what they didn’t eat. It’s frustrating when you spend time carefully packing a lunch—only to notice that it comes home lukewarm and untouched. Ask your child why they didn’t eat their meal: Did they not like it? Or did they just not have time to eat it? Try not to scold them about the uneaten food.
Arrange for your child to have a lunch buddy. Eating with a friend is always more fun. A lunch buddy can be a support—and even a role model—for trying new foods. Talk to the school staff about finding a willing peer for this role.
Talk to the cafeteria manager or other school staff. If your child is provided meals at school and isn’t eating what is served, check with the school about alternative options. If a child is regularly not eating the food provided, then this lack of needed nutrition likely will impact their learning and/or behavior.
Help your child to advocate for themselves. If your child has an IEP with feeding and swallowing goals and accommodations, help them understand what their goals are and what they can safely eat.
(Courtesy, Kids’ Food Basket)
Getting Help for Feeding Problems
Speech-language pathologists (SLPs) help children who have difficulties with their feeding and swallowing. Feeding and swallowing disorders can lead to health, learning, and social problems, so it’s important not to minimize these challenges.
SLPs can help children try new foods or textures, can help parents feel more confident feeding their child, and can provide feeding therapy (e.g., using certain exercises to strengthen the muscles in their mouth, moving their tongue around more while eating or drinking).
Children with a diagnosed feeding or swallowing disorder may need additional support eating in school, including modified food and drink consistencies. These students should have an IEP or 504 plan to guide school-based treatment and accommodations.
They also may have a swallowing and feeding program (which is typically designed by an SLP) and/or an individual health plan (which is typically designed by a school nurse).
If you have concerns about your child’s eating, talk to your pediatrician and seek an evaluation from the school-based SLP or from a private SLP who specializes in feeding and swallowing. You can find one at www.asha.org/profind.
Wyoming Public Schools (WPS) has partnered with Feeding America Mobile Pantry to host a Mobile Pantry once a month.
*WHS August Mobile Food Pantry will be held Monday, Aug. 26 from 4:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.
What to expect
Though the selection of food varies each month, there are always a variety of fresh and frozen items available at the Mobile Pantry.
The Mobile Pantry is drive-thru style, and families are asked to remain in their vehicles for safety.
WHS Mobile Food Pantry Map (Courtesy, WPS)
Cars enter at the main entrance to WHS (1350 Prairie Parkway). Volunteers will direct traffic in the parking lot to help with efficiency.
Once in line, a volunteer will approach each car to record the name, address, number of people in the household, and the reason the food is needed for each family. Once a car has reached the front of the line, volunteers will load a box of food into the trunk.
Resources
To learn more about Feeding America West Michigan and the services they offer, click here.
For the Feeding America Mobile Food Pantry schedule, click here.
Wyoming Public Schools (WPS) has partnered with Feeding America Mobile Pantry to host a Mobile Pantry once a month.
*WHS July Mobile Food Pantry will be held Monday, July 22 from 4:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.
What to expect
Though the selection of food varies each month, there are always a variety of fresh and frozen items available at the Mobile Pantry.
The Mobile Pantry is drive-thru style, and families are asked to remain in their vehicles for safety.
WHS Mobile Food Pantry Map (Courtesy, WPS)
Cars enter at the main entrance to WHS (1350 Prairie Parkway). Volunteers will direct traffic in the parking lot to help with efficiency.
Once in line, a volunteer will approach each car to record the name, address, number of people in the household, and the reason the food is needed for each family. Once a car has reached the front of the line, volunteers will load a box of food into the trunk.
Resources
To learn more about Feeding America West Michigan and the services they offer, click here.
For the Feeding America Mobile Food Pantry schedule, click here.
The Wyoming Police Department will roam different neighborhoods each week to offer Country Fresh ice cream and conversation.
The first Cops and Cones mobile event will take place Wednesday, July 10, with officers driving through Marquette St SW to Rathbone St SW neighborhoods from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.
Families are welcome to meet officers, explore patrol cars, and have meaningful conversations while enjoying a sweet treat!
Click here for more information about Cops and Cones events this summer!
Wyoming Public Schools (WPS) has partnered with Feeding America Mobile Pantry to host a Mobile Pantry once a month.
*WHS June Mobile Food Pantry will be held Monday, June 24 from 4:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.
What to expect
Though the selection of food varies each month, there are always a variety of fresh and frozen items available at the Mobile Pantry.
The Mobile Pantry is drive-thru style, and families are asked to remain in their vehicles for safety.
WHS Mobile Food Pantry Map (Courtesy, WPS)
Cars enter at the main entrance to WHS (1350 Prairie Parkway). Volunteers will direct traffic in the parking lot to help with efficiency.
Once in line, a volunteer will approach each car to record the name, address, number of people in the household, and the reason the food is needed for each family. Once a car has reached the front of the line, volunteers will load a box of food into the trunk.
Resources
To learn more about Feeding America West Michigan and the services they offer, click here.
For the Feeding America Mobile Food Pantry schedule, click here.
It’s a new location and a new manager for the Roosevelt Park Neighborhood Farmers Market, which begins on Friday, June 14 from 3:30 to 6:30 p.m. and runs through Oct. 11.
The new location is 1100 Cesar E. Chavez Ave. SW, Grand Rapids, and the new Farmers Market Manager is Yeli Romero, a WYCE 88.1 Radio Host and a new volunteer host of the WKTV Journal Soundbites Espanol program.
“I am excited to be the new manager of Roosevelt Park Neighborhood Farmers Market because I love being part of my community and helping local farmers showcase their products,” Romero said. “Seeing our community come together, supporting one another, and enjoying healthy food is something I’m truly passionate about.
“I believe that by working together, we can create a vibrant, thriving market that benefits everyone. It’s not just about the food, but about building relationships and strengthening our local economy.”
(Image Courtesy, Roosevelt Park Neighborhood Association)
Join in on the excitement of the community-based farmers market that runs every Friday through Oct. 11. You can purchase all different kinds of fresh produce and prepared foods from the up to 15 local vendors (see list below). Shoppers can use their EBT Bridge cards to utilize SNAP, Double Up Food Bucks and WIC Project Fresh benefits.
Shop local with over 15 vendors at the Roosevelt Park Neighborhood Farmers Market. (Image Courtesy, Roosevelt Park Neighborhood Farmers’ Market)
According to Amy Brower, Executive Director of the Roosevelt Park Neighborhood Association, the concept for a community-based farmers market started in 2017 after the creation of the Roosevelt Park Neighborhood Association’s Area Specific Plan (ASP) for the Grandville Avenue Corridor.
“The Kent County Health Department provided a grant to help the RPNA get the market established in 2018,” Brower continued. “In 2020, the market received a Michigan Health Endowment Fund grant to build the capacity of the market and add food assistance benefits so that shoppers could utilize their SNAP, Double Up Food Bucks, WIC Project Fresh and Senior Project Fresh benefits at the market.”
Over the years, the market has taken place in a variety of locations within the neighborhood, first located at 900 Cesar E. Chavez Ave SW and later moving to Roberto Clemente Park.
“This year the market will be moving to 1100 Cesar E. Chavez Ave SW so that the vendors will be more visible on the main corridor in the neighborhood,” Brower explained. “The mission of the Roosevelt Park Farmers Market is to provide a community gathering space where local farmers can sell affordable, local food directly to consumers while promoting sustainable agriculture and advancing health in the Roosevelt Park Neighborhood.”
If you are a local vendor interested in selling your produce at the market, contact RPNA at 616-243-2489 or info@rooseveltparkna.org
Interested in supporting the market as a sponsor? Please contact Amy at amy@rooseveltparkna.org or 616-243-2489.
(Image Courtesy, Roosevelt Park Neighborhood Farmers Market)
Battle Ground JKD owner, Reggie Macon, said superheroes such as Batman and X-Men are highlighted so often that children don’t realize there are heroes right next to them every day.
Heroes walk among us every day in the form of U.S. veterans (Courtesy, pxhere.com)
“The kids are more familiar with those heroes, not knowing that they walk amongst actual heroes that actually help us, that gave us the privilege to walk freely as we do,” said Macon. “Giving them a chance to dress up like their heroes and meet our local heroes is big to me.”
Hero’s Breakfast is designed to serve those local heroes – our veterans – as well.
“It helps our vets get their story out, or get a chance to mingle with everyday people that might not normally stop to give them a conversation,” said Macon. “This would give the younger kids a better understanding of what these guys have been through so [the kids] could have the life that they’re living now.”
Curiosity invites conversation
(Courtesy photo)
Veterans are invited to wear their military uniform, a military branch hat or jacket, or even dog tags to invite questions from children that could lead to a deeper conversation.
Macon believes the interaction between children and veterans could give the younger generation a better understanding of their history.
“We get taught a lot of stuff in school, but a lot of stuff is watered down and not in much detail,” said Macon. “Just giving them the understanding that these [veterans] aren’t people that are in history, these are people that still walk amongst us now, will give them a better insight.
“When we get taught history, we think about stuff that happened long ago, but these are still people that live today. Being able to meet these people and shake their hands…I think that would have a great impact.”
Building a bridge of greater understanding
Bridging the gap between civilians and veterans is important to Reginald Howard, owner and CEO of Hero’s Corner, as well as to Battle Ground owner Macon. Together, these local business owners are working to build a greater understanding between those two groups.
“[Hero’s Corner] can be the one space where they come together and get stories, get a better understanding of what’s going on, or dig deeper inside the veteran’s thoughts and give the vets more ways to communicate,” said Macon.
“That’s been one of the biggest things that help vets get over whatever they went through – just by talking, and having somebody that they can lean on and have a conversation with.”
Hero’s Breakfast will allow children to have a better understanding of our country’s history (Courtesy, pxhere.com)
Events like Hero’s Breakfast, Macon went on to say, can be utilized as an icebreaker to begin those conversations people might be hesitant to start.
“This would be the icebreaker, and get that conversation started. Now, it wouldn’t be the fear of starting the conversation, it would be continuing it.”
Non-veteran community members are also welcome to utilize the space at Hero’s Corner. Rental inquiries can be directed to Reginald Howard at connect@heroscornergrandrapids.org or 616-635-2768.
Let’s have some fun: Event details
Along with breakfast, Hero’s Breakfast attendees will be able to play various games. A 360-degree photo booth will allow children to do action shots.
“Just come out and have fun,” said Macon. “Enjoy yourself, and come utilize this great space that’s available to the public.”
To RSVP for the free Hero’s Breakfast event, click here.
For more information about Hero’s Corner and upcoming events, click here.
For more information about Battle Ground JKD and upcoming events and classes, click here.
WKTV Journal Managing Editor Cris Greer sits down with Shelby Henshaw of Kentwood Parks and Recreation to talk about upcoming summer events the whole family can enjoy.
The City of Kentwood is inviting community members to its Kickoff to Summer Celebration, a fun-filled festival for all ages slated for Saturday, June 8.
The Kickoff to Summer Celebration features a variety of food trucks and artist vendors as well as a beer tent, children’s activities, live music and cornhole and beach volleyball tournaments in the area around City Hall, 4900 Breton Ave. SE.
“We’re delighted to celebrate the beginning of the summer season with another fun festival that has something for all ages,” said Val Romeo, Kentwood Parks and Recreation director. “With a fantastic lineup of food, artists, musicians and activities, we’re looking forward to a full day of sharing the best in summer flavors, sights and sounds.”
(Courtesy, City of Kentwood)
The free-to-attend festival will begin with a beach volleyball tournament from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the courts near City Hall at 5068 Breton Ave. SE. The tournament features four-player teams competing for a championship prize of shirts and a $100 credit toward this fall’s Kentwood Parks and Recreation indoor volleyball league.
The volleyball tournament is limited to six teams. The cost to participate is $100 per team. Those interested can register online or call 616-656-5270.
Food trucks, artist vendors and the beer tent will be on-site from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. for the festival. A wide variety of cuisines will be available through 20-plus food trucks – everything from barbeque and burritos to baked goods and cold treats. The beer tent will feature a variety of brews including local craft favorites from Railtown Brewing Company. More than 15 artists will sell handmade jewelry, art, clothing, and more. The cost for food, beverages and artisan goods varies by vendor.
The cornhole tournament runs from 2:30 to 6:30 p.m. in the parking lot behind City Hall. The double-elimination tournament concludes with a trophy awarded to the top team.
Each cornhole team consists of two players, and participants must be 18 or older to compete. The cost to participate is $40. Only one teammate needs to complete the registration online or by phone at 616-656-5270.
Kids activities such as face painting, an obstacle course, hoop shoot, and an art activity are offered throughout the day.
The event’s diamond sponsors are Macatawa Bank, Mary Free Bed Orthotics & Prosthetics + Bionics and NN Autocam Inc., gold sponsors are Bloom Sluggett, PC, Metronet, MCSA Group, Inc., Renewal by Anderson of Greater Michigan and Sabo PR.
Volunteers are needed for the festival. To find more event information and sign up to volunteer, visit KickoffToSummer.
The Division Arts Festival on Saturday, June 1 will feature more than family-friendly activities, live music and vendors. Attendees will also be within walking distance of 11 brick and mortar restaurants serving a diverse array of dining and to-go options.
“This area of the community is incredibly diverse, and there are a lot of creative, cool things going on here that go under the radar,” said Hunter Van Klompenberg, one of the owners of The Stray art café.
One of those “cool things” includes a variety of international food choices.
International cuisine at your fingertips
The Stray art café offers far more than just coffee (Courtesy, Deborah Reed WKTV)
Two food trucks and 11 brick and mortar restaurants will be within 1-2 minutes walking distance of Festival activities.
The Honeybees Kitchen and Catering food truck specializing in Caribbean and soul food will be available, as well as gourmet burgers and loaded fries from Dune Buggy food truck.
Brick and mortar restaurants include several international options for diners:
B&N Sandwiches – Bahn MI Sub Sandwiches and other Vietnamese Specialties
Saigon Garden – Vietnamese
Pho Soc Trang – Vietnamese Soup Restaurant
Fat Man’s Fish Fry – Seafood
Brann’s Steakhouse – Classic American
The Stray – Café, New American Cuisine
Joe’s Pizza King – Pizza & Subs
Diversity, comfort and creativity
The Stray art café menu offers more than just coffee for those who walk in the door. A variety of choices include delicious flatbreads, soups, salads, desserts and more. Drink options include tea, soda, beer, wine and – of course – coffee.
(Courtesy, Deborah Reed WKTV)
Coffee enthusiasts can also peruse the works of various local artists showcased at The Stray as they enjoy their beverages. To-go orders are accepted during Festival hours, as well as indoor dining.
Owned by the Van Klompenberg family, The Stray works to bring diversity and community to a place of comfort and creativity.
Though officially hosted by the Division Avenue Business Association (DABA), The Stray has stepped in to help with Festival logistics each year.
(Courtesy, Deborah Reed WKTV)
“I already work here at The Stray doing the music booking and that kind of thing for our Friday and Saturday evenings. It led naturally to artists I’d already developed a relationship with that I could invite back for this,” said Van Klompenberg.
His mother, Karen Van Klompenberg, is Creative Director at The Stray and manages the consignment art. Her connections with local artists also help with the inner workings of the Festival.
Van Klompenberg said they have continued to make the Division Arts Festival an annual event because they truly enjoy it.
“It’s a lot of fun to throw a party for the neighborhood,” said Van Klompenberg with a smile.
Connection and support
Concepción (left) and Manuel Cardiel (Courtesy, Deborah Reed)
“It’s the simple things,” said Van Klompenberg, gesturing around the dining area of El Ganadero Mexican Grille where he stood.
“I come to lunch here occasionally, just chat with them, that sort of thing. That’s the easy way to say hello and support each other.”
Relationships with other business owners and patrons is important to Van Klompenberg. Those connections are formed through small actions.
That connection was evident as El Ganadero owner Manuel Cardiel met Van Klompenberg with a wide smile.
El Ganadero chicken and shrimp tacos (Courtesy, Deborah Reed)
El Ganadero steak tacos (Courtesy, Deborah Reed)
With efficient movements, combined with several smiles and upbeat conversation, Cardiel promptly created two fresh plates of tacos for Van Klompenberg and this reporter.
Cardiel, his wife Concepción and their children can be found at El Ganadero daily, serving fresh and authentic Mexican cuisine.
Nurturing cultural diversity
Café Boba, a Taiwanese boba café owned by Ted & Yili Bonarski, will also be welcoming patrons during the Festival – and offering a 10% discount on all orders.
A wide variety of boba drinks, coffee and ice cream are available, and can be customized to the patron’s preferences. A parade featuring a 20-foot dragon will also be part of the festivities as a way to honor Yili’s Chinese heritage.
The polished wood table made by Ted Bonarski from reclaimed barn wood (Courtesy, Deborah Reed WKTV)
Established in 2003 as Boba Latte under previous owners, the boba café closed in summer of 2013. Having moved his financial services office into the second-floor rooms of the building in 2006, Ted Bonarski bought the café in December 2013, renaming it Café Boba.
And Bonarski is committed to allowing diversity to flourish in their neighborhood.
“We are embedded in this neighborhood, which is multicultural, and we want to keep it that way,” said Bonarski.
Bonarski also ensures every item they offer is high-quality.
Bubble waffle cone with chocolate ice cream and jasmine boba pearls (Courtesy, Deborah Reed WKTV)
“We saw bubble waffles as street food in Shanghai,” said Bonarski. “We bought a waffle machine and brought it back to the U.S. Friends own China City over on Eastern [and] they helped us perfect the recipe for the waffle.
“All of the coffee that we serve comes from Herman’s Boy, and nowhere else. We make the Vietnamese iced coffee, Café Sua Da, fresh. A lot of Vietnamese have given us input into the right strengths and the right tastes, so our Vietnamese iced coffee is very good.”
All coffee ordered is fresh, ground at the time of order with an AeroPress, then served to the customer.
More than a just boba and ice cream
Customers who walk into Café Boba will find a welcoming atmosphere designed by Bonarski’s daughter. A popular feature is the long, polished wood counter made from reclaimed barn wood from Michigan barns – and built by Bonarski himself.
But what Bonarski is most proud of is the family-friendly environment that brings in residents of all ages.
“We get the latchkey kids [from Kelloggsville and Godwin] that will come and hang out here after school until their parents can pick them up,” said Bonarski.
(Courtesy, Deborah Reed WKTV)
“We have one or two social workers that will bring kids in here to sit and talk to them. We had a group come in a week or so ago Thursday and take over the whole table and play Dungeons and Dragons for 4 to 5 hours.”
Bonarski extends that nurturing atmosphere to his employees as well, ensuring they have a healthy work environment.
“We’ve had so many kids come through, work for us as a first job, come out of a shell, and become outgoing people who could handle the world outside because they’re facing customers and taking orders every day,” said Bonarski. “It is very important to us that it be a healthy environment.”
And that, Bonarski added, is something we should do all the time. “You take what you find and make it better.”
Be in the know: additional festival details
(Courtesy photo)
Set at the intersection of 43rd Street and Division Avenue, the Division Arts Festival runs Saturday, June 1 from 2 – 9 p.m.
The Festival will feature live music, with a social drinking zone nearby for those who would like a beverage while enjoying the music. There will also be 50+ vendors with art, handmade goods and crafts, and an interactive narrative art walk for children.
Attendees may also be periodically surprised by a sudden monologue from strategically placed local theater artists.
“The overall reason for the Festival is to bring recognition and excitement to the [Division Avenue] neighborhood, the businessest there, and the people,” said Van Klompenberg.
Safety Notes
Division Avenue will close down to two lanes of traffic, and 43rd Street will be shut down on both sides of Division.
Give ‘Em a Break Safety will help with traffic control. A crosswalk will also be put in for safety.
Vendors with tents will line each side of Division Avenue.
“It will be really easy to walk across the street [and] up and down the neighborhood,” said Van Klompenberg.
Updates and Event Lineups
The Division Arts Festival is organized by the Division Avenue Business Association and generously sponsored by LMCU, Godwin Plumbing & Hardware, Rivertown Credit Union, Marge’s Donut Den, Brann’s Restaurant, Gordon Food Service, The King Family, The Stray and the cities of Kentwood and Wyoming.
Wyoming Public Schools (WPS) has partnered with Feeding America Mobile Pantry to host a Mobile Pantry once a month.
*WHS May Mobile Food Pantry will be held Tuesday, May 28 from 4:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.
What to expect
Though the selection of food varies each month, there are always a variety of fresh and frozen items available at the Mobile Pantry.
The Mobile Pantry is drive-thru style, and families are asked to remain in their vehicles for safety.
WHS Mobile Food Pantry Map (Courtesy, WPS)
Cars enter at the main entrance to WHS (1350 Prairie Parkway). Volunteers will direct traffic in the parking lot to help with efficiency.
Once in line, a volunteer will approach each car to record the name, address, number of people in the household, and the reason the food is needed for each family. Once a car has reached the front of the line, volunteers will load a box of food into the trunk.
Resources
To learn more about Feeding America West Michigan and the services they offer, click here.
For the Feeding America Mobile Food Pantry schedule, click here.
Care Cardinal of Byron Center invites the community to join them in celebrating the beginning of summer at their weekly Farmers Market and family-friendly event June 1.
“We are doing a Farmers Market every Friday, rain or shine,” said Cassidy Boensch, Admissions Director at Care Cardinal Byron Center. “It’s going to be in our parking lot so the residents have the autonomy of selling stuff…and going outside. It’s something for them to participate in and do instead of only the regular day-to-day stuff.”
(Courtesy, Care Cardinal)
With seven established West Michigan care communities, Care Cardinal is no stranger to providing a thriving and energetic environment for its assisted living, memory care, and independent living residents.
“Well-being is our goal,” Care Cardinal’s website states, “as well as maintaining the health and happiness of each of our residents, no matter their level of care.”
Care Cardinal’s personal care communities are redesigning care for its residents by creating an intimate, home-like setting where staff and residents interact like family. Attentive care, loving compassion, valued dignity and continued safety for residents are hallmarks of Care Cardinal’s care program.
Boensch is dedicated to integrating events involving the entire Byron Center community as part of that care – and is doing so by offering free options for residents of all ages to take part in.
Farmers market begins in May!
Care Cardinal is hosting the Byron Center Farmers Market every Friday from May 17 – Oct. 11 from 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Vendor spots are free and the size of two parking spaces. Care Cardinal residents as well as community members outside the personal care facility are welcome to register and sell products.
(Courtesy, K.D. Norris)
Boensch says the Market currently has 25 registered vendors – but they are open to more.
“Spots are free,” said Boensch. “[Vendors] bring their own tents, and whatever [money] they make, they take with them.”
The Market boasts a wide variety of vendors and products, from homemade maple syrup, candy, baked goods, veggies, jellies, dairy products made with goat’s milk, plants, flowers, and natural household products, to beach totes, cosmetic cases, beaded jewelry…and more!
Updates on the Farmers Market can be found on Care Cardinal Byron Center’s Facebook page.
Vendor registration can be completed by contacting Care Cardinal through their website.
But wait – there’s more!
Children will be able to enjoy several activities at the summer kickoff event (Supplied)
Saturday, June 1 will feature a large, family-friendly summer event at Care Cardinal Byron Center.
“It’s going to be huge, and I’m super excited about it,” said Boensch.
The day will kick off with a free pancake breakfast from 10-11 a.m. A craft show and car show will open at 11 a.m. and run until 4 p.m.
The first 50 children to arrive at the event will receive a Summer Pack Giveaway. Each pack will include summer items such as a sand bucket, flip flops, a bathing suit, shorts, t-shirts and popsicles.
Lawn games include cornhole, horseshoes and Rope the Steer.
Live music from local band Liquid Courage and Bootstrap Boys will provide entertainment for all ages beginning at 11 a.m.
Professional photography will be available throughout the event for all CC residents, community members and families.
All activities are free, excluding food truck refreshments and craft show purchases. The event will wrap up between the hours of 3-4 p.m.
“We want people to come out and be able to have a good time and not have to worry about pricing,” said Boensch.
Join in the fun!
Both the Farmers Market and June summer kickoff event will take place at the Care Cardinal Byron Center location.
“Everything is going to be here at Care Cardinal because we have some residents here that don’t have family members, so transportation would be an issue,” said Boensch. “They’re part of our family, so we wanted to have it somewhere they would be able to enjoy the event just as much as everybody else.”
(Courtesy photo)
Though the Care Cardinal location is well known to the area as the previous Byron Center Manor, the Care Cardinal facility is a new addition to the Byron Center area. Boensch said Care Cardinal is excited to engage with the community.
“Byron Center is an older town, so we want to be known in the area for what we do, [meet] with the locals, let people know that we’re here,” said Boensch. “We want people to be able to come in, see the facility, see what we do for our families.”
Care Cardinal resource links
Learn more about care and programs offered by Care Cardinal locations by clicking here.
Byron Center Care Cardinal information can be found here.
Wyoming Public Schools (WPS) has partnered with Feeding America Mobile Pantry to host a Mobile Pantry once a month.
*WHS March Mobile Food Pantry will be held Monday, April 29 from 4:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.
What to expect
Though the selection of food varies each month, there are always a variety of fresh and frozen items available at the Mobile Pantry.
The Mobile Pantry is drive-thru style, and families are asked to remain in their vehicles for safety.
WHS Mobile Food Pantry Map (Courtesy, WPS)
Cars enter at the main entrance to WHS (1350 Prairie Parkway). Volunteers will direct traffic in the parking lot to help with efficiency.
Once in line, a volunteer will approach each car to record the name, address, number of people in the household, and the reason the food is needed for each family. Once a car has reached the front of the line, volunteers will load a box of food into the trunk.
Resources
To learn more about Feeding America West Michigan and the services they offer, click here.
For the Feeding America Mobile Food Pantry schedule, click here.
Wyoming Public Schools (WPS) has partnered with Feeding America Mobile Pantry to host a Mobile Pantry once a month.
*WHS March Mobile Food Pantry will be held Monday, March 25 from 4:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.
What to expect
Though the selection of food varies each month, there are always a variety of fresh and frozen items available at the Mobile Pantry.
The Mobile Pantry is drive-thru style, and families are asked to remain in their vehicles for safety.
WHS Mobile Food Pantry Map (Courtesy, WPS)
Cars enter at the main entrance to WHS (1350 Prairie Parkway). Volunteers will direct traffic in the parking lot to help with efficiency.
Once in line, a volunteer will approach each car to record the name, address, number of people in the household, and the reason the food is needed for each family. Once a car has reached the front of the line, volunteers will load a box of food into the trunk.
Resources
To learn more about Feeding America West Michigan and the services they offer, click here.
For the Feeding America Mobile Food Pantry schedule, click here.
Chef Sweeney finds meaning in cooking (Courtesy, Sweeney)
Chef Syndy Sweeney of T. Rex & the Rabbit Foods will be at the Wyoming branch of Kent District Library (KDL) on Tuesday, March 26 to share her love of food and cooking with local residents.
For Sweeney, cooking is about more than just food. It’s about connection and comfort.
“For me, food has always been love,” said Sweeney. “My mom started teaching me when I was about four, and food was always something that I did for comfort and for connection.”
Combining books and cherries
At the Baking with Michigan Cherries KDL event, Sweeney will share the many ways to create delicious baked goods using Michigan’s seasonal cherry bounty.
The event is being held in conjunction with KDL’s On the Same Page community-wide reading initiative featuring the novel Tom Lake by best-selling novelist Ann Patchett. Patchett’s novel is centered around Michigan’s Traverse City cherry orchards.
“I read the book and have developed a lecture where we’re going to cover basic baking tips with regular flour and gluten-free flour, and incorporate as many different cherry products as possible,” said Sweeney.
Attendees will learn common-sense tips to successful baking, as well as favorite components, ingredients and baking equipment/utensils.
Sweeney encourages participation and questions during her demonstrations.
“I want people to feel engaged,” said Sweeney. “I want people to feel comfortable touching the dough and smelling the ingredients that I am using in my demonstration.”
Dinosaurs and rabbits
As a personal chef, Sweeney offers catering services for small events, meal prep, and several options for cooking classes through various community programs.
“Where you need a chef, I go,” Sweeney said. “I don’t have a restaurant, and I don’t have a storefront. But I have a lot of equipment, and a car and a cart. And muscles,” Sweeney added with a laugh.
Though Sweeney has been a vegetarian for over thirty years, her parents and her husband eat meat.
“I was always making substitutions,” said Sweeney. “I would make two versions of the same thing but with different proteins.”
(Courtesy, Syndy Sweeney)
T. Rex & the Rabbit Foods is a fitting name for Sweeney’s business due to the chef’s refusal to restrict herself to one practice of cooking. Whether vegetarian, a meat lover, vegan, kosher, gluten-free, halal, or dealing with food allergies, Sweeney is onboard.
“I don’t like when food is politicized,” said Sweeney. “I cook for everybody.”
Though Sweeney loved cooking, she doubted she would be able to make a living as a personal chef. However, Sweeney has been amazed at how her desire to help people connect through food has expanded into the successful business it is today.
“It’s been a lot of work, a lot of talking to people, testing recipes, and just word of mouth and hustling,” said Sweeney. “It’s a lot of fun, and it’s been very challenging and humbling at times.”
Sweeney enjoys the teaching aspect of her job, using her skills to highlight the ways food connects people rather than dividing them. That sense of community is something she strives for in each of her lectures and classes.
Registration and information links for a variety of fun upcoming events!
(Courtesy photo)
For more information about Sweeney’s Baking with Michigan Cherries KDL event, click here.
To register for Sweeney’s Cherries on Top hands-on cooking workshop at Kentwood Parks & Rec, click here.
KDL branches are hosting various events centered around the novel Tom Lake in preparation for author Ann Patchett’s April 24 visit to Covenant Fine Arts Center at Calvin University. Details for this event can be found here.
Food insecurity impacts over 261,000 people in West Michigan and the Upper Peninsula alone. Wyoming High School (WHS) has teamed up with Feeding America West Michigan to provide free nourishing food for those in need.
There are a variety of reasons food insecurity exists, and anyone can experience a period of that insecurity and need.
“We are seeing the need for food amongst our families increase,” said Joy Pratt, Wyoming School Community Coordinator. “This past fall, we were able to feed 110-120 families monthly, but sadly, had to turn families away as we ran out of food.”
Working together to eradicate hunger
Wyoming Public Schools (WPS) has partnered with Feeding America Mobile Pantry for several years, rotating locations between elementary school buildings.
For the last few months, WHS has become a consistent host site, and will continue to host the Mobile Pantry once a month.
*WHS January Mobile Food Pantry will be held Monday, Jan. 22 from 4:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.
WPS is working to help meet a basic need in the community (FeedWM)
“Moving the Mobile Food Pantry to the high school has allowed us to serve more families, cause less disruption to neighborhood traffic, as well as sort and package food inside the building versus outside in the elements,” said Pratt.
With some families financially stretched to the breaking point, picking up 40-50 lbs. of food for free has a far-reaching impact. WPS has seen that impact firsthand.
“What we know to be true is that if we want our kids to learn, their basic needs have to be met first,” said Pratt. “Kids who are worried about not having enough food at home typically don’t learn as well as kids who don’t have that worry.
If something as simple as WPS/WHS hosting a monthly Mobile Food Pantry can alleviate that worry, even a little bit, it’s a no-brainer.”
What to expect
Though the selection of food varies each month, there are always a variety of fresh and frozen items available at the Mobile Pantry. Some examples include: yogurt, cheese, milk, almonds, grapes, bananas, potatoes, rice, beans, macaroni, baked goods, apples, onions, carrots, ham, bread, bagels, cereal, granola, strawberries, and cream cheese.
The Mobile Pantry is drive-thru style, and families are asked to remain in their vehicles for safety.
WHS Mobile Food Pantry Map (Courtesy, WPS)
Cars enter at the main entrance to WHS (1350 Prairie Parkway). Volunteers will direct traffic in the parking lot to help with efficiency.
Once in line, a volunteer will approach each car to record the name, address, number of people in the household, and the reason the food is needed for each family. Once a car has reached the front of the line, volunteers will load a box of food into the trunk.
Make an impact – volunteer!
Just a few hours of time can make a substantial impact (FeedWM)
Community volunteers are always welcome and can sign up for January and February Mobile Pantries using the following links: January 2024 / February 2024
“Just giving three hours a month of their time has a significant impact on 170 families in their community,” said Pratt. “When you consider the time you give, and weigh it against the impact you make, volunteering to help at the Mobile Food Pantry is a worthwhile endeavor.
“If we all give a little, we can make big things happen.”
Resources – learn more!
To learn more about Feeding America West Michigan and the services they offer, click here.
For the Feeding America Mobile Food Pantry schedule, click here.
The City of Kentwood’s Winter Concert Series will return Thursday, Jan. 18 with free concerts featuring a range of music and food trucks.
The series will feature three local artists performing from 6:30 to 8 p.m. on select Thursdays each month through March 7 at the Kent District Library – Kentwood (Richard L. Root) Branch, 4950 Breton Ave. SE. Each concert features a food truck outside the library offering a variety of cuisine for purchase.
“We’re excited to bring talented musicians and wonderful entertainment to our community again,” said Val Romeo, Kentwood Parks and Recreation director. “This series is a great way for community members to be introduced to their new favorite artist, get out of the house this winter and enjoy an evening with friends and neighbors.”
Kody Bryant. (Courtesy, City of Kentwood)
The lineup of performers and food trucks is:
Thursday, Jan. 18 – Singer-songwriter Kody Bryant performing country covers and originals and Dune Buggy food truck featuring burgers and fries.
Thursday, Feb. 15 – Award-winning singer Myra Maimoh with Motherland House Concerts performing Afro-Soul and Patty Matters food truck offering burgers and fries.
Thursday, March 7 – Folk band Whorled performing Celtic, gypsy jazz, Brazilian, bluegrass and classical music and Around Baking Company food truck featuring freshly baked pizzas.
The concerts take place in the library’s Community Room. Guests are welcome to bring their own beer, wine or nonalcoholic beverages to enjoy at the show. More information is available at Kentwood.us/WinterConcerts.
Kent County Health Department encourages residents to support local restaurants across Kent County through Nov. 11. (Courtesy, MSBDC)
By WKTV Staff
deborah@wktv.org
Supporting local restaurants benefits the entire community (Courtesy, pxhere.com)
The Kent County Health Department (KCHD) is encouraging residents participating in Restaurant Week GR, taking place from Nov. 3-11, to broaden their dining experiences and support restaurants across Kent County.
To assist residents in finding and selecting a restaurant, an interactive map was created featuring local restaurants across Kent County.
“Restaurants hold a unique place in our community,” said KCHD Director Dr. Adam London. “They are often where memories are made, and life’s milestones are celebrated. Supporting these establishments not only preserve our local flavors but also strengthen the bonds that hold our community together.”
Community support and benefits
Though the restaurant industry has rebounded, the workforce remains low (Courtesy photo)
Spending at local restaurants benefits the community by supporting jobs and businesses. Whether dining in, ordering take-out, or buying gift cards, consumers contribute to local employment and business growth.
In the United States, the restaurant industry has rebounded to employ a record 12.37 million people as of September 2023, surpassing pre-pandemic levels. However, Michigan’s restaurant workforce remains about 6% below its peak, underscoring the importance of supporting local restaurants.
The Health Department works with a diverse range of food establishments, spanning from restaurants to mobile food trucks to healthcare facilities, as part of their annual licensing renewal and inspection process. Consequently, they are uniquely positioned to comprehend the challenges that restaurants have faced over the years.
Interactive maps make exploring easy
Clickable icons provide establishment details (Courtesy photo)
“We created an interactive map to encourage residents to explore our local eateries during restaurant week and beyond,” said Environmental Health Division Director Sara Simmonds. “Whether it’s an old favorite, someplace you have heard about and haven’t tried yet, or an out-of-the-way spot with a unique menu, they all help make up the fabric of Kent County.”
The map can be found on the KCHD social media site and website, and allows residents to search within a specified distance of their location. Each restaurant has a clickable icon and provides residents more details about the establishment.
Residents are also encouraged to follow our social media to learn how our team partners with local restaurants.
The fifth annual Veterans Breakfast will be held at the Wyoming Senior Center (Courtesy, City of Wyoming)
By WKTV Staff
deborah@wktv.org
Community members are invited to honor all veterans at the event (Courtesy, City of Wyoming)
The City of Wyoming Parks & Recreation Department is honored to host the fifth annual Veterans Breakfast set for 9 – 11 a.m. Thursday, Nov. 9 at the Wyoming Senior Center (2380 DeHoop Ave SW).
Sergeant Katelynn Y. Morrison will be the keynote speaker for the event.
Morrison enlisted into the United States Army Reserve in 2012, transferred to Active Duty Army in 2017 and completed Initial Entry Training at Fort Leonard, MO. She first served as an Army Internment/Resettlement Specialist, at Camp Humphreys, South Korea then served as a Team Leader and as the NCOIC for the Control Center at Fort Leavenworth, KS. Most recently, Morrison joined the US Army Recruiting Command in 2022 and was assigned to the Great Lakes Recruiting Battalion, Wyoming Station.
“The City of Wyoming is committed and proud to recognize those who have served and continue to serve our country in the armed forces and protect our freedoms,” said Krashawn Martin, director of Parks & Recreation for the City of Wyoming. “Our Veterans Breakfast and Memorial Day ceremonies are tributes to that service and protection.”
All veterans will be honored for their service at the Veterans Breakfast (Courtesy, City of Wyoming)
Pre-registration by Nov. 2 is required for the event. Register by calling 616-530-3164 or stopping by the Parks & Recreation office in Wyoming City Hall (1155 28th Street SW). Registration is free for veterans; all others are $5.
Liz Brann-Stegehuis (left) and son Sean Stegehuis (right) continue the operation of Tommy Brann’s (middle) iconic Wyoming restaurant location (Courtesy, Deborah Reed WKTV)
By Deborah Reed
WKTV Managing Editor
Tommy Brann opened a restaurant at age 19, becoming the youngest restaurant owner in Michigan. After 52 years of serving the Wyoming community, Brann handed Brann’s Steakhouse & Grille on Division Avenue over to his sister Liz Brann-Stegehuis and nephew Sean Stegehuis.
“A lot of people ask me, ‘Is it bittersweet?’ and it’s not,” said Brann without hesitation. “I would walk around the block and just escape my restaurant. It was to that point where it wasn’t enjoyable anymore for me, and it’s not because anybody did anything wrong. It was just time to move on.”
Continuing the family business
Brann’s Steakhouse and Grille in Wyoming remains open under the ownership of Liz and Sean Stegehuis (Courtesy, Deborah Reed WKTV)
Twelve years Brann’s junior, Stegehuis is no novice to the restaurant business, working at their father’s steakhouse and Brann’s Holland location as a teen.
After taking a break from the business to raise her family, Stegehuis returned to the family business 12 years ago, and has since partnered with another buyer for their Bay City location.
Stegehuis and her son took ownership of Tommy Brann’s Steakhouse & Grille at the beginning of September.
“Sean and I are partners,” said Stegehuis, adding that her son grew up in the business.
“With Brann’s, he is really driven to keep the legacy going,” Stegehuis continued. “We complement each other. He’s the back of the house and he loves the people. You’ll see him out front bussing tables and helping servers, but he also can jump behind that line and cook and hold up the back of the house too.”
Starting ‘em young
After Brann’s mother died when he was 12 years old, John Brann put Brann and his siblings to work. Brann said it was a blessing.
Tommy Brann at his restaurant in a historic photo (Courtesy Photo)
“My dad kept us out of trouble,” said Brann. “I called it John Brann’s Work Release Program because my friends were doing heavy duty drugs, and I wasn’t because I was working.”
Young Tommy Brann didn’t intend to make the family business his life’s work, planning for a career in law enforcement instead. But when the Division Avenue restaurant location became available, Brann took ownership of his own restaurant at age 19.
“[My dad] lent me $30,000,” said Brann. “I paid him back with interest, which is one of the best things he did for me. It made me my own person.”
Hectic days and new goals
Brann clearly remembers serving 97 dinners on his first day in business, July 5, 1971. He also remembers a one-of-a-kind encounter with a customer that day.
Tommy Brann hard at work (Courtesy Historic Photo)
“I remember a customer coming in and buying the whole restaurant a drink – which has never happened since then,” said Brann. “It was just to help me out, get me going.”
Having $5,000-a-month payments and being told by the Michigan Liquor Control Commission that he could no longer sign checks for beer at the restaurant were also memorable moments.
“I was only a 19-year-old kid, I wasn’t supposed to be buying beer,” Brann said with a laugh. “So I had to have my bookkeeper sign the checks for beer.”
Owning a restaurant was not always easy, with a hectic pace and unfavorable hours topping the list.
“You’re working New Year’s Eve, Mother’s Day, Christmas Eve,” said Brann. “I never missed one of those. You’re working when people are enjoying themselves, and then you’re asking other people to work too, so I made sure I was with them working.”
Brann, however, chose to focus on the favorable aspects of the business and his passion for serving.
Tommy Brann with his restaurant family in 2021 (Courtesy, K.D. Norris)
“My dad would always say you meet so many good people as far as customers and employees, and it’s so true,” said Brann.
The retired restaurateur remembers several customers who became friends, especially Robert (Bob) Kibby.
“If I was having a bad day and [Bob] came in at 11:30, he’d make my day good just because of the joking and the comradeship,” said Brann. “That’s what makes this business good.”
Stegehuis agreed. “Tom couldn’t have said it better as far as the people,” said Stegehuis. “That’s the main part for me. They become your friends and family.”
A life of hard work and dedicated service
Brann’s passion for serving his community extended far beyond Brann’s Steakhouse & Grille.
State Rep. Tommy Brann (left) on the set of WKTV Journal’s “In Focus” public affairs show (Courtesy, WKTV)
“The reason I got into politics is because sometimes politicians don’t realize what small businesses go through,” said Brann. “It’s dangerous when a politician doesn’t have that small business experience…and they make rules against small businesses.”
Brann also earned a black belt in karate, was a Michigan Restaurant Association Distinguished Service Award recipient, partnered with a local songwriter to write a song, and published the memoir Mind Your Own Business that shares the ups and downs of running a successful small business.
A new focus for the Brann and Stegehuis families
Having accomplished many of his goals, Brann plans to focus on more personal pursuits, such as spending time with his wife Sue and supporting her work with the National Ski Patrol.
One thing Brann does plan to cross off his “bucket list” is a trip out of the country.
“I want to go to Liverpool because I’m a big Beatles fan, and walk Abbey Road,” said Brann. “That’s definitely a must for me.”
Brann’s Steakhouse is an icon in the City of Wyoming (Courtesy, Deborah Reed WKTV)
Brann has also considered writing about his experiences as a politician.
“One time at the State office, we had to compromise on something to get somebody’s vote,” said Brann. “I came back and wrote “I’m now a politician,” and stapled it on my wall while my staff laughed. So I could share my experience with being a politician, and the give and take of it.”
But relaxing after a lifetime of hard work is something Brann refuses to feel guilty about.
“It is hard for me to sit down, but when I do sit down I feel like I’ve earned it, so I don’t feel guilty about it,” said Brann.
Stegehuis says that, for right now, Brann’s Steakhouse is her focus.
“I am going to have the balance of my family,” said Stegehuis. “But really, this consumes you. You have to make the time [for family] when you’re in the industry, and that’s why Tom’s doing what he’s doing. At this point in my life, this is my focus. Keeping it Tommy Brann’s, carrying on his legacy.”
Stegehuis says she plans to keep the restaurant very similar to what it already is, and that the transition has been smooth. She does intend to bring back the salad bar, but considers that an addition, not a change.
The Brann family legacy
The Brann family business will continue to serve the community (Courtesy, Deborah Reed WKTV)
Brann says that he wants to be remembered for being a hard worker and giving customers a good experience while at his restaurant.
“I was a hard worker, and I would mop my floors…whatever it took,” said Brann.
But the retired restaurateur knows he is not perfect, saying he still remembers a customer complaint about a meal that arrived cold.
“That was probably 30 years ago, and I still remember that,” said Brann. “I just wanted to make sure that when they left here, they had a good experience and we didn’t fail them.”
Stegehuis says she wants the community to know that the reception customers receive at Brann’s is genuine.
“These people that I’ve had for coworkers over the years and the guests that I’ve met, I truly consider them friends and I truly consider them family,” said Stegehuis. “They are very special to me, and that’s what I would like to carry on, and carry on for Tom.”
Families are getting ready for the start of a new school year (Courtesy, www.pxhere.com)
By WKTV Staff
deborah@wktv.org
Woodland Mall and The Salvation Army in Kent County are helping local students get ready to go back to school with a fun event and food drive 12 p.m. – 2 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 19.
The event will serve as a fundraiser for The Salvation Army’s emergency food pantry. It will also feature a variety of activities for all ages to enjoy in Woodland Mall’s Macy’s Court.
On a monthly basis, The Salvation Army feeds 550 people, including 145 children, and that number is increasing daily.
“We used to provide people with enough food to last three to five days,” said Victoria Arnold, director of Kent County Social Services. “Due to increased demand, we now provide enough food for six days. And we predict we will need another $10,000 alone to stay at that level, just for the next year.”
An increasing number of families are in need food during the school year (Courtesy, www.pxhere.com)
Attendees are encouraged to bring shelf-stable food donations to the event or make a monetary donation online to support Salvation Army Kent County Social Services, which provides food pantries, warm meals and sack lunches for community members in need. Personal care items, household products, clothing and baby essentials are also accepted.
“Countless families struggle to access nutritious food, and most affected are children,” said Mikia Ross, interim Senior Marketing Director for Woodland Mall. “To help address this issue, we’re focusing on promoting nutrition for children and families during this year’s back-to-school season and encouraging the community to participate by donating to our charitable partner, Salvation Army. Together, we can help students get the fuel they need to start their academic year out strong!”
Suggested items for donation include:
Canned goods, including meats, fruits and vegetables, with a pop top.
Pasta and pasta sauces.
Ramen noodles.
Macaroni and cheese.
While supporting the nonprofit, event attendees will be able to meet special characters like Princess Tiana and Captain America, enjoy DJ music and games, get their faces painted, make friendship bracelets, view back-to-school fashion displays and get makeover consultations. Those who make a monetary or food donation will also be able to capture memories with a photo booth.
Kentwood Commissioner Clarkston Morgan (right) joined WKTV Managing Editor Cris Greer in the studio to discuss the Kentwood Little Free Pantry.
By Cris Greer
WKTV Managing Editor
greer@wktv.org
The first Kentwood Commissioner I met after taking the job as managing editor at WKTV was Clarkston Morgan. On that day we talked about the Kentwood Little Free Pantry, and most memorably, he said it was “very near and dear to his heart.”
That meeting eventually culminated into Morgan coming into our studio to tape a WKTV Journal show on the Little Free Pantry.
“I have a passion for people,” said Morgan, founder and CEO of Ambassador Consultants LLC and an executive pastor and a city commissioner. “When you are always working with those that are in need and asking for help, you’re always connecting them to the resources that can help them. I can send anyone to the pantry without them worrying about checking IDs or their backgrounds; individuals can go right in, get what they need and come right out.
“It’s simple. There are no questions with the Little Free Pantry. There’s no embarrassment; all you do is get what you need and then you go home and bless your family. You’re our family and that’s why we do this.”
No questions asked
Kentwood’s Little Free Pantry is a free resource that provides food to community members in need. Anyone can give to and take from the pantry, with no questions asked and no application needed.
Kentwood’s Little Free Pantry initiative began in 2017 as a Martin Luther King Jr. Day community service project to fill an immediate and local need. A second location was added in 2021.
The Kentwood Little Free Pantry. (WKTV)
At the time it opened, Kentwood Mayor Stephen Kepley said, “This is the one day of the year I believe represents Kentwood. Because of what Martin Luther King Jr. stood for, who he was, what he said and what he did, his actions helped to make the city what it is today. Kentwood is one of the most diverse and international cities in the state.”
During the taping of the WKTV Journal show, Morgan continued along those lines and added, “You look at Kentwood as a community of 80 nations and 90 different languages. Dr. King’s message was his dream of all the cultures coming together and supporting one another. We are living out King’s dream of what it means to have unity. And unity comes around food, breaking bread at the table together.”
The pantry has several donation drop-off locations throughout Kentwood. Collection hours and locations are as follows:
Kentwood Activities Center, 355 48th St. SE: Drop off donations 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday.
Kent District Library – Kentwood (Richard L. Root) Branch, 4950 Breton Ave. SE: Place donations inside the collection bin located in the lobby from 9:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday, 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and closed Sunday.
Kentwood City Hall, 4900 Breton Ave. SE
Kentwood Justice Center, 4740 Walma Ave. SE
Kentwood Public Works, 5068 Breton Ave. SE
Sparks Belting Company, 5005 Kraft Ave, Suite A
Suggested food donations include:
Meats, canned, tuna and chicken preferred
Vegetables, canned
Fruits, canned
Shelf stable milk
Non-stick spray
Peanut butter
Pasta sauce
Cooking oil
Jam/Jelly
Cereals
Pasta
Rice
Soup
* Please be sure to check the expiration date on food items before bringing them in for donation.
Personal care item suggestions:
Soap of all kinds
Shampoo/conditioner
Disposable razors
Feminine products
Laundry detergent
Toilet paper
Deodorant
Diapers
Some other ideas include:
Kid-friendly non-perishables
Crayons, small toys, games
School supplies
To make a financial donation or find more information about Kentwood’s Little Free Pantry, visit kentwood.us/LittleFreePantry.
Photo from a previous Food Truck Festival. (Courtesy, City of Kentwood)
By WKTV Staff
greer@wktv.org
The City of Kentwood and GR8 Food Trucks will once again celebrate the start of summer with the annual Food Truck Festival.
The Kentwood Food Truck Festival is set for Saturday, June 10 from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. in the parking lot of the Kent District Library – Kentwood (Richard. L. Root) Branch, 4950 Breton Ave. SE. The popular community event offers free admission and features more than 25 food trucks, live music, beer and community booths for attendees to explore. Another food truck festival will celebrate the end of the summer season on Sept. 9.
(Courtesy, City of Kentwood)
A wide variety of cuisines will be available at the June event, with trucks offering barbecue, burritos, baked goods and more. Whether you’re searching for a savory snack, satisfying meal or sweet treat, the festival has options for every appetite. Entry to the festival is free, and cost for food and beverages varies by vendor.
“We’re delighted to celebrate the beginning of the summer season with this community-favorite event,” said Val Romeo, Kentwood Parks and Recreation director. “The City of Kentwood, GR8 Food Trucks and our vendors and musicians are looking forward to sharing local flavors and sounds with the community.”
Food trucks participating in this year’s event include:
“Food trucks enable community members to spend time outside while supporting talented local food vendors,” said Alan Tomlinson, president of GR8 Food Trucks. “Kentwood’s Food Truck Festival gives residents an opportunity to build connections while enjoying delicious food.”
This year’s diamond sponsors are NN Mobile Solutions and Macatawa Bank.
There is construction along 52nd Street SE that may impact the route community members take to the event. A detour map and parking map are available on the City of Kentwood’s website.
Volunteers are needed for the event. Find more information about the Kentwood Food Truck Festival and sign up to volunteer at kentwood.us/SummerFoodTruckFestival.
By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma WKTV Managing Editor joanne@wktv.org
There will be a number of carnival rides and food offerings at the Wyoming Spring Carnival. (Supplied)
This Friday is the official kick off of activities in the City of Wyoming as city’s annual Spring Carnival returns for 10 days.
“This kicks off the season for us,” said Wyoming Parks and Recreation Director Krashawn Martin. “The carnival is the start of our events such as the concerts and we have some pop-up activities planned for July.
“So here is to beautiful weather and smooth sailing into summer for Wyoming.”
The carnival runs April 28 through May 7 at the Lamar Park, 2561 Porter St. SW. Hours are from 4 – 8:30 p.m. Monday-Thursday; 2-8:30 p.m. Friday and noon-8:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. The carnival is free however there is a cost for rides and food. At the city’s website, there is a coupon for $3 off an unlimited ride wristband.
“This is usually the first event for TJ Schmidt & Company, which runs the carnival,” Martin said. “They always have some fun and new rides and this is the opportunity to explore them. I am not sure exactly what they will be, so people will have to come see for themselves.”
A staple in the city city for more than 30 years, proceeds from the carnival support City of Wyoming Parks and Recreation services and the Greater Wyoming Community Resource Alliance or GWCRA. Funds raised support youth scholarships and youth and family programming through the Wyoming Parks and Recreation Department. The GWCRA distributes funds to the community its through annual grant awarding process.
The Spring Carnival is made possible through the work of the City of Wyoming Parks and Recreation and TJ Schmidt & Company. For more information about the carnival, contact the Wyoming Parks and Recreation Department at 616-530-3164.
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has proposed a new $160 million for school lunches to help close the hunger gap created when federal funding ended. (Pxhere.com)
LANSING – Michigan schoolchildren may be at risk of going hungry due to the federal government eliminating funding for free meals in public schools after the pandemic.
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer is now pushing a new $160 million proposal to close the hunger gap created when federal funding ended. If passed, Michigan would be the fourth state to offer free meals to all public school students.
“Regardless of the community, there are always hungry kids,” said Daniel Connors, the director of food and nutrition services at Chippewa Valley Schools in Macomb County.
Free meals were part of COVID relief
In July 2022, statewide free meals were no longer federally funded in Michigan. This school year, free and reduced meals programs are limited to families who cannot cover the costs.
The previous funding was provided through COVID-19 relief from the federal government. The U.S. Department of Agriculture says families have to go back to the way things were pre-pandemic.
According to the Michigan League for Public Policy, around 715,000 kids in the K-12 public school system qualified for free and reduced meals in 2021, based on household income.
Access to all
Overall, about 1,443,456 children were enrolled in public schools in the 2021-22 school year, according to Michigan School Data.
Offering free meals for all students “removes the burden of worrying about paying for school meals, both for students and families. It also removes the stigma that may be associated with eating school-provided meals and removes the stress of filling out paperwork from parents,” said Mary Darnton, the food service director for Jenison & Hudsonville Schools in Georgetown Township, between Grand Rapids and Holland.
Connors said children who cannot afford a meal and don’t receive benefits may be given an alternative meal in some districts. When that happens, it may add to the stigma surrounding free and reduced meals.
“It is comforting at every level for teachers, parents, administrators and lunch workers. We just want to be able to feed our students and have that be the focus without worrying about paperwork and signatures,” Darnton said.
Connors said a lot of teachers keep snacks in their classroom cabinets. If children are getting school-provided meals, that weight is lifted off of teachers.
Not everyone meets the qualifications
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s guidelines use household size and gross income to determine eligibility.
Darnton said, “The thing with the guidelines is that they are set at the federal level. If a family is $1 over the income limit, we can’t extend the benefits. On paper, it may look as though the family does not qualify, but in real life the money for school meals may not be in that family’s budget.”
Whitmer has proposed that the state spend $160 million, which will cover free breakfast and lunch for 1.4 million students at K-12 schools, in the fiscal year beginning Oct. 1.
If free meals become available to all public school students again, Darnton said the main challenge will be learning how to work within the new system.
Darnton said that providing free meals during the pandemic helped prepare school districts to do so again.
“Challenges for food service directors, like me, will be knowing participation will rise and making sure we can get supplies, staffing and training. We will have to learn how to feed students for free,” she said.
What is happening across the country
California, Maine and Colorado have moved away from traditional eligibility-based free and reduced meal programs and now offer free meals to all students.
According to the Food Research and Action Center, located in Washington, D.C., California and Maine passed legislation in 2021 to continue providing free meals even after the federal support ended.
In 2022, Colorado voters passed a proposal that raised taxes for incomes over $300,000. The added revenue will fund the Healthy School Meals for All Program to offer free lunch in public schools, said the National Conference of State Legislatures.
Michigan would become the fourth state with free school meals for all students if lawmakers adopt Whitmer’s proposal.
With rising inflation, grocery bills have been adding up, Darnton said, and enabling kids to eat breakfast and lunch at school five days a week will ultimately improve household financial situations.
Darnton said, “This is money that gets to stay at home and in the household.”
That means families can use that money for things like rent, utilities and everyday necessities, Darnton said.
“No matter what socioeconomic background, if it means smoother mornings, kids who are ready to learn and fewer discipline issues, schools are here and ready to feed those kids,” she said.
Sophia Brandt is a journalism major with a concentration in writing, editing and reporting. She expects to graduate from Michigan University in spring 2024. Her goals include publishing impactful stories and working for a newspaper in a big city.
“A few years ago, I had a realization when taking a look at coffee shops all over the United States: We’re all doing the same thing — serving high-quality coffee,” Jon told ArtRat. “At The Lantern, it’s different. We focus on the environment, our service and your experience.“
That commitment to Grand Rapids’ Heartside neighborhood guided The Lantern through the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic and still shapes the way the popular coffee spot treats customers, other local businesses and the community at large.
Steve Wiltjer and Kevin Wallace opened The Lantern in April 2013, in the old Grand Central Engineering Building — a site that had stood gutted and empty for 15 years. The space is much bigger on the inside than it seems when you pass by; the spacious downstairs area still features the Grand Central’s original wood and is filled with tables and desks for people to socialize or work.
“I have all of my meetings at Lantern,” Rock Dandeneau, owner of Taste Buds-Kitchen Connects, a catering business just around the corner at 122 Division Ave S, told ArtRat.
Down in the vault
The historic building holds some surprises. John led me down to a former bank vault that’s now The Lantern’s dry-goods storage. “This door is the original one,” he said, spinning the combination lock. “It’s supposedly worth a lot, too … But it’s so heavy, no one has moved it!”
Inside, there’s not much space. “It forces us to work a little differently, more intentionally. For example, instead of ordering 10,000 to-go cups, we order 1,000.” He pointed out ingredients that go into The Lantern’s latest offering: homemade oat milk. Though the ingredients are Michigan-made, the recipe required a lot of tweaks and a journey to New Orleans where Jon met a master oat-milker to learn his ways. After Jon added his own personal touches, the cafe added it to the menu on Monday.
The coffee bar is intentional with its waste, too. Just outside the vault, the space also holds The Lantern’s compost bins: All coffee, filters, and tea scraps are composted for distribution to local farms.
Navigating a pandemic
Jon started at The Lantern as a barista, but his role grew over time. In 2020, he was already on track to take over ownership responsibilities from The Lantern’s founders when COVID-19 hit.
For a gathering spot like The Lantern, social-distancing requirements were a critical hit, and the cafe shut down entirely for several months. “I didn’t want to reopen without indoor seating,” Jon explained. “It’s such an integral part of what we are.”
Jon remained committed to operating The Lantern while keeping customers safe. “I didn’t really have experience doing that kind of thing,” he said, “but I saw it as an opportunity to save something that was important to me, to not just watch it die in front of me. While there are trials and tribulations, I always [work] to pull myself up.”
The Lantern team shares Jon’s focus on the cafe’s role as stewards of the community. Savannah Jeanelle took a moment to talk with us. Between brewing my Malabar Tea and packing a shot of espresso, our local barista filled ArtRat in about what Lantern does best.
“Engrained within us, we are a part of — and take part in — this community,” Savannah said. “All are welcome. This community is so full of vibrant people: artists, musicians, people with stories to tell.
“No matter who you are, we’ll always be happy to make you a drink and have a conversation.”
This article provided by ArtRat, located at 46 Division Ave. S. For more about ArtRat, visit the gallery’s website at www.artrat.us. To join ArtRat Gallery’s mailing list of events and exhibits, email matthew@artrat.us.
