The Bridge of Arbor Circle is a safe, no cost shelter program for youth, ages 10-17, who are facing homelessness or considering running away (Courtesy, Arbor Circle)
Join Arbor Circle on Sept. 25 from 4-6 p.m. to learn more about The Bridge of Arbor Circle and services for youth experiencing homelessness during the End of Summer Celebration.
During the event, guests will have the opportunity to tour The Bridge youth shelter and learn more from staff about the different programs available for youth. In addition to a sneak peek of some exciting construction projects underway at The Bridge, this year’s open house will feature snacks from New City Neighbors’ New City Café as well as a mural created on site during the event.
The Bridge End of Summer Celebration will offer sneak peeks of construction projects, snacks and a mural created on site (Courtesy, pxhere.com)
Offering youth stable and accessible shelter
The Bridge of Arbor Circle is a safe shelter program for youth, ages 10-17, who are facing homelessness, housing instability, or considering running away. The Bridge offers youth a stable and accessible place to stay. Located in Grand Rapids, The Bridge is open 24/7/365.
“We are excited to open this space to the public for the evening and spread awareness of the important services provided at The Bridge,” shared Monique Carter, Director of Youth Development Services at Arbor Circle. “This space is incredibly special and we want folks to know what support is available to youth in our community.”
Free event registration
For more information and to register for this year’s free event, click here.
Sponsors for this year’s event include Veneklasen Construction.
Thomas J. Bullock, a pioneer in substance abuse treatment and recovery, was the inspiration for the Thomas J. Bullock Memorial Fund. His too-short life is honored by opportunities Arbor Circle and the Fund will present for addiction professionals and the broader community to learn together.
Creating opportunities to learn and reflect
Thomas J. Bullock (Courtesy, Arbor Circle)
The Thomas J. Bullock Memorial Fund was established through a monetary gift by James and Barbara Haveman.
“We are grateful for the opportunity to honor Thomas Bullock in this way,” shared James Haveman, co-founder of the Fund and former Director of the Michigan Department of Community Health. “This fund will create opportunities for substance use professionals to learn alongside one another and reflect on the current environment of treatment and where we might go together.
“We chose to entrust this work to Arbor Circle because of the organization’s commitment to accessibility, inclusivity, its creativity and their quality of services.”
Celebrated at annual event
In celebration of the professional contributions of Bullock, the Fund will underwrite an annual event for the West Michigan community focused on a variety of topics surrounding innovative and proven models for recovery in the field of substance use and addiction. The annual event will be hosted by Arbor Circle.
(Courtesy, Arbor Circle)
Arbor Circle will launch the Fund at their upcoming Spring Forward event on May 22, from 6–8 p.m. at the Grant Pavilion in Millennium Park. Spring Forward will raise funds for Arbor Circle while giving guests opportunities to learn more about Arbor Circle’s programs and impact. Jeffrene Woods, daughter of Bullock, will attend this year’s event.
To learn more about the Thomas J. Bullock Memorial Fund or the Spring Forward event, click here.
Caregivers often face unique challenges when seeking substance use care (Courtesy, pxhere.com)
Women experience unique challenges when faced with a substance use concern. A local organization is focused on providing solutions for those challenges.
Arbor Circle recently received a two-year grant from the Wege Foundation that will support programming specifically designed to provide in-home and community-based substance use disorder treatment services for women and their families.
Arbor Circle seeks to provide an environment of understanding, trust, and empathy where women can receive the support they need to overcome their challenges and thrive.
What are some of those challenges?
“Women especially tend to be the caregivers, so they potentially are the ones who have children with them as they are also trying to navigate their own personal journey towards recovery,” said Taylor Greenfield, Director of Development for Arbor Circle. “When they’re struggling with substance use, they may also be facing fear around what that means for the children in their home.”
Women may be concerned about legal issues, but they also may encounter barriers when it comes to transportation and childcare.
“They may have challenges around childcare and having someone who is able to come and watch their children while they are seeking or receiving services,” said Greenfield.
Because of this, Greenfield has seen a regional decline in women seeking substance use recovery services – and that is concerning.
Increased substance use, decreased pursuit of care
“What’s really concerning about that is we know substance use concerns haven’t gone away,” said Greenfield. “We know that substance use has actually increased. What that says to us is that women need additional support to engage in services.
Family-related barriers are preventing women from seeking support in substance use recovery (Courtesy photo)
“They are going to need those barriers removed differently, they’re going to need help with those childcare pieces, they’re going to need to know that the services they’re receiving are built on trust and empathy.”
Arbor Circle has worked to find funds that will provide that environment for women looking to begin their recovery journey.
Support from the Wege Foundation will help strengthen Arbor Circle’s community-based, family-focused, and culturally responsive treatment through peer recovery support. This is a unique opportunity for individuals with lived experience with substance use concerns to help keep those in recovery – and their families – engaged throughout their journey.
How peer recovery/support is different
Peer recovery supports are designed to assist individuals and families with achieving long-term recovery from a substance use disorder by acting as “coaches” to provide community-based and strengths-based ongoing support, case management, and consultation.
Those with lived experience can provide a unique perspective to those seeking recovery (Courtesy, pxhere.com)
“Peers are staff with lived experience in substance use,” said Greenfield. “They have been someone who has struggled with that, and they are on their own recovery journey. They are able to lend a really important and different perspective than a staff person who hasn’t gone through that.”
Greenfield went on to say that peer staff are still trained in their expertise, but have the additional element of their own background which allows them to share what the recovery journey is like later on down the line.
“They are serving as that catalyst for engagement, someone who’s able to encourage and support in a different way than a staff person might be,” said Greenfield.
Greenfield went on to say that a benefit to peers is that they are part of a team approach. Peers lend their unique perspective and are also surrounded by staff with a clinical background. Together, they ensure a mother has everything she needs to take that next step.
Peer-to-peer recovery support services are built on the recognition that individuals in recovery, their families, and their community allies are critical resources that can effectively enhance and improve formal treatment.
Community focus reduces barriers to care
Many of Arbor Circle’s 50+ services are based within the community. Staff often provide programming in homes and community centers. They also meet those seeking care at other locations such as churches or restaurants.
“There are folks that are really invested in reducing barriers wherever we can,” said Greenfield. “We have tried to build up programming that will meet folks where they are and regardless of their identity.”
Together, Arbor Circle and the Wege Foundation aim to increase accessibility of care for women raising children (Courtesy, pxhere.com)
Funds from the Wege Foundation will support Arbor Circle in increasing the accessibility of these services for women raising children with a substance use concern.
The Wege Foundation has a long history of generosity in the West Michigan community, with a strong focus on diversity, equity and inclusion.
“They are deeply invested and involved in so many of the nonprofit conversations in the community that it just felt like a good fit,” said Greenfield. “We want to express our thankfulness to the Wege Foundation for their generosity.”
Arbor Circle’s Director of Community Based Recovery Services, Cathy Worthem, agreed. “We are deeply grateful for the Wege Foundation’s support of this work,” shared Worthem. “These funds will enhance our ability to work effectively with women and meet both their needs and the needs of their families.”
Resources
Learn more about Arbor Circle’s women-focused services here.
For those seeking additional services, or for those interested in becoming involved with Arbor Circle, more information can be found on their website.
The Bridge of Arbor Circle is a safe, no cost shelter program for youth, ages 10-17, who are facing homelessness or considering running away (Courtesy, Arbor Circle)
This work is a continuation of a 2017 initiative in conjunction with True Colors United (formerly The True Colors Fund), led in collaboration with Arbor Circle and other community organizations. The goal is to create responsive strategies that will advance the health and wellbeing of LGBTQI+ youth and young adults.
Meeting a significant need
(Courtesy photo)
The need for this ongoing focus on the health and wellness of LGBTQI+ youth is significant, as risks for these youth continue to be elevated both nationally and locally.
The Trevor Project reports that nationally, LGBTQ youth are three times more likely to attempt suicide as their non-LGBTQ peers. Locally, a January 2023 Trevor Project study found that 45% of LGBTQ Michigan youth considered suicide in the past year.
Additionally, local data from the Kent County Continuum of Care (2022) shows that nearly 27% of all Runaway and Homeless Youth in Kent County identify within the LGBTQ community.
With these funds, Arbor Circle will engage LGBTQI+ youth and their families and caregivers in counseling and support programs aimed to reduce behavioral health risks.
“We are humbled by the opportunity to continue seeking the answer to the question first posed by our work with True Colors United,” shared Susan Sheppard, Arbor Circle’s Vice President & COO. “How might we ensure all LGBTQ+ youth in West Michigan live in a safe, secure community?”
Arbor Circle’s community-based building on Leonard Street NE in Grand Rapids (Courtesy, Arbor Circle)
Community partnerships
This project will also bring together systems and community organizations that engage with youth and families to support increased acceptance and understanding. Training on successful interventions and awareness of available services will also be offered.
“We are pleased to partner with Arbor Circle on this work to support the mental health and wellness of LGBTQ+ youth in our community,” shared Jennie Knight, Executive Director of Grand Rapids LGBTQ+ Healthcare Consortium. “Mental health is a crucial, but often overlooked, component of healthcare, and this grant will help us to address this need.”
Arbor Circle is inviting the community to a conversation about the impact of incarceration on our community, barriers and challenges faced by returning citizens, and ways to support returning citizens.
As our community commemorates Martin Luther King Jr. Day, join Arbor Circle at their third annual Growing Together event from 6-8 p.m. on Jan. 11 for a free panel discussion on the impact of incarceration in our community.
Honoring a legacy, impacting the community
Arbor Circle event panelists (Courtesy, Arbor Circle)
The panel discussion, presented in partnership with Civic Theatre, will take place at Wealthy Theatre with the option for guests to join in-person or virtually. While the event is free to attend, please register to help us plan: Event Registration.
Event panelists include Dee Dee Taylor, Founder and President of Taylor Made Re-Entry; West Michigan Works! Project Manager Wes Selent; Director of Cure Violence Grand Rapids and Member of City of Grand Rapids SAFE Taskforce Richard Griffin, and Mike Cole, Arbor Circle Clinical Manager.
“Bringing this important conversation to our community honors the legacy of Dr. King,” said Enid Gaddis, Director of Equity & Inclusion at Arbor Circle. “The impact of incarceration is felt by individuals, families, communities, and across systems.
“Our panelists will be exploring this impact from diverse perspectives, which include their lived experience and roles as service providers. I am excited to be part of the conversation.”
Don’t leave yet – there’s more!
As an extension of our Growing Together event, Arbor Circle is partnering with Grand Rapids Civic Theatre as they launch their production of Clyde’s, running Jan. 19-28.
(Courtesy photo)
This modern play explores the tremendous hurdles formerly incarcerated folks experience in life outside prison walls. Themes include safe housing, employment, specific support for women of color, and more.
Learn more about the show, Community Resource Night on Jan. 25, and the “pay what you want” opportunity here: https://www.grct.org/clydes/.
The panel discussion is sponsored by Veneklasen Construction, Fifth Third Bank, Grand Valley State University, Horizon Bank, Hungerford Nichols CPAs + Advisors, Mika Meyers PLC, PCE Systems, Sytsma Wealth Strategies – Raymond James, and Urban League of West Michigan.
Arbor Circle teams up with Steelcase Foundation in a common goal to help West Michigan communities (Courtesy, www.pxhere.com)
By WKTV Staff
deborah@wktv.org
Arbor Circle works to remove barriers and meet the mental health needs of children, their parents, and their caregivers (Courtesy, Arbor Circle)
Arbor Circle is celebrating a recent $100,000 grant from Steelcase Foundation in support of a 2-year project focused on mental health support for children and families.
As communities continue to recover from the ongoing effects of the pandemic, isolation and lack of consistency has had a significant impact on the social and emotional development of children. The last few years have spotlighted several inequities.
The impact of the pandemic on social determinants of health paired with access to resources such as housing, employment, healthcare, and education have created major challenges and disruptions in the lives of families – specifically communities of color and those in poverty.
Help is on the way
One of Michigan’s most comprehensive providers of mental health counseling, substance use treatment, and family services, Arbor Circle serves thousands of individuals and families each year. With deep roots in West Michigan, Arbor Circle collaborates with local resources to address needs in the community.
Steelcase Foundation connects resources with people by providing grants to nonprofit organizations focused on cultivating thriving communities through education and quality learning experiences.
Together, these two organizations have a common goal.
Removing barriers for a healthier life
Arbor Circle works to remove barriers and meet the mental health needs of children, their parents and caregivers where they are.
A variety of support services will be delivered to the community through the grant (Courtesy, www.pxhere.com
The Steelcase Foundation funds will support services throughout the community, including skill building for parents and caregivers, support for children in meeting both developmental and educational milestones, and specialized mental health support.
“We are deeply grateful to partner with The Steelcase Foundation in this way, and are honored to work together in ensuring that children and families have the tools they need to thrive,” said Kristin Gietzen, President and CEO of Arbor Circle. “We are energized by this support and see great potential in the multi-generational and community-focused approach woven into this project.”
For some people, being resilient is a way of life. As early as five years old, one Arbor Circle Homeless Youth client was removed from her mother who was selling drugs. During the course of multiple foster home placements and other times when she was physically and sexually abused, she was separated from her siblings and left completely on her own.
She dropped out of school in the 9th grade and ran away — again — staying with friends and other family members for short periods of time. She lived this way for years.
She then began prostituting herself with landlords for places to stay. When she came to Arbor Circle to see about the Homeless Youth program, she had just been told to leave a shelter home.
TheBridge of Arbor Circle is a safe shelter program for youth who are facing homelessness or considering running away. In the middle of crisis, The Bridge offers youth a stable and accessible place to stay. Along with a variety of supportive programs,it helps them connect with peers, learn new skills, and find resources to reconnect with their families, schools and community.
How it works
The Bridge provides crisis shelter, counseling, case management, group support, youth activities and connections to other needed services, The Bridge assists youth with meeting their basic needs, setting goals, building new life skills, and establishing connections with peers and mentors who can support them. Services include:
Shelter services available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year for up to 21 days
Crisis Intervention
Intake/Assessment
Counseling
Case management
Placement
Community education and prevention services
Service learning opportunities for civic engagement
Eligibility
The Bridge services are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and 365 days a year to youth in need of safe shelter and supportive services due to issues such as safety, runaway/homelessness, and/or disconnection from family, school or community. Services are available for:
Youth between the ages of 10-17, both Male and Female
Youth staying/residing in the Counties of Kent, Ottawa, Montcalm, and Ionia
Youth/families in crisis can call or walk in anytime
Services are free
Are you or is a youth you know homeless or considering running away? The Bridge can help. Call toll-free 1.877.275.7792 or call 616.451.3001.
Arbor Circle’s main campus is located at 1115 Ball Ave. NE in Grand Rapids. Phone 616.456.6571 for more information. The Bridge 24-hour Hotline is: 616.451.3001.
An attendee showing their wings at a previous Grand Rapids Pride Festival (Photo credit: Matt Oberski)
Grand Rapids Pride Center and Arbor Circle recently introduced the Safe and Supported Program, which offers free therapy and counseling for LGBTQ youth
The Grand Rapids Pride Center, in their partnership with Arbor Circle, is now offering free therapy and counseling services for LGBTQ youth. While the Pride Center has offered support services for several years, the Safe and Supported program, which launched in February, provides one-on-one support for youth ages 13-24. LLMSW Sydney Sturm, whose work at Arbor Circle focuses on homeless youth, works with local youth in the LGBTQ community to help them regarding mental and physical health risks including depression, anxiety, and gender dysphoria, preventing homelessness, and offering a safe and welcome environment to discuss their concerns.
At that age, Sturm said, “you’re not only trying to figure out who you are, but society is telling you who you should be.”
As a young adult struggling with their identity as well as possible problems at home or at school related to it, it can be difficult to find accepting facilities and services that are willing to help. Many LGBTQ youth have been frustrated with the current mental health community; with “deadnaming,” or calling a person by their birth name rather than their chosen name, and staff using the wrong pronouns in relation to their gender identity, these young adults have found seeking mental health services discouraging. It is therefore important to have a professional on the LGBTQ spectrum that kids and young adults can come to for support in an inviting and welcoming environment, Sturm explained.
“I’ve seen them open up tremendously in regard to wanting mental health services, which is a great barrier to break,” she said.
One of the major issues Sturm is concerned with is youth homelessness. According to the LGBT Homeless Youth Provider Survey conducted by the Williams Institute, approximately 40 percent of homeless youth identify as LGBTQ. Sturm estimates that of the clients she has met with in her past work with Arbor Circle and the Pride Center, between 50 percent and 75 percent of youth are worried to come out truthfully for fear of being kicked out of their homes. This often brings a temptation to run away or remove themselves from their homes to find a more accepting community.
With the Safe and Supported program, young people have the opportunity to meet with a therapist on their own terms and receive professional help free of charge. Sturm emphasized that she and staff at the Pride Center are willing to “take any measure possible” to meet with youth and help if their family or living situation is unwelcome or unsafe. This includes meeting at a location of the individual’s choosing, and even helping them navigate the local housing system and shelters.
“What’s the point in working in a community if you’re not going to support that community?” she asked.
For more information on the Safe and Supported program or to schedule an appointment with the Safe and Supported program, go to http://www.grpride.org/support-services/ or call 616-458-3511.
Think about West Michigan. What do you love about it? What about it could improve?
The first question should (hopefully) be an easy one. The second one is probably more challenging. Change is often scary and almost always involves a long, complicated process. How can one person change anything? Here’s the thing: It takes a community to change a community.
Over the past year, a diverse group of community members has been forming with a shared goal: to better address LGBTQ youth homelessness in our community. Led by Arbor Circle, the group includes folks working in shelters, local businesses, libraries, schools, child welfare, juvenile justice groups and more.
Arbor Circle and the Safe Impact Community Group have announced a partnership with the True Colors Fund to create a strategic plan to better address LGBTQ youth homelessness in West Michigan.
What does that mean, exactly? Think of it this way: the Safe Impact Community Group is a football team, out on the field every day running plays, making moves, and training to accomplish their goal. The True Colors Fund acts as a coach, helping the team develop strategies, facilitate meetings and utilize new technologies to stay organized and focused.
Over the coming months, the partnership will develop a community-wide plan together to bring the number of LGBTQ youth experiencing homelessness in West Michigan down to none.
Who is a part of the Safe Impact Community Group?
The group consists of concerned community members, as well as representatives from partner organizations who are working to address LGBTQ youth homelessness. This includes the Coalition to End Homelessness, Grand Rapids Pride Center, Grand Rapids Public Schools, HQ, Kent ISD, Our LGBT Fund, and Wellhouse. If you or your community group is interested in getting involved, please reach out at the contact provided below.
What can you do?
If you’d like to get involved, please contact Julie Cnossen at Arbor Circle. Go here for more information.
West Michigan is known as a great place to raise kids, but every year an average of 2,000 young people run away from home. When you’re a homeless child, streets in West Michigan towns are as dirty and dangerous as any in a big city. As the weather gets colder, somewhere around 200 kids will be looking for food and a warm place to sleep every night. Chances are, wherever they land, safety may be a last consideration.
Fortunately, the non-profit organization Arbor Circle provides counseling and support for up to 21 days for young people ages 10 to 20 years old at the only emergency shelter in the community. Jenell Hill, Arbor Circle Community Engagement Coordinator says, “Many people don’t believe it.” So to spotlight these issues in honor of National Homeless Youth Awareness Month, Arbor Circle, located at 1115 Ball Ave NE in Grand Rapids, will host the Green Light Project in November:
The Green Light Project, Wednesday, November 4, 2015 – 5:30pm–8pm
Young people who have experienced living as a runaway and homeless who found shelter either at The Bridge or other service programs will host facility tours and share their stories. “Sometimes it’s not only therapeutic for young people but they are also a voice for their peers,” adds Hill. “Maybe other young people won’t have the same struggles.”
Without Arbor Circle, homeless, runaway, and street youth often become victims of abuse and neglect, sexual assault or trafficking, and get involved in substance abuse. They also tend to suffer from both physical and mental health issues, failure in school, and trouble with the law. These are the stories that Hill says are often overlooked when people think about the good life in West Michigan.
Hill stresses that all minor youth tour guides participate with permission of their parents, and those under 18 lead tours accompanied by Arbor Circle staff members. Hill says that budget cuts in Washington, D.C. have affected Arbor Circle resources. “We used to have a 15 seat bus to transport kids, but that broke down and we haven’t been able to replace it,” notes Hill. “We also rely on volunteers to help us cook meals.” Donations and volunteers are always welcome.
For more information on services for homeless or runaway children, contact Arbor Circle / The Bridge.
