Ottawa County - WKTV Journal

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)

By Taylor Greenfield

Arbor Circle Director of Development

One of eight awardees in the nation, Arbor Circle has received a three-year grant totaling $1.2 million from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). The grant will be used to promote wellbeing for LGBTQI+ youth within Kent and Ottawa counties.

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

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.

Collaborations and partnerships with local organizations include: Grand Rapids LGBTQ+ Healthcare Consortium, Grand Rapids Pride Center, Out on the Lakeshore, Kent Intermediate School District (KISD), Ottawa Intermediate School District (OISD), and the West Michigan Partnership for Children (WMPC).

“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.”

The Refugee Education Center announced today that it will expand services to Ottawa County. The Grand Rapids-based nonprofit will partner with the Ottawa Area Intermediate School District to offer their High School Transitions service to refugee students enrolled in the district’s high schools.

Through the service, Refugee Education Center service providers work to meet the needs and address the challenges specific to students of a refugee background and support each student’s transition to their future education or vocational endeavors. Service providers meet individually with students to assess needs and progress, create a post-high school plan, then develop a graduation plan with the primary goal of obtaining a traditional high school diploma. Assessments and ongoing support for students are often on-site at area high schools and are tailored for students aged 14-20. Participation from student’s parents or guardians is welcomed and encouraged.

Refugee Education Center has been operating this program in Kent County and has now expanded it to Ottawa.

“This program has been designed to support young members of the community better acclimate to their new surroundings and ultimately become full participating members of the West Michigan community,” said Matt Clark, advancement director at the Refugee Education Center. “We believe working with students in this manner will help them successfully transition into continuing education and ultimately, into the West Michigan job force.”

The Refugee Education Center has partnered with the Kent and Ottawa Area Intermediate School District to provide area teachers and school administrators with ongoing professional development opportunities that include best practices for addressing the unique needs of students of refugee background. The OAISD partnership paved the way for Refugee Education Center to expand the High School Transitions program to Ottawa County.

“As our schools continue to warmly welcome immigrant and refugee students with diverse linguistic and cultural backgrounds, we are thankful for strong community partners that can provide services to assist us in building upon the unique assets and meeting the individualized needs of these students,” said Pam Schwallier, Ed.S., regional English learner consultant for Ottawa Area ISD, Muskegon Area ISD, and Allegan Area ESA. “The Refugee Education Center has provided invaluable support for many throughout Kent ISD, and we are looking forward to the expanded services available throughout Ottawa Area ISD as our refugee students and families make Ottawa county their home.”

The expanded programming is made possible through a three-year grant from the Community Foundation of the Holland/Zeeland Area. Additional funding has also been provided through a one-year grant from the Perrigo Company Charitable Foundation.

“We are thankful that the Community’s Endowment allows us to support the Refugee Education Center’s expansion to Ottawa County,” said CFHZ president/CEO, Mike Goorhouse. “We look forward to seeing the unique ways this program will help young refugee students in our community thrive now and into the future.”

Clark pointed to the importance of this private-sector funding.

“We are honored to be entrusted by our funders including the Community Foundation of the Holland/Zeeland Area, to expand our operations into Ottawa County,” he said. “Since 2016, West Michigan has become home to a growing number of refugee students and families as other parts of the state have seen declining resettlement, and we have continually seen this community answer the call for support.”

School administrators, EL providers, school counselors, and/or parents and guardians who want to learn more about connecting their students to this service, may contact the Refugee Education Center at info@refugeegr.org or call 616-247-9611.