Grand Rapids Dreams

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

May 25, 2010

Community Foundation grant for Grand Rapids Dreams and Eastown Community Association summer program partnership

The Grand Rapids Community Foundation has provided a grant to support the programs of the summer program partnership between Grand Rapids Dreams and the Eastown Community Association called ‘Beyond the Corners’. Youth today have very few options for a safe, and enriching way to spend their summer vacations. Many youth will spend the time just hanging out at home or sitting on the corners. ‘Beyond the Corners’ provides a safe fun day of activities for children in grades 1-6.

The grant from the Community Foundation will support many program opportunities for the group such as: travel to Meijer Gardens; the Grand Rapids Museum; a visit to the farmer’s market; art supplies; tools for a community garden and much more. “I am excited about the kind of program that we can provide for the youth of Eastown and surrounding communities with the support we have received from the Community Foundation”, says Andre Daley Chairperson of the Board of Grand Rapids Dreams and its Acting Executive Director.

Grand Rapids Dreams is a non- profit organization formed by Mosaic Life which seeks to help people discover, nurture and act on their dreams. Daley says “Through ‘Beyond the Corners’ we can help local youth dream big and look beyond the corner of their block to the city of Grand Rapids to live their dreams.”   ‘Beyond the Corners’ was started as a partnership between the Eastown Community Association and Mosaic Life/ Grand Rapids Dreams in the summer of 2008. The program is available to any member of the Eastown community with a particular focus on youth within the boundaries of Wealthy, Ethel, Franklin and Fuller Avenues.

‘Beyond the Corners 2010’ starts on June 21 and runs through August 13. The program operates from 9-1 p.m. daily, Monday through Friday.

For more information about ‘Beyond the Corners’ and Grand Rapids Dreams visit the website at www.grandrapidsdreams.org

GRD Fundraising Auction for Beyond the Corners has been rescheduled for Friday May 21. If you have an item or service to donate please message us.

Click here to see the newsletter

I greatly appreciated the opportunity to attend the Christian Community Development Conference in Cincinnati. My experience left me feeling refreshed, energized, and empowered to participate in work that uphold redemptive values.  The refreshment came from our interaction with folks from across the nation participating in similar work.  Having the ability to hear their stories and see their faces as they spoke with passion about their involvement in Christian Community Development.  I felt energized from the encouragement I received from individuals and from the keynote speakers.  Bart Campolo stuck out to me with his raw descriptions of his life as a good neighbor.  It’s difficult and it’s not worth romanticizing.  Being a friend, showing love, spending time with others in community is rewarding but mostly it can be draining and complicated. Even so God called us to love our neighbors and to love with His love.  Energy comes from those rewarding moments and it also comes from talking with others about how to do it well, which was done at CCDA.  The conference was empowering as it provided useful tools for building strong organizations, effective programs, and healthy human relations. This was done through workshops, books sold, and keynote speakers.

Something significant I took away from the conference was the communication with RCA and others about racial reconciliation and intentional efforts to make effective cross cultural engagement.  This is a HUGE issue often brushed aside in lieu of seemingly more important issues.  This conversation is more that worth having, it’s vital.  Sunday is one of the most segregated days of the week.  Our neighborhoods are segregated, our school systems are segregated, and our distribution of wealth is skewed.  These things are unacceptable and should not be tolerated by the church. I’m excited that a conversation is taking place and that small action steps are being taken.  Racial reconciliation is imperative for the church to move forward well. God calls us to love others as he loved  us, and this is one way we can attempt to do that. God gives us other people for a reason. In our conversation with the group from the RCA I heard resounding sounds of a willingness to move forward together. I’m excited about the tools CCDA provided for this to occur and for the willingness and the efforts the RCA has already put into the conversation. May we not be satisfied with where we are, but have faith in taking significant steps forward.

I’m grateful I was able to go to the CCDA conference and to engage in these types of conversations.