CATALYZING A CITYWIDE MOVEMENT
An innovative place where partners are mobilizing around the idea of how to Love Our City Into Greatness.
Connecting Community with Opportunity
The Grand Rapids Center for Community Transformation was established in 2015 in the Madison Square neighborhood as a partnership between a business, a church, two social enterprises, and a non-profit organization, to create opportunities for transformation through meaningful relationships, work, education, and community development.
GRCCT partners exist with a single mission, to create opportunities for transformation, addressing the lack of accessible employment for young adults and community residents and a lack of structured and consistent approaches to providing inter-agency and cross sectoral opportunities for the community in a sustainable way.
Creating Opportunities for Transformation in Partnership
The Grand Rapids Center for Community Transformation (GRCCT) was established in 2015 in the Madison Square neighborhood. The core partners model cross-sectoral collaboration and intentionally including a non-profit, Bethany Christian Services, two social enterprises, Building Bridges Professional Services and Rising Grinds Cafe, Tabernacle Community Church, and a for-profit company, Double O Supply and Craftsman. All partners committed to Phase 1 Renovations of an abandoned 120 year old at 1530 Madison Ave, while aligning its efforts and resources in joining in on local neighborhood initiatives.
Collaboratively, through a number of different grants, contracts, fee for services, and business ventures, partners in the Grand Rapids Center for Community Transformation provide GED/HS completion courses, vocational training and certification in landscaping, construction, electrical, masonry, HVAC, on-site case management, mentorship, housing support, employment skills training trauma informed development workshops, and a community based basketball league.
Additionally, the building hosts anti-racism, business development, and city transformation workshops and trainings. Further, the location sustains and creates employment through its social enterprises; Building Bridges Professional Services, Rising Grinds Cafe, and Double O Supply and Craftsman.
Rising Grinds Café
Coffee Shop
A social enterprise coffee shop hiring local residents, providing a space for community relationship building around good coffee and food.
Building Bridges Professional Services
Landscaping and Lawn Care Services
A social enterprise established in 2007 committed to hiring local residents and providing landscape maintenance, design and install, and snow removal services to the community.
Bethany Christian Services
Youth Services
Since 1993 Bethany has been growing and expanding its development opportunities for youth ages 14-24 through vocational training, education, employment support, mentorship, and case management support, etc.
NAACP
of Greater Grand Rapids
Celebrating 99 years of advocacy, community organizing, engagement with over 60 youth council members, this local partner will locate its offices in the space and being expanding its community meetings and advocacy trainings.
Grand Rapids Nehemiah Project
With the vision “to see all people flourish,” GR Nehemiah Project has celebrated success as the parent company of Rising Grinds Cafe (est. 2017) and Building Bridges Professional Services (est. 2006) and will incubate and develop additional community based initiatives and social enterprises.
Additional Partners
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We need everyone to participate in the process of healing our city!