The Interfaith Hospitality Network is a program connecting homeless families with churches and synagogues around Grand Rapids, which provide them with food, shelter and family activities. One of the network’s main priorities is to keep family units intact during stressful and precarious times. 

The safety net provided by S.P.A.R.K.S. (Students Participating in Academics and Recreation for Knowledge and Success), part of the U.S. Department of Education’s 21^st Century Community Learning Centers project, has caught thousands of students in Clare and Gladwin counties, keeping them from failing or dropping out. Within a school-community framework, kids attend school, feel good about it, and participate with their families in fun, interesting and educational activities during and after school.

JARC's School Inclusion Program helps students with disabilities attending Jewish Day schools in southeast Oakland County experience academic and social success. Social workers, classroom assistants, tutors, teacher consultants, behavior specialists, and occupational therapists team up so that Jewish children can learn in an environment that respects cultural values and traditions. 

At 826michigan’s Drop-in Teen and Youth Writing Workshops at Ypsilanti Public Libraries, children are allowed to explore writing on their own terms with the gentle guidance and heartfelt support of regular volunteers who share their passion for the written word with students. 

The Rediscovering School & Community Project is a two-year evaluation designed to gather and report data to assess results from the Grand Rapids Child Discovery Center’s use of the Reggio Emilia philosophy of early childhood education. Its findings will be publicized to share with other area learning institutions and facilitators.

Cherry Street Health Services in Grand Rapids is one of many Michigan agencies that administers the Michigan Department of Community Health’s Maternal Infant Health Program, which promotes healthy pregnancies and healthy infant development for qualifying families. 

Training for a 5k run provides the backdrop for the Girls on the Run of Calhoun County’s curriculum. Participants are taught much more than jogging skills. Lessons in independent thinking, problem solving skills, and how to make healthy decisions all foster self-confidence in the 3rd through 5th grade girls.

The Developing a Community School Project uses a neighborhood-based holistic approach to educate young people at Prairieview Elementary School. This Battle Creek project engages the entire community, including local faith, healthcare and business organizations, to both support and celebrate school and student successes.