Resources Offered by GRHC Community Partners
*DISCLAIMER: The Housing Commission is pleased to offer the convenience of links to organizations that provide a variety of housing and emergency services. Please note that the linked sites are external to the GRHC s website. The GRHC cannot attest to the accuracy of information provided by linked sites. The GRHC disclaims all responsibility for the contents and results provided through linked websites.
Emergency Housing and Utility Assistance
The Salvation Army Social Services, phone: 616‑454‑5840. Emergency assistance, including assessments and referrals for those experiencing homelessness. Also provides emergency food and utility assistance (utility assistance phone: 616‑459‑9468).
United Way 2‑1‑1, phone: 211. Refers people who need emergency assistance or information to available nonprofit human services agencies. Includes information about utility assistance resources.
YWCA Domestic Violence Services, phone: 616‑459‑4652; 24-hour domestic violence crisis line: 616‑454‑9922. Services include crisis intervention, emergency shelter, specialized counseling for victims and assailants, and long-term transitional housing.
Dwelling Place of Grand Rapids, phone: 616‑454‑0928. Provides affordable housing as well as supportive services to those facing challenges to housing stability, including single women and mothers with young children.
Eviction or Home Foreclosure Prevention
Kent County Community Action, phone: 616‑632‑7950. A division of the Area Community Services Employment & Training Council (ACSET). Offers food assistance, utility shut-off assistance, help with rental arrears and other services.
Grand Rapids Urban League, phone: 616‑245‑2207. Offers counseling, advocacy and direct services to residents faced with obstacles to employment, housing or education.
Home Repair Services, phone: 616‑241‑2601. Offers financial literacy workshops as well as foreclosure prevention counseling.
Community Rebuilders, phone: 616‑458‑5102. Provides a variety of services that support the housing needs of low-income and homeless households.
Emergency Food Assistance
Feeding America West Michigan. Administers Mobile Food Pantry program and other food assistance services.
God’s Kitchen, 303 South Division Avenue, Grand Rapids, Phone: 616‑454‑4110. Offers emergency food service daily for up to 400 people.
Mel Trotter Ministries, phone: 616‑454‑5255. Food and clothing assistance.
Michigan Department of Health & Human Services. Provides a wide range of social services and emergency assistance or help accessing available assistance: cash assistance, state disability, SSI, refugee assistance, food stamps, Medicaid health coverage, child day care information, assistance with home repairs, heat and utility bills, relocation.
The Salvation Army Social Services, phone: 616‑459‑9468. Emergency assistance offered through a food pantry that serves the Kent County area. Also provides utility assistance.
Kent County Community Action, phone: 616‑632‑7950. A division of the Area Community Services Employment & Training Council (ACSET). Offers food assistance, utility shut-off assistance and other services.
Legal and Fair Housing Advocacy Resources
Legal Aid of Western Michigan. Phone, Kent County: 616‑774‑0672. Phone, Ottawa County: 616‑394‑1380. Provides free legal assistance to low-income families and seniors in non-criminal matters. Offers counseling and advice, represents clients in cases with administrative agencies and in Michigan courts.
Fair Housing Center of West Michigan, phone: 616‑451‑2980. Promotes equal housing opportunity and fair housing through education, research and advocacy services that include fair housing complaint intake, investigation and resolution.
Services for Older Adults
Senior Neighbors, phone: 616‑459‑6019. Services for older adults, including case management, emergency needs assistance, food and meals, health screening, legal assistance, recreational opportunities, transportation and volunteer opportunities.
Meals on Wheels Western Michigan, phone: 616‑459‑3111. Offers a variety of nutrition services for senior citizens, including home-delivered meals, senior food pantries and congregate meal sites. Meals on Wheels operates on-site Dining Centers at three GRHC senior apartment communities.
Area Agency on Aging of Western Michigan. Offers a variety of resources to help older and disabled adults live independently.
Services for Veterans
Click U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to apply for benefits or update your information online.
Resources for Families with Children
Kent ISD, phone: 616‑364‑1333. The Kent ISD website offers a great deal of information about early learning and child care programs for families that include young children.
Search for or List Rental Units
The Rental Property Owners Association (RPOA) makes it easy to view available local rentals posted by its members.
AffordableHousing.com offers a free online rental housing database that includes filters for apartment hunters seeking owners that have experiencing working with the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program. Property owners and managers can also list available units.
Home Ownership Resources
Michigan State Housing Development Authority. Leverages public and private partnerships to create and preserve affordable housing for low- and moderate-income Michigan residents. Services include home ownership counseling, down payment assistance, loan programs and the Michigan Mortgage Credit Certificate program.
Habitat for Humanity of Kent County, phone: 616‑774‑2431. Works with volunteers and prospective low-income home owners to build affordable homes in Kent County and eastern Ottawa County. Also offers low-cost home improvement materials, including fixtures, appliances and furniture.
ICCF Community Homes, phone: 616‑336‑9333. Nonprofit agency offers rental housing and home ownership programs, as well as an emergency housing program. Provides the home ownership training required by the GRHC's home ownership programs.
Transportation Resources
Hope Network Transportation Services, phone: 616‑243‑0876. Offers seniors and people with disabilities accessible, affordable transportation to medical appointments, day programming, jobs and other community activities. Serves Kent County and part of Ottawa County.
RideLink provides transportation services to Kent County seniors ages 60 and older. Providers include Hope Network Transportation, Senior Neighbors, Kent County Community Action, United Methodist Community House and The Rapid.
The Rapid, phone: 616‑776‑1100. Offers reduced bus fares for seniors ages 65 and older and for passengers with disabilities.
Go!Bus, phone: 616‑456‑6141. Offers affordable shared-ride, advance-reservation transportation to people with disabilities and seniors ages 65 and older.
Additional Government and Service Links
City of Grand Rapids, phone: 616‑456‑3000. Official website of Grand Rapids, Michigan, with links to such civic services as police, fire, community development, housing code compliance, and parks and recreation departments.
Hispanic Center of Western Michigan, phone: 616‑742‑0200. Social services for the Hispanic community: employment, interpretation and translation, information and referrals, language and cultural training.
Baxter Community Center, phone: 616‑456‑8593. Serves the Baxter neighborhood in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Services include a child development center, a holistic health clinic and a youth mentoring program.
Disability Advocates of Kent County, phone: 616‑949‑1100. Offers a variety of services to help people living with disabilities, including home assessments and modifications, assistance with independent living skills, and medical equipment loans.
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Detroit Field Office phone: 313‑226‑7900. Federal agency that supports affordable-housing programs nationwide.