Inspiring Stories & News | Habitat for Humanity Kent County

Breaking Ground and Celebrating Our First Multi-Story Building

On June 23, Habitat Kent hosted a groundbreaking for phase III of our Pleasant Hills development, the first five-story, multi-family building for affordable homeownership in Grand Rapids. The 27-unit condominium building will offer 2- and 3-bedroom condo units at affordable prices to new homeowners. These quality, efficient homes use green building materials, appliances, and techniques to provide homeowners with an average reduction of energy consumption by 33%. Each home comes with […]

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A Shared Commitment to Affordable Housing

Thanks to the dedication and commitment of our Housing Champions, a special group of committed supporters, through whose efforts towards sustainable, affordable, safe housing continues to move forward in Kent County. This sustaining recurring support continues to bring people together to build homes and hope with families across Kent County neighborhoods, where we are creating new affordable housing opportunities. These sustaining […]

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Celebrating Two New Homeowner Families

We’re thrilled to share that two more families are now Habitat homeowners! Matt and Victoria recently closed on their homes and celebrated this milestone with home dedications, where family, friends, and supporters gathered to welcome them into their new spaces. Both Matt and Victoria waited a long time for their dreams of homeownership to come to fruition. Read more about their journeys below. Matt Matt’s path to homeownership was a long and difficult one. During childhood, […]

Blog | Community Partnerships

Hands-On Learning with Local Students

We’re proud to partner with multiple schools and youth programs to provide students with hands-on learning experiences in building trades. Throughout the year, we’ve worked with Grand Rapids Community College, Grand Rapids Public Schools, Hamilton Community Schools, Crossroads Alternative High School, Kent Intermediate School District (KISD), Muskegon Public Schools, West Michigan Construction Institute (WMCI), and YouthBuild Grand Rapids. As the school and program years come to an end, we’re highlighting the work and impact of four of these organizations: YouthBuild Grand Rapids, Hamilton […]

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Welcome, New Board Member, Joel Rahn!

We’re excited to welcome Joel Rahn to our board of directors! Joel is the Executive Vice President of Commercial Banking at Independent Bank. He joined Independent Bank in 2018 as Senior Vice President of Commercial Banking, leading the Bank’s commercial banking activities. He has over 35 years of commercial banking experience, including his previous role as Regional President of West Michigan at Chemical […]

Blog | Habitat Kent News

Congratualtions and Thank You, Gail!

After 17 years of service, our Family Support Services Director, Gail Hollen, is retiring this spring. During her time with Habitat Kent, Gail has been a steady, compassionate presence for countless families as she worked with them toward their dream of homeownership. From walking alongside first-time buyers through our homeownership program to celebrating key-in-hand moments, her dedication and passion have shaped […]

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Pleasant Hills Phase II Breaks Ground

The next phase of Pleasant Hills is officially underway! We recently celebrated this exciting milestone with some of our closest supporters at a groundbreaking event. After a year of construction on Phase I, the first seven condos are nearly complete and ready to welcome homeowners. Following the groundbreaking ceremony of Phase II, guests had the opportunity to tour one of the homes, beautifully staged by Delight Remodel & Design. Phase Two II marks the next step in this 54-unit development in Roosevelt Park. It will include 20 new attached, single-family homes, built […]

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Building Together in Muskegon

Staff build days have always been a standout volunteer day at Habitat Kent. They give our office and ReStore staff the chance to have a direct role in home construction. Recently, staff spent two days volunteering at our first home in Muskegon County, helping build a house that a local family will soon call home. Project Accountant, David, shares, “There is a lot of […]

Blog | Habitat Kent News

Welcome, Melissa (Mel) Hatfield, as Habitat’s Business Development Coordinator

Mel Hatfield is a born creative and dynamic entrepreneur. With a career spanning over three decades, she has established herself as a powerhouse in interior design, relationship building, and strategic business development. Mel has an uncompromising passion for community and affordable homeownership. In her role, Mel will support Habitat for Humanity’s mission by driving strategic growth, building […]

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Meet our New Board Members, Jessica and Tom!

We’re excited to introduce our two newest board members: Jessica and Tom! Jessica Crosby Jessica Crosby is the founder of Delight Remodel & Design, where she transforms houses into beautiful, functional homes that reflect the stories of the people who live in them. With a background in design and construction, she brings both creativity and practical expertise to every […]