Construction Update #5: In-Kind Partnerships
We’re opening for service next week, October 25th! Over 450 generous donors joined in our capital campaign, and have helped create an amazing new facility and service. We’re so encouraged by what this new service will mean for our guests. A service emphasizing dignity, efficiency, and choice. All in an inviting, uplifting space custom-designed around their experience.
For the past few weeks, we’ve begun moving part of our team over here to 739 Paw Paw Dr. Working with our construction partners, so many last details have been finalized. There’s more to do this week before we open.
But, I want to stop to reflect on something that’s incredibly encouraging. On top of the generous financial support of so many, we’ve been heartened to see so many of our local corporate partners getting behind this effort with significant in-kind support. They’re putting what they do best into action in service of this vision of uplifting, efficient, high-dignity services. I’d like to highlight many of these compelling in-kind partnerships briefly here:
Haworth, Inc.
Haworth, Inc. joined our capital campaign early on with generous financial support. And we’re also encouraged that as a part of their support, our Guest Services desk is a Haworth furniture solution. This desk is where guests will first meet with our team, and where they’ll be able to call on our guest services team to address challenges, set goals, access new resources, and sharpen skills.
Custer
The Custer family of companies got behind this vision of welcoming, efficient service in a big way. The Custer team partnered with Steelcase to design and install our ‘Opportunity Hub’ as a flexible, guest-centric, resource lounge featuring computer stations, large and small conference rooms, huddle rooms, and a central demonstration kitchen, amongst other features. Custer also brought in other support from their wider family of companies, including Century Flooring & Cleaning who donated the installation of all flooring and tile work, and Uhuru Design who donated design and installation of our custom demonstration kitchen, which is going to be an amazing space for learning and building community together with our neighbors.
Herman Miller
Herman Miller offered generous support, and working with Trellis on the design and installation we’re so excited about the flexible, open, and supportive staff office space and lounge that was developed at the center of our new facility. It’s an incredible space to work and serve from, and we’re privileged to have such a great working environment for our team. We’ve already been appreciating the quick conversations and collaboration moments we’re having on our journey to provide more integrated, efficient services.
Lakewood Construction
Lakewood Construction provided generous support to our work as a part of our construction partnership. This includes some generous in-kind support and volunteer services. There is no part of this facility that our partners at Lakewood didn’t have a big hand in creating! One of our favorite moments in this partners when the Lakewood design team came back with a radical new approach to the exterior, which riffed off the original Yff’s grocery store look.
Hussmann Services Corporation
Hussmann Services Corporation were our grocery refrigeration partners, and generously donated and installed some lightly used refrigeration equipment - including our walk in cooler, as well as additional rooftop condensers which are set to power overflow basement freezer space.
Hoekstra Electrical Service
Hoekstra Electrical Services joined as our electrical partners, and offered generous in-kind support alongside their expertise in making the vision for this facility a reality.
The Stow Company
The Stow Company designed and installed four custom storage solutions - from our staff storage lockers in our entryway, to our hallway closet, to our cleaning closet, to a shelf system in our staff lounge.
Bay Equipment
Bay Equipment donated all of the racking for our receiving warehouse.
Paul Elzinga Consulting, PC
Paul Elzinga Consulting, PC joined and offered pro-bono advice as our owner’s agent throughout this process. Bringing decades of experience, he helped us at Community Action House get this right, for our community, for the long haul.
Meijer
Meijer donated lightly used shelving for our Food Club floor, and also provided great guidance in selecting high value, lightly used, grocery grade refrigeration that we were able to bring up from a Fresh Thyme grocery store in Ohio after it’s closure.
Biggby Coffee of Holland/Zeeland
Biggby Coffee of Holland/Zeeland not only donated the equipment for our coffee and tea bar, but have signed on to offer regular coffee and tea supplies so that guests and team members can enjoy a tea or coffee while undertaking our work together.
Prism Glass
Prism Glass helped with the installation of all the glass that invites so much more daylight into this space, in keeping with our focus on creating a welcoming, uplifting environment for all who are served, and serve, here.
Driesenga & Associates
Driesenga & Associates were our site plan partners, and involved in so much of the exterior plan - especially the parking lot layout that allows for a smooth traffic flow, as well as an on-site bus stop and direct shuttle access.
Joel Schoon-Tanis
Joel Schoon-Tanis joined as our Food Club muralist, and generously donated back some of his time as he worked to center on themes of healthy food, choice, and an ever growing community table of sharing together.
Intext Concepts
Intext Concepts provided support for their work on their interior finishing work, as new walls went up to create the our different service and work spaces
Howard Miller
Coming soon: Howard Miller clocks adorning the walls of our Opportunity Hub and team workspaces. Howard Miller joined our campaign in an incredibly generous way, and this autumn, agreed to provide additional in-kind support in the form of clocks for our wall spaces. They’ll soon be up and installed.
We’re proud to be working with so many of you to provide this incredible new resource so well aligned with our community’s present needs. Thank you for your support and your interest. We are a community-powered institution, and we’re in this together.
Stay in touch, stay involved, and help spread the word! It takes a movement!
On October 25th, we celebrated with our community as we launched Food Club. After years of planning, and a community-wide campaign joined by hundreds of individuals, businesses, foundations, and churches, this new cornerstone of community service welcomed its first guests.