Building Opportunities, Creating Independence. A Capital Campaign for Disability Advocates

You are a part of our next 40 years!

Thank you!

Building Opportunities, Creating Independence. A Capital Campaign for Disability Advocates

You made a difference.

Disability Advocates of Kent County launched our Building Opportunities Creating Independence campaign to realize our vision of a universally-designed office space and to expand our impactful home accessibility services

We had a once in a lifetime opportunity to be part of the national model of collaboration that Special Olympics Michigan is developing at the former South Christian High School.  We are so excited about the enhanced opportunities to partner with an array of disability organizations and to increase our own visibility.  We have made the Home Accessibility Center a reality!  In addition, the unmet need for our home accessibility services is made apparent to us every day.  With your help through the Building Opportunities Creating Independence campaign, we are now able to help more adults with disabilities and seniors remain safely and independently in their home of choice.

Thank you to all who contributed and for those of you who are planning to contribute moving forward! 

If you have any questions or would like an in person tour, do not hesitate to contact Peggy Helsel, our Development Director, via email (below) or call 616-323-2239

Construction is completed

Through your generous donations we moved through the construction process and made the new office dream a reality. While there is always more work to do, we are happy to be able to reach more people in need through our new office space and capabilities.

Thank you to our Donors

KRW Foundation

The Meijer Foundation

Edward N. and Della L. Thome Memorial Foundation

Grand Rapids Community Foundation, Mike and Sue Jandernoa Advised Fund in honor of their granddaughter Audrey Lou

Peter C. and Emajean Cook Foundation

Wege Foundation

John and Nancy Kennedy

Frey Foundation

Dr. Kimberly Y. Barrington

Custer

CDV5 Foundation

Doug & Maria DeVos

Steelcase

DHE Plumbing

Blue Cross/Blue Shield Foundation

Mary Free Bed Guild and Rehabilitation Hospital

Eileen DeVries Family Foundation

Win & Kyle Irwin Fund

Steve & Cheryl Boshoven

The Daniel and Pamella DeVos Foundation

Sebastian Foundation

Consumers Energy Foundation

Williams Distributing Company

James and Barbara Haveman

Mr. & Mrs. Daniel Jacques

Dick & Linda Antonini

Marilyn Titche

Amos Fund of the St. Louis Community Foundation

Lifestyle Kitchen Studio

AEBetancourt

Behler-Young Company

Doug and Kim Young

Richard and Barbara Young

John and Sandy Lowery

Jim & Sharon Humphries

Wolverine Building Group

Mathison|Mathison

Douglas & Lois Nagel

Betsy & Scott Melton

Griswold Group

Home Builders Association Foundation

Marcus Fairfield

The Gerber Foundation

Fishbeck

David Bulkowski & Melissa Budzynski

Jocelyn Dettloff

Nancy & Gerry Hickey

Laurie Murphy & Ed Manderfeld

David & Jane Zylstra

Gail Gunst Heffner & Kenneth W. Heffner

Agnes Kempker-Cloyd & Brian Cloyd

JCT Foundation

Jon and Joan Botsford Charitable Fund

James and Catherine Haveman Family Foundation

Bill & Jillane Payne

Rich & Cindy Kogelschatz

Mary Carolyn (Twink) Frey

William & Kay Farr

Ronald and Karen Modreski

Cameron Young

Jenny Wood Shangraw  1949 Polio Survivor

Mike & Gayle VanGessel

Comerica

Bob and Margaret Nault

Phil & Diane Tower

Erhardt Construction

Keith and Mary Kay Hopkins

Cascade Engineering

Doug & Beth Parker

Jeff & Mary Kay Hoodhood

Peggy Helsel

Anne Armstrong Cusack & Tim Cusack

Adam Barber & Annie Belanger

Ron & Jeanne Koehler

Dave & Lin Shatto

Charles and Stella Royce Fund for the Arts, Grand Rapids Community Foundation

Bill & Lisa Brennan, in honor of Cameron Young

Amelea Gritter & Todd Herring, in honor of Elida Rose Pegman

Angela D. Nelson

Andy & Liz DeBraber

Adaptable Home

In Memory of Jean Grace Zandstra

Ellen & Paul Seese

Daniel W. Hobson

TJ & Renee Thompson

Richard & Mary Stevens Family Fund

Kathleen Freeman

Lamborne Agency

Paul & Marylou Pitsch

Denise Blair & Mark Smith

Harold J. & Angie Mast

Walt’s Landscape 

Debra Hines

Tom & Mickie Fox Family

Montie & Paula Annis

Elizabeth Welch & Brian Schwartz

Jill & Ryan Anderson

The Jamerson & Renee Ries Family

Ed & Lisa Golder

Ping & Tim Liang

Juan & Mary Olivarez

John Hunting

Darrel Herweyer & Barbara Barnett

Dominican Sisters – Grand Rapids

Tom & Shelly Sinas

Bill Holmes & Mindy Faber

Kim Davey 

Mark & Jane Wheaton

Kevin & Karol Belk

Health Care Associates & Community Care Givers:  In honor of the Treece Family

Tony Baker & Stacie Behler

Douglas & Louann Kohlbeck

Sarah & John S. Jackoboice

Karin Hopman

Michael Ruggeri and Glynn Ann Ruggeri

Progressive AE

Joe & Sue Gavan

John & June Atsma

Chuck Pierson, Jr.

Rebecca Rynbrandt

Ryan & Kim McLaughlin

Marlene Vitasinski & Hal Nelson

Robert & Christine Lindman

Mr. & Mrs. Brian Larsen

Tony Richtsmeier

The John Koon Family

Lisa Nelson-Williams & Eric Williams

Elaine Borgman

Ralph Honderd

Clark Communications

Douglas Bower

Wendy Budzynski

Winnie Brinks, in memory of Owen Marten DeVries

Colleen & Doug VanDoren

S.A. Morman & Company

Mike & Joanne Feutz

Helen & James Lehman

Laura LaMore

Bill & Clova Hardiman

Richard & Susan Steketee

Gordie and Karen Mouw

Jean L. Dugan

Carol Hennesy & Ken Nysson

Jeanne Marshall and Eleanor Gorman

John Apol, in memory of Duane DeRochey

Alan & Lindsey Nicholson

Ed & Marcia Szumowski

Denny & Deborah Sturtevant

Jonathan A. Green

Marissa & Jason Pressler

Michael & Lori Bilski

Amy Peceny

The Sudyk Family

Shontaye Witcher

Luke & Darci Dru Zelley

David & Susan Bloss

Angela Walters

Mike Dallas

Joe & Ruth Kohley

Peter & Helga Kleinschmidt

Sue & Mark Kinsler

C. Kaiser

Lee Montgomery

Mark Etienne

For Good Foods, Kiley Fields

Bob & Donna Popma

Lorin & Drew Sorenson

Larry & Lee Nelson Weber, in memory of W.D. (Bill) Pieri III

Melissa Anderson

Roger C. Morgenstern

John & Marcia Kantorowski

Scott & Sarah Ayotte

Paul Hayes

Jon & MaryAnn McDonald

Frederick W. Sammons Trust

Joe & Trina Edmondson

Sophie Gratson,  in honor of Annie Belanger

Tom Appel

Dawn Holtrop

Sandra K. Conley

Ted & MaryAnn DeVries

Roger & Laura St. Louis

Daniel Escobar-Bercini

Roger & Susan Griffioen

Bill & Rita Meade

Kristen Kelling

Frank & Jenny Lynn

Elliot Keyes

Charlotte Innerd

Kirsten Myers

Kristine Kletke

Alice Derezinski Donahue, MA, OTR

Linda Stewart

Karyn & Paul Pelon

Patrick Parkes

Jeanette & Mark Prince

In memory of Linda Hanka & Ilene and Leo Postle

Erica Chapin

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You made a difference.

Disability Advocates’ friends and supporters are pitched to reach our $2.5 million goal of the Building Opportunities Creating Independence campaign and thanks to you – we did it! Through the support and contributions of many, we are making our community equitable and accessible for everyone. Your continued support will help us to build in this momentum! We thank you for your contributions, volunteerism and support through spreading the word about the Building Opportunities Creating Independence campaign!

Ways to Give

Download and fill out our pledge form below. Once completed, send the finished form to Peggy.H@dakc.us

Contact Peggy Helsel