Well House is a locally-owned non-profit organization whose focus is on helping the indigent and homeless in the city of Grand Rapids. Their primary form of outreach is placing homeless residents of the city in permanent, shared housing. Those who qualify for their services can rent a single room in one of the organization's facilities for $275 per month.
Earlier this week, it was announced that the Michigan-based W.K. Kellogg Foundation approved a grant worth nearly half a million dollars to Well House. In total, Well House will receive $475,000 over the course of three years. Those funds will have a major impact on the ability of Well House to continue to serve those it is already helping and to expand, offering new housing to those currently in need.
Executive director Tami VandenBerg was quoted by The Grand Rapids Press as saying that these funds, the largest single grant the organization has ever received, will allow Well House to purchase three more homes in the Grand Rapids area. Well House currently owns and maintains nine houses and five urban unimproved lots. Two of the new acquisitions will be used to help house families. Rent for families will range from $375 to $475, depending on the number of minor children in the families being considered.
The third new house will be used as a home for young people who are homeless. It will offer shelter to those ages 18 to 24 who are in need of housing, perhaps due to becoming homeless when they age out of the foster care system. Additional funds will be used to obtain new lots as well, which will be used for the same purposes as the lots already owned by Well House: as an urban farm. Tenants in the Well House homes are encouraged to garden and grow their own organic food. There are plans to create a Children's Garden, which will be focused on encouraging young people to become passionate about gardening and growing their own food. For the last three years, Well House has raised funds for their program by selling heirloom seedlings in the spring as well, allowing residents who grow the plants a chance to help support the organization that is helping them.
Homelessness is often cyclical, a never-ending cycle of loss and suffering for those trapped in poverty or by their disabilities. Well House is working to interrupt that cycle and help its residents make long-term lifestyle changes that will result in healthier living and a stronger local community. Additionally, the purchase, rehabilitation, and maintenance of the homes and vacant lots that Well House obtains via the Kent County Land Bank helps increase the value of nearby homes, which would be negatively impacted by unmaintained, abandoned properties, including houses and unimproved lots.
Well House hopes to have a total of 14 properties available for occupancy by 2018, with the help of this grant. In addition to providing low-cost housing and healthy foods, Well House also provides income to part-time contractors who will be helping to rehabilitate properties purchased by Well House. When it comes to helping keep the real estate market of West Michigan one of the strongest in the state, this kind of outreach and community service goes a very long way. Readers who would like to get updates about the outreach done by Well House can follow the group on Facebook.