News
Updates and Insights from the Community Foundation
Featured Posts
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Support for Students: Scholarships and much more As a community foundation, we strive for a vibrant community where all people can apply their talents and creativity to fuel our future. We believe education is a key that unlocks these possibilities. In recent [...] -
Isabel Landero Represents Youth on Board of Trustees Grand Rapids Community Foundation is passionate about addressing our community’s most critical needs today. By involving youth in philanthropic decision-making, the Community Foundation is investing in the future. In July, Isabel Landero joined the Board [...]
Stories
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In 1950, newlyweds Herb and Glenna Knape built a small house on Fisk Lake with one bedroom and a nursery. By 1960, both the house and the family had grown… the house to five bedrooms, [...]
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Both Ohio natives, Bill and Norma Sprague were students when they met at Ohio University in Athens. “We met in a bacteriology class,” said Norma. “It was our junior year.” She was a smart and [...]
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Derether Greer was the first person in her family to earn a college degree. After graduating in 1968 from Grand Rapids South High School, she went on to Western Michigan University and received her [...]
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Truth be told, luck really has nothing to do with Harvey Lemmen and his success. He is a member of the greatest generation and he epitomizes many of the qualities that have made his generation [...]
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Agnes and Brian met at freshmen orientation at the University of Detroit. He was from St. Louis and moved to West Michigan after graduation to start his life with Agnes who was from the area. [...]
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They still remember what it was like to live within a budget. They went on picnics and to the lake with their children, they borrowed books from the library. They also remember the lean times [...]
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The theatre world and a few famous musicians brought us the line, “The show must go on!” And while it’s not necessarily the line’s intended meaning, this spirit may be used to describe the generosity [...]
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If you grew up or lived in West Michigan in the 60s through the 80s, you’re sure to remember the voice of Tom Fox. Tom and his wife Mickie owned a number of jewelry [...]
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Marvin Stahl was a lot of things, but average wasn’t one of them. His father abandoned him. He dropped out of high school. His 27-year-old wife and fourth child died in childbirth. His lost two [...]
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When Hazel Lawr died on June 15, 1998 at the age of 97, she left an estate valued at just over $1 million. She was private, frugal, and kept her eye on her investments—a classic [...]
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Gil and Pat Davis are grateful to live in a city that offers the cultural events they enjoy—theater, opera, libraries. And while they want to support those causes in the future, they have chosen to [...]