We are actively seeking new board members and volunteers
There is a lot happening around Alger Heights as we head into September. The biggest opportunity this week is a chance to walk Seymour Square together and help identify ways to make the business district safer and easier to navigate.
From the Board
We are excited to share that the Alger Heights Neighborhood Association's 501(c)(3) nonprofit status is now established and verified. It is an important step in rebuilding a stronger, more durable neighborhood association and gives us a better foundation for grants, charitable support, partnerships, and community programming.
We've also added updated biographies for our current Board members so neighbors can get to know the people behind the Association. We are also looking for more neighbors interested in serving as Committee Chairs, organizing projects, or helping with events, communications, beautification, advocacy, and other neighborhood priorities.
A small thank-you as well to the neighbors who have recently stepped up behind the scenes to help us pull together things like the Board bios and this newsletter. That kind of volunteer help makes a real difference and is exactly how we want this Association to grow.
This Thursday
Thursday, August 27 | 5:30 to 7:00 PM
Meet outside Harvest Health on Eastern Avenue
Neighbors are invited to join a walk-through of the Seymour Square business district as part of the Safe and Vital Streets collaboration.
We'll make observations about what it is like to move through the district as a walker, driver, cyclist, child, parent pushing a stroller, wheelchair user, and other types of neighborhood users. The goal is to identify tangible street-safety improvements while strengthening the neighborhood's working relationships with City departments and other organizations along the Southtown corridor.
Side-street parking is available, along with a small parking lot at New City Fellowship, 700 Burton St SE. Bring a neighbor and something to write with.
Save the Date
Saturday, October 24 | 8:00 AM to Noon, or until the dumpsters are full
MacKay-Jaycees Park, 2531 Kalamazoo Ave SE
We have 12 dumpsters this year. Once they're full, the event wraps up, even if that happens before noon, so come early.
Alger Heights Neighborhood Association is entirely volunteer-run. Nobody here is paid. Every year, Dumpster Day comes down to whether enough neighbors step up to staff it, and every year that's the hardest part. If this event matters to you, the best way to keep it going is to take a shift.
We've broken the morning into one-hour blocks with three roles:
Blocks are 8-9, 9-10, 10-11, and 11-12. Pick whatever hour and role works for you.
Next Neighborhood Meeting
Seymour Church, 840 Alger St SE
Meetings are open to everyone in Alger Heights. Come hear what we're working on, bring an issue or idea, or simply meet some of the neighbors helping move projects forward.
Grand Rapids has officially launched Renew Grand Rapids, a pilot program that turns household food scraps into compost. Seven secure food-scrap drop-off bins are now open across the city, including one at MacKay-Jaycees Park near the tennis courts off the Kalamazoo Avenue entrance. Compost produced through the program will be redistributed to residents at no cost.
The City is gathering community input about transit and transportation in Grand Rapids. Transportation decisions affect how neighbors reach work, schools, businesses, parks, and the rest of the city, so this is another opportunity to make sure Alger Heights is represented.
Grand Rapids has selected Veo as its new shared micromobility provider, replacing Lime beginning September 1. The City says the new three-year agreement will bring lower and fixed per-minute pricing, expanded affordability programs, enhanced safety features, a more accessible mix of devices, and improved parking-compliance technology.
The West Michigan Welcome Plan and Grand Rapids Police Department are asking residents to help shape future community safety resources for immigrant and refugee communities across West Michigan. The short survey takes about 3 to 5 minutes and is available in multiple languages.
The Grand Rapids African American Health Institute and Grand Rapids Parks and Recreation are launching a new Little Libraries initiative focused on sickle-cell education. Participating parks will feature age-appropriate educational materials designed to give families opportunities to learn together through reading and community engagement.
Thursday, August 27 | 10:00 AM to Noon
Trinity Lutheran Church, 2700 Fulton St E
The Domestic Violence Action Network will discuss the scope of domestic violence in Kent County, progress through its collaborative work, and strategies being developed for the year ahead. Refreshments begin at 9:45 AM.
Tuesday, September 29 | 9:00 to 10:30 AM | Virtual
The Fair Housing Center of West Michigan's annual event returns with this year's theme, Navigating Federal Fair Housing. Registration and speaker information are expected soon.
Contact the Fair Housing Center
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