More good things are happening in Northwest Ottawa County and our surrounding communities, thanks to funding from the Grand Haven Area Community Foundation (GHACF).
The foundation’s Community Impact grants, totaling $385,000, are supporting several organizations. This includes a $200,000 grant to the Momentum Center to support its move to the former Rendezvous Restaurant building. This funding is part of a capital campaign and will be used to help secure the building, make necessary improvements, and complete the move, allowing the organization to grow its programming and better serve the community.
"Funding from the GHACF is critical for this campaign because of the monetary investment in the building as an asset and the demonstration of commitment to the most at risk, including those with mental illness, addictions, and disabilities," says Barbara VanHorssen, the Momentum Center’s Experi-Mentor. “We need the community to thrive, but many times, the people who most need community have the greatest barriers to overcome in finding it.”
Fostering community
The Momentum Center fosters community through adult and teen programs, educational classes, and support groups for assorted topics and needs. The Grand Haven location also houses the Momentum Center Café, providing a space for members and volunteers to create a safe place that encourages social integration and dismantles stigma. The Momentum Center offers an annual membership for $1.
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The Momentum Center is moving to the former Rendezvous Restaurant building.
“The Momentum Center has been instrumental in creating a true sense of community and a space of belonging,” says Holly Cole, GHACF vice president of grants and program. “We are delighted to support such a remarkable organization as it expands its reach and positively impacts more individuals.”
The new Momentum Center space will include a restaurant called The Vous. The original Rendezvous restaurant opened in 1948 and was well-known for serving food 24 hours a day. The iconic restaurant permanently closed its doors in January 2021. The Momentum Center will partner with The US Café to run its new restaurant. The US Café is a coffee shop in Muskegon Heights that partners with the for-impact organization Overcoming Barriers.
“We are very excited about moving into the former Rendezvous Restaurant because it will increase our visibility, our accessibility, and our ability to serve our members well,” VanHorssen says.
More GHACF grants
GHACF also is awarding grants to the following:
Camp Blodgett — The Empowerment Experience ($35,000)
Camp Blodgett is partnering with The Epicenter to pilot a new summer camp called The Empowerment Experience. The summer camp will center around mindfulness, positive identity development, and confidence-building experiential education. The grant will support three weeks of The Empowerment Experience for 50 Northwest Ottawa County youth ages 8–17.
Spring Lake District Library — Refresh Project ($150,000)
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Spring Lake District Library is renovating its space to meet the current and future needs of the community. This grant will support the overall objectives of the capital campaign, including creating additional meeting rooms, study space, and renovated teen and children's areas. In 2022, 7,800 individuals, including 4,250 children and teens, participated in programming, and 83,000 individuals visited the library. Construction is expected to begin this fall.
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