The Impact of You

Creating more equitable communities in Grand Rapids isn’t just for adults. Our Volunteer Coordinator Sheryl Baas says she works with teenagers on a regular basis and they have contributed hundreds of hours to the ICCF mission. “I love having high school and middle school students come in and volunteer,” said Sheryl. “Not only do we get the benefit of all the work they provide, but it also gives us the opportunity to educate them about the housing crisis and what part they can play in helping their community.”

Over the last six months, ICCF Community Homes has hosted nearly 20 groups of teens from area schools and churches and two groups from out of state. Rob Monroe serves as the Director of Children, Youth, and Family Ministries at First Presbyterian Church of Kirkwood, Missouri. His students drove up to ICCF last summer to assist with home renovations. “Our students learned all sorts of new skills, from tearing up floors to painting, from installing flooring to rebuilding a retaining wall,” said Rob. “At the end of each day, they knew the work we were doing mattered in the moment and in the long run.”

As she speaks to volunteer groups, Sheryl understands that being presented with something as big as the housing crisis can be overwhelming for anyone, let alone a teenager. “I try to stress to all of our volunteers, and especially our teens, what a difference they are making for local families. We solve the problem one house at a time,” she said.

Northpointe Christian School's Big Picture Learning Teacher Scott Hofman agrees. “ICCF showed my students how a city like Grand Rapids can provide a local response to such a large-scale problem like the housing shortage,” he said. “I love the work that ICCF does, and I’m glad my students were exposed to their work and their mission. They walked away excited and inspired."