Dream Growth: A New Community Center

by Tracy Forbes – Executive Dir., Heights of Hope, Holland, MI

Three years ago I became an Americorps volunteer and a part of the Stratford Way/Abbey Court neighborhood in Holland.

I had a desire to help the neighbors and to organize the community.  So one of the first things I started doing was inviting neighbors over to my place for coffee, potlucks, and random get togethers because to really help your neighbors you have to get to know them first.

People started coming and it didn’t take long to realize that our group was growing, and it was less than a year before we outgrew my tiny apartment.  Throughout this year I repeatedly heard people say that they thought the churches were doing some nice things, but that they were too far away, especially during the winter.  Again and again I heard the phrase “It would be nice if…”.

I didn’t waste any time in letting the board know that it would be nice if we could begin to dream about a community center, so we put it on our ten year plan.  Two years later, a landlord agreed to let us rent one of his vacant apartments.  Two of the neighbors and I went to look at it, and even though it was an upstairs unit we decided it was a small start to a big dream.

After a few months in the upstairs, the landlord found a downstairs unit in the perfect location.  The neighbors have spent several weeks decorating and cleaning it and getting ready to introduce it to the neighborhood.  The facility will be opened to activities from the community churches, neighborhood meetings and gatherings, classes, and events for the neighborhood kids.  We look forward to watching our dream continue to grow!