Help Our Animal Shelter - Foster A Dog Today!
Our Animal Shelter needs your help! With our temporary move to 2055 Oak Industrial Drive, to make much needed improvements to our shelter facility, we are searching for the rarest type of dog fosters - Unicorns.
What is a Unicorn? Unicorn fosters are foster homes without other pets and kids. The shelter dogs that need the most help are the ones who need those unicorn fosters, and by their name, they are hard to find!
Why is your help so important? We only have room for around 40 dogs during our stay at the temporary facility when we usually have 90 in our care. Even with reduced space at our temporary site, we must accept all stray dogs regardless of space. If intake exceeds adoptions and transfers, we must move dogs into foster homes to avoid running out of physical kennels.
We will rely on fosters to help manage our shelter capacity for the next 12 weeks. If you are interested in fostering (even if you have other pets or children) for the duration of our construction, please plan for a 2-3 month commitment. Please email KCAS@kentcountymi.gov to sign up to become a foster.
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Employee Spotlight: Julia Kelly
We’re so grateful for Julia Kelly's role in leading our brand new Office of the Public Defender, which legally represents and advocates for indigent adults who are unable to afford a lawyer.
"I am proud to work alongside my dedicated team as we are committed to uphold the rights of those in our community who need it most."
To read our full interview with Julia and learn more, please visit here.
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Cross-Country Skiing at Palmer Park and Kaufman Golf Course
When the lake-effect snow machine turns on, so does our grooming equipment! Our Parks Department team has been hard at work preparing trails for cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, and fat-tire biking.
Enjoy three groomed loops at Palmer Park and Kaufman Golf Course, each about two miles long, that weave through serene, wooded areas and open terrain. Access requires a small fee.
Amenities like parking, restrooms, ski rentals, and concessions are conveniently located at the Kaufman Clubhouse (4807 Clyde Park Ave. SW, Wyoming) - Open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
For more information, call 616-632-7855.
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Congratulations to Corewell Health and Amplify GR on yesterday's ribbon cutting for your new health clinic in the Boston Square neighborhood!
Our Commissioners, Chair Ben Greene, Steve Faber, and Robert Womack, were honored to attend the celebration at HUB 07. We are happy to play a small part in this Boston Square development, providing a $4 million contribution from our allocation of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds to establish vital, community-centric services for neighborhood residents.
This 45,000 sq. ft. project is expected to house 15 businesses/organizations, along with this clinic, on the corner of Kalamazoo Avenue and Ramona Street.
Oportunity To Preserve Kent County Farmland
The 2025 Kent County Purchase of Development Rights (PDR) program is now accepting applications through Wednesday, April 30!
This voluntary program helps agricultural landowners protect their land with permanent deed restrictions, ensuring it remains dedicated to farming for generations to come. By safeguarding farmland, we support Michigan’s $125 billion agricultural industry and protect vital environmental and community resources.
Learn More at Our Info Sessions:
- Thursday, January 23, 6-7 p.m. at Fairway of Kent County, 13955 Cascade Rd SE, Lowell, MI
- Tuesday, January 28, 10-11 a.m. at North Kent Sheriff Station, 4191 17 Mile Rd NE, Cedar Springs, MI
For application details, visit our website, contact Haley Stichman at haley.stichman@kentcountymi.gov or call 616-632-7593.
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Apply For County Boards, Commissions & Committees!
Our Board of Commissioners is seeking residents interested in serving the community through appointment to its boards, commissions, and committees.
Ten new openings are available for eligible residents to pursue by creating an online account and submitting applications via the County's website. Click here or see below for current vacancies. Resumes and cover letters are encouraged. The application deadline is January 31, 2025.
Openings include:
- Community Corrections Advisory Board
- Community Health Advisory Board
- Community Mental Health Authority Board
- Kent County Community Action Advisory Governing Board
- Kent County Family & Children’s Coordinating Council
- Remonumentation Peer Review Group
You can apply online for these appointments on our website here. For more information, contact the Board of Commissioners' office at 616-632-7580.
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Point-in-Time Count Collection to Develop Homelessness Prevention Strategies
On the evening of Wednesday, January 29 through the morning of Thursday, January 30, the Coalition to End Homelessness and local outreach staff will be collecting data from individuals staying outside for the annual Point-in-Time (PIT) Count. The information will be used to inform our community strategies and increase funding for preventing homelessness.
For more information, here is a flyer to both inform our community about the PIT and help connect our unhoused neighbors with outreach to be counted.
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Save the Date! Walk For Warmth Event on February 22
 Our Community Action department is excited to host the 37th annual Walk for Warmth on February 22 this year!
The event kicks off with a brief program followed by a short walk dedicated to raising funds for families who need assistance paying their heating bills. All proceeds from the event go directly back to Kent County families.
Anyone can participate by walking, sponsoring, or donating on our website!
When: Saturday, February 22, 2025
8:30 am - Registration
9:00 am - Opening Remarks
9:30 am - Walk Begins
Where: Kent County Community Action Office * 121 Martin Luther King Jr. Street, Suite 110, Grand Rapids, MI 49507
Walk Route: KCCA entrance on Martin Luther King Jr. Street to Division Ave. to Wealthy Street to Jefferson Avenue and back to KCCA.
Why: Heating assistance for Kent County residents is needed now more than ever. As a result of increased pricing and a lagging economy, hundreds of Kent County households struggle to pay for basic necessities like heat. The money raised through Walk for Warmth goes directly to Kent County families in need.
Robert Kozminski Memorial Basketball Game
Kenowa Hills High School's basketball teams will play against Kent City High School's teams during the day, leading up to the main events in the evening: Grand Rapids Police vs. Kentwood Police at 5:00 PM and KCSO vs. Kenowa Hills at 6:30 PM.
The proceeds from this year's memorial game will benefit Tierney LaSotta, the daughter of KCSO Deputy Jon LaSotta, who was diagnosed with Sanfilippo Syndrome, also known as Childhood Dementia.
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Native Language Book Drive
Why Donate? Your contributions help create valuable resources for students at select Kentwood Public Schools, empowering them to preserve their native languages. Whether it’s children’s books, adult literacy materials, or cultural texts, your multilingual donations have a meaningful impact.
For more information, please visit here.
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Attention Local Government: Community Development Block Grant Funding Opportunity Now Open!
Our Community Action team is excited to announce the 2025 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) for local government public facility and improvement projects.
Local governments with a Cooperative Agreement with Kent County (excluding Grand Rapids and Wyoming) can apply for $50,000 to $300,000 in CDBG assistance. Approximately $700,000 will be awarded across 3–5 projects.
Key Dates
- Request a 30-60 minute session during the week of January 20, 2025. Email Community.Development@KentCountyMI.gov
- Application Release: December 27, 2024
- Submission Deadline: February 21, 2025, at 5:00 PM EST
Eligible projects include: parks, sidewalks, senior centers, water infrastructure, and more. Projects must align with the 2021–2025 Kent County Housing and Community Development Consolidated Plan.
For details and eligibility, visit the HUD CDBG project eligibility guide included in the application.
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Explore Rewarding Careers At Kent County Today
Working for the County, you will have the opportunity to serve the public and your community. We have employment opportunities in general government, health, public safety, judicial, recreational, and much more. To view our open positions and apply, visit accesskent.com/jobs. To learn more about our employee value proposition, visit here.
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