WHY WE EXIST

The Westside Collaborative began organically. 

Holding true to its grassroots origins, we look to address two problems.


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THE WESTSIDE COLLABORATIVE

SYSTEMS WORK THROUGH GRASSROOTS RELATIONSHIPS

We've come a long way, baby. 


They say that necessity is the mother of invention. When hardship struck an already disadvantaged community in West Grand Rapids, local leaders from several Westside neighborhoods began fostering relationships over morning and afternoon drinks at local establishments in an effort to support the work of one another. 


Fast-forward a few years and these now friendships welcomed more and more local agencies and advocates into the fold. What had been a weekly coffee/happy-hour quickly became the WESTOWN COLLABORATIVE and would eventually find traction as an alliance of nonprofit and faith-based agencies working together to improve the quality of life for ALL westside residents of Grand Rapids. 


Now leaders in the fight for equity, inclusion, and hope for ALL westsiders, the Westside Collaborative holds tight to its relational origins and continues to pave the way in systems change through collective work, shared efforts, and alignment. 


Now with a support-staff of its own, this alliance provides efficiencies to each member organization while assisting in bringing the collective whole's assets and resources together for maximum impact and sustainable solutions to issues facing neighbors and friends of West Grand Rapids.