The Board of Trustees of the Grand Rapids (Michigan) Community Foundation recently approved grants to improve city neighborhoods, address health issues for African Americans and to help kids achieve more in school. The five grants and one low interest loan total an investment of $1,183,025 in the community. Kent Intermediate School District for the Kent School Services Network for a new program that will help coordinate and initiate human services and health services delivery in three school districts in the county. By placing health and human services professionals in eight pilot schools, the Kent School Services Network will help boost student attendance and achievement. This collaboration has been in progress since 2002, when the Grand Rapids Education Reform Initiative (ERI) launched its Straight A Plan for Education Reform. ERI is an independent group of private and public partners committed to making sure that all children in the City of Grand Rapids have access to a quality education. Kent County Health Department, the Kent County Department of Human services, Kent County, the Kent ISD, network 180, Spectrum Health’s Healthier Communities, Grand Rapids Education Reform Initiative, United Way and the Steelcase Foundation along with Grand Rapids Public Schools, Godfrey Lee and Comstock Park school districts. The schools that will have the services include: Comstock Park’s Pine Island Elementary, Godfrey Lee’s Early Childhood Center, and Grand Rapids Public School’s Alger Middle School, Burton Elementary/Middle School, Coit Creative Arts Academy, Harrison Park Elementary/Middle School, Martin Luther King, Jr. Leadership Academy and Sibley Elementary.Grant award is $486.000. Disability Advocates of Kent County for continuation of the ZeroStep program. ZeroStep provides universal design consultation and comprehensive occupational therapy assessments to ensure accessibility and independence at home and in the workplace. This phase of the program focuses on two audiences: families as they design, build and/or remodel their homes and home builders and remodelers. ZeroStep provides information and plans about universal (barrier-free design) and showcases the advantages of creating a home or workplace that is universal. Grant award is $30,000. Grand Rapids African American Health Institute focuses on the health and health disparities of African American people in Kent County and overcoming those differences. African Americans have a greater incidence of cancer, diabetes and infant mortality than do Caucasians. Grand Rapids African American Health Institute has four programs that focus on helping improving the health of African Americans through education, advocacy and outreach. Grant award is $80,000. Lighthouse Communities, Inc. for the creation of a community park in the Madison Square neighborhood. A new community park will be built at the site of the former South High School football field. Studies by Lighthouse Communities identified a lack of recreational opportunities in the southeast side area as a major neighborhood issue. The new park will provide a soccer field, playgrounds, concession area, picnic shelter and amphitheatre style seating. Grant award is $125,000. Dwelling Place of Grand Rapids for the Wealthy Heights Community Land Trust. This low interest three-year loan will help improve a six-block area near Diamond and Fuller Avenues. With Community Foundation funds, Dwelling Place will develop a community land trust that will help preserve the affordability of the homes in the neighborhood. A land trust owns the property in perpetuity and sells the housing improvements on the property to low income families. The owner buys the home, while the trust owns the property under it. To appeal to home buyers, the property is priced lower than market value at the start of the rehab or construction. In all, nine properties will be rehabbed, reconstructed and placed in this land trust. The loan award is $462,025.