Latest Posts
- 2017-2018 Annual Report - We are excited to share with you our first annual report! In this report you will find: A letter from our executive director Revenue and expenses Growth and sustainability Community impact Mentor stories Check it out now! Affinity's 2017_2018 Annual Report
- Leading by Example - Leading by Example | Board Member, Mentor, and Community Partner By Rachel Lopez Jason Loepp is a father of two young children. He and his wife, Heather, are from the East side of Michigan and lived in Tennessee for several years. In 2008 they moved back to Michigan to be closer to family, which ...continue reading
- To Affinity and Beyond - An interview with Affinity Mentoring's Executive Director, Laura Ward, about Affinity's Journey to Independence. Affinity's Journey In 2001 Mars Hill Bible Church launched the Mars Hill Mentorship Program at Burton Elementary with 8 matches under the umbrella of Kids Hope USA’s “one church, one school” mentorship model. Over the years, this program grew to ...continue reading
- Herman Miller Cares Supports Capacity Building Efforts - October 2, 2018 Affinity Mentoring is pleased to announce it has received a $20,000 grant from the Herman Miller Cares Foundation. These funds will strengthen our capacity to serve more students, expand programming, increase literacy support, and implement our comprehensive evaluation plan. “Every day, students stop in our Mentor Centers to ask for a mentor. ...continue reading
- 10 Years Later | Ross’ Story - By Rachel Lopez Ten years ago Ross became a mentor with our program. Over the past decade he has mentored 3 different students, including two brothers, Martin and Mario. Ross is an Investment Executive at Fifth Third Bank, “The market was terrible when I started [mentoring]. The two hour a week break from it was ...continue reading
- Affinity Welcomes Newest Partner, Chemical Bank - We'd like to welcome our newest community partner and sustainer, Chemical Bank! Chemical Bank recently donated $1,000 to Affinity Mentoring to support our mentor matches with the resources needed to be successful! Our community partnerships are essential to our success! This year we aim to serve 280 students across our 3 sites. Supporting one mentor ...continue reading
- Affinity Receives Grant from Kars4Kids - We are excited to announce we have been selected as a grant recipient from Kars4Kids' Small Grant Program! The Kars4Kids Small Grant Program is dedicated to supporting educational initiatives around the country, helping impact more children. They're passionate about helping kids develop into community leaders and support organizations that focus on youth development, mentorship, and ...continue reading
- New Site Coordinator: Monica Zavala - Welcome Monica! This week we welcome Monica Zavala to the Affinity family as our new Site Coordinator for Southwest Community Campus (SWCC)! She brings with her 7 years of experience working in the Grand Rapids’ Hispanic community. Her focus has been on developing programs that help students and families discover their strengths and overcome challenges. ...continue reading
- Board Member, Mentor, and Donor: Maddie’s Story - Board Member, Mentor, and Partner: Maddie’s Story By Rachel Lopez A big smile and bigger heart, Madeline (Maddie) Aguillon is a long-time mentor, donor, and board member for Affinity. She has a long history of empowering and engaging the local Hispanic community in Grand Rapids. During her time as a student at Grand Valley State ...continue reading
- Affinity Welcomes New Interns! - Welcome Ariel and Annalise! This week we welcomed the newest members to our team, Ariel Simaz and Annalise Piazza! Ariel Simaz Ariel will be interning with us for the fall and winter semesters. She is earning a Bachelor’s of Social Work from Grand Valley State University. She’s looking forward to learning the ins and outs of ...continue reading