Media
 | May 2022 | As Chief Executive Officer at Fifth Wheel Freight (FWF), Reese Van Heck, is passionate about investing in West Michigan and giving back to the community. In collaboration with Affinity Mentoring, Van Heck encourages the development of self-esteem, social skills, and academics by mentoring K-8th grade students in Grand Rapids. Read the Article |
 | April 2022 | Affinity appoints Sharalle Ankrah as new executive director. Download Press Release MiBiz Article School News Network Article |
 | March 2022 | Affinity Mentoring, along with several other local agencies, launch the MINT Collective. This collective's goal is to develop a tool, Junction, that will help nonprofit organizations facilitate collaboration while allowing non-technical users to easily modify, update, and automate their organization's day-to-day functions. Download the Media Release |
 | January 2022 | Affinity is featured in Blue Cross Blue Shield's MI Blue Perspectives article for National Mentoring Month. Read the Article |
 | January 2022 | Affinity Mentoring's Executive Director, Cassandra Kiger, resigns. Cassandra will transition out of her role in May, 2022 Download Press Release |
 | November 2021 | Steelcase Foundation Awards Affinity Mentoring 2nd Multi Year Grant to support its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives. Download Media Release |
 | September 2021 | Enterprise Holdings Foundation Donates $20,000 to Affinity Mentoring. Download Media Release |
 | July 2021 | El Vocero features Community Partner and Mentor, Sara Proaño Community Engagement Manager at Kent District Library, as she writes about her experience supporting Affinity Mentoring as an individual and through her employer's partnership program (article is in Spanish). Read the Article |
 | April 2021 | Affinity's program assistant, Angela Reyna, on was named by West Michigan Works as one of the eight recipients of an annual award to recognize workers who go “above and beyond” and show integrity, passion and commitment for their jobs. On top of her full workload at Affinity, Angela is completing an internship at Bethany Christian Services, and is finishing her Bachelor Degree in Social Work at Grand Valley State University. We couldn't be more proud or grateful for her. Angela is a graduate of Godfrey-Lee Public Schools and attended Burton Elementary as a child. ESA Winner Video GRBJ Story Mlive Story |
 | March 2021 | Affinity Mentoring's statement against racist attacks and in support of the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Community. Download Statement |
 | February 2021 | Last fall we Affinity participated in Steelcase's first global Equity in Education challenge. We were one of 15 concepts selected from 370 open innovation participants from 30 countries. Read More |
 | January 2021 | MPWRD Influential Awards 2020 Leader Honoree - Monica Zavala, Site Coordinator at Affinity Mentoring. Watch Now |
 | September 2020 | WGVU Public Radio interviews Burton Site Coordinator Rocio Moreno about virtual mentoring, equity initiatives, and the upcoming Cuentos y Comida Event. Listen Now |
 | August 2020 | Women's LifeStyle Magazine features Affinity's Executive Director Cassandra Kiger as the "Everyday Athena" for August. Read More |
 | June 2020 | Affinity moves its headquarters to downtown Grand Rapids. Read Press Release |
 | June 2020 | The Wege Foundation has awarded Affinity $50,000 each year over the next three years to support its operations, program capacity, and equity initiatives. Read Press Release |
 | June 2020 | Affinity Mentoring's statement of support for Black Lives Matter Movement. Download Statement |
 | May 2020 | Affinity Mentoring names Cassandra Kiger as new executive director. Download Press Release Read GRBJ Article Listen to WGVU Interview |
 | April 2020 | Women's Lifestyle Magazine features Affinity in their list of 10 local acts of kindess. Read the Article |
 | March 2020 | Affinity Mentoring's Executive Director, Laura Ward, resigns. Laura's last day will be May 28, 2020. Download Press Release Laura's Farewell Letter |
 | March 2020 | Letter to parents of Affinity mentees regarding Coronavirus. Read Now |
 | February 2020 | Grand Rapids Business Journal features Affinity's new board leadership. Read Now |
 | February 2020 | Affinity Mentoring today announced several new appointments to its board of directors. John Robinson has been elected president of the board of directors and Adam Russo has been elected vice president. Jatnna Abreu and Veronica Bradford and Mia Jankowiak have also joined the board. Download Press Release |
 | February 2020 | School News Network features mentor match, Luis + Alex. Luis is a graduate of GRPS and returned to his alma mater to mentor. Read Now |
 | December 2019 | WZZM 13 features the 9th annual Bundle Up Burton Coat Drive with Mars Hill Bible Church, Affinity Mentoring, Kent School Services Network, and Burton Elementary School. Read Now |
 | November 2019 | School News Network showcases Affinity's new Godfrey-Lee ECC site. Read Now |
 | October 2019 | Affinity Mentoring wins "Nonprofit of the Year" at the 2019 EPIC Awards hosted by the Grand Rapids Chamber. Women's Lifestyle Magazine MIBiz Grand Rapids Chamber |
 | September 2019 | Grand Rapids Chamber chats with Executive Director, Laura Ward, and mentor, Brooke Corbin, on their latest podcast about the power of mentoring. Listen Now |
 | September 2019 | Rapid Growth Media interviews Executive Director, Laura Ward. Read More |
 | September 2019 | The Grand Rapids Chamber announced that Affinity Mentoring is a finalist for Nonprofit of Year for the 2019 EPIC Awards. Read More |
 | August 2019 | Executive Director, Laura Ward, new Site Coordinator, Keyla Araujo, and Development Director, Rachel Lopez, join Shelley Irwin to discuss expansion, mentor recruitment, and back to school. Listen Now |
 | July 2019 | Affinity will be opening its fourth mentoring site at Godfrey-Lee Early Childhood Center, this fall. To help celebrate this milestone, there will be a ribbon cutting event at Godfrey-Lee ECC on August 14, at 3:30pm. Download Press Release |
 | April 2019 | Grand Rapids Business Journal "Corporate Donation Expands Mentoring Program." Read Now |
 | April 2019 | Steelcase Foundation awards Affinity Mentoring $75,000 capacity building grant to expand to 4th site Fall 2019. Download Press Release |
 | April 2019 | Mentor Match, Maura and Angelita, share their 4 years of experience with Affinity and invite the community to join them on May 2, 2019 for Affinity's Better Together Benefit Dinner. Listen Now |
 | January 2019 | Development Director, Rachel Lopez, talks with Shelley Irwin about National Mentoring Month. Listen Now |
 Affinity Mentoring is featured in the February 2019 Community Initiatives Spotlight. | February 2019 | Affinity Mentoring is featured as the Community Initiatives Spotlight, sponsored by the Grand Rapids Community Foundation. Spotlight: Women's Lifestyle Magazine |
 | March 2018 | Executive Director, Laura Ward, joins Shelley Irwin to discuss the need for mentors and how to sign up. Interview: WGVU |
 | November 2016 | "It could be simply providing a safe space to talk about what's going on inside the home or the neighborhood," says Laura Ward, director of Affinity Mentoring. Feature Story: Rapid Growth Media |
 | September 2017 | “We chose mentoring because we are not ok with these statistics, 22 percent of children in MI are living in poverty; 71 percent of fourth graders are not proficient in reading, etc. (Affinity Mentoring) sees mentoring as something that everyone should experience.” Feature Story: The Collegiate |
 | Working together with Community School Leadership Teams and the Kent County Mentoring Collaborative, Affinity is able to not only nurture students, but foster a positive environment where families feel comfortable, engaged and supported. Feature Story: Heart of West Michigan United Way |