Inner City Christian Federation

A LONG TRADITION OF COMMUNITY CARE


March 2006 before the front addition removal	April 2006 after the front addition removal	May 2007 the look after completion

The building at 920 Cherry has a long tradition of serving the community. D.A. Blodgett Homes constructed an orphanage on the site in 1908 with a major gift from Mr. Delos A. Blodgett. It functioned as an orphanage until 1948 when the facility was gifted to the Mary Free Bed Guild and used for rehabilitative medicine, particularly for polio survivors. Mary Free Bed vacated the site in 1976. Since then the building has had marginal use for ten years and been largely vacant for the last 20 years, falling into considerable disrepair. But a transformation is in progress that will renew the property’s tradition of care and service to the community.

ICCF has purchased the building and is planning to consolidate its staff from current locations at 515 Jefferson and 816 Madison to the 920 Cherry site. Demolition has already removed the 1950s additions from the front of the building, and a historical restoration to the original appearance has commenced. When completed with formal gardens facing Cherry Street , the site will look as it did in 1908. But the restored building will also be LEED certified, becoming a local learning center for energy and environmental stewardship and a role model for other non-profit organizations.

Restored and reoccupied the building will come “full circle” for the original donor, D.A. Blodgett. His vision of a wonderful “Home for Homeless Children” will be extended by ICCF’s service for homeless persons and inadequately housed families in Grand Rapids . The restored building will also be an icon of the transformational work ICCF does in the neighborhoods of our city.

CAMPAIGN GOES PUBLIC AT MEDIA EVENT

On April 27, 9-10a.m. , ICCF invited the media to attend the public unveiling of the Pillars for Opportunity project. Brief tours of ICCF’s future home at 920 Cherry were offered before and after the formal program at 9:30a.m. Speakers included Honorable Janet Haynes, president of the ICCF Board of Directors; Jonathan Bradford , ICCF CEO; Jim Preston and Mike Van Gessel, co-chairs of the capital campaign; and Rosalynn Bliss, city commissioner in the 2 nd ward which encompasses the 920 Cherry site. In a unique and preemptive presentation, pillars were symbolically restored to a replica of the building.

PILLARS FOR OPPORTUNITY , AN ICCF INITIATIVE FOR FAMILY AND COMMUNITY

According to the dictionary, pillars can be defined by appearance (column, freestanding vertical support) or by function (occupying a central or responsible position). At 920 Cherry SE the restored pillars of the D.A. Blodgett Home for Children will become a symbol for the important work of ICCF in the community. ICCF has been all about neighborhood restoration and renewal since its inception in 1974. The ever-increasing need for its quality services and programs requires a larger space for ICCF headquarters. To provide more opportunities for local families, ICCF purchased the building at 920 Cherry and has begun the process of restoring the facility to its original beauty. The $8.0 million Pillars for Opportunity capital campaign was conducted quietly until a public unveiling of the project on April 27. Already at more than 75% of the goal, we are looking to our donors and the community at large to help us complete the project.

When ICCF opened the Housing Opportunity Center at 515 Jefferson in 1994, we had one social worker to serve 90-100 families a year in our rental and home ownership programs. Today we have eight fulltime staff who serve over 1100 families in these programs. The three largest classroom spaces have maximum capacities of 12, 14, and 30. Clearly our limited space hampers our services. The Cherry Street site will enhance our effectiveness in several ways. It will

provide meeting rooms and learning centers of various sizes to accommodate multiple groups of various sizes.
include a variety of interactive learning environments to meet the unique needs of adult learners.
feature all appropriate technology and educational aids to facilitate group and individual learning.
increase staff efficiencies and quality of service by working under one roof.
improve efficiency of technologies with single computer and telephone systems.
offer larger and more confidential work stations for program staff who provide counseling services.
enhance staff synergy as program and administrative staff work side by side.

God has wonderfully blessed the efforts to finance the project. We have already reached $6 million of our $8 million campaign goal through charitable gifts and the sale of tax credits which National City Bank. Several local foundations have been very generous, and a few requests are still pending. The Board of Directors and the staff have participated at a level of 100%. Gifts from the capital campaign cabinet and endorsement council are in process. We are confident that with the help of ICCF donors and corporate partners, we will reach the necessary goal.