Located on the shores of little Lake Macatawa, just off the coast of expansive Lake Michigan, Holland is the epicenter of West Michigan’s Dutch history and culture. Not surprisingly, then, the city is perhaps best known for its annual Tulip Time Festival in May. But there’s much more to the Tulip City than, well, tulips. The city’s downtown is on the National Register of Historic Places and boasts as much retail activity as any urban core in the region. The community is flush with wildly popular waterfront beaches like Tunnel Park and Holland State Park. And Hope College lends the clean, conservative town a bit of youthful spirit.
The diverse philanthropy collective kicks off its first give with nominations of organizations that serve BIPOC communities, followed by a detailed application process and a pitch session with WOC Give members.
The Zeeland Clean Water Plant is one of only 65 worldwide facilities designated as a Utility of the Future Today. The recognition designates the utility as a leader in sustainability and recognizes its efforts to reduce wastewater.
Holland residents Henry and Lindsay Cherry have been involved in advocacy for the Black community for longer than they have been married. In June, they helped organize a peace March and almost 4,000 people lined Unity Bridge. Their new nonprofit hopes to show Black youth their true potential.
Rebekah Bakker was recently named the Young Professional of the Year by the Holland/Zeeland Young Professionals. She credits the group for unique experiential learning opportunities.
The Ottawa County Parks Foundation is coming alongside the county parks system to advance the Grand River Greenway. The project would connect communities and protect thousands of acres of natural lands.
The successful program that allows shops and restaurants to conduct their operations outside was set to expire Sept. 7. However, the Holland City Council has voted to extend the arrangement, developed in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, through Dec. 1.
Michael Sandoval was surprised when he received a Holland/Zeeland Promise Scholarship, which meant he could attend MSU without accumulating student debt. He credits summers spent in Upward Bound classes at Hope College with keeping him focused on what he wanted to achieve, academically and in life.
With a philosophy of caring for Earth and the people who inhabit it, Eighth Day Farm provides produce for CSA members and the food insecure in the Holland community from a former mall parking lot. The farm’s influence also includes composting, support for local growers, and connecting the next generation to the food cycle.
Growing up in a single-parent home taught this 2020 Holland High School graduate independence and resilience. Nelson Figueroa believes those attributes will serve him well at U-M, where he plans to study environmental engineering.
The Holland/Zeeland Promise is a renewable scholarship program aimed at giving students the financial boost they need to further their education. The program will allow these 10 hard-working Lakeshore students to attend college in the fall.
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