COVID-19 Response

The COVID-19 pandemic was devasting for thousands of individuals and families in West Michigan, and many experienced significant financial hardship. Michigan workers lost their jobs and relied on every paycheck to afford necessities like shelter, food, transportation, and health care. To help, the DeVos family quickly partnered with local donors, churches, and community-based nonprofit partners to provide immediate financial assistance to struggling neighbors and families.

Through a set of complementary rapid-response efforts, over $9 million was philanthropically deployed directly to those most impacted by the crisis and to more than 20 local and national nonprofits that continued to serve individuals and families throughout the pandemic. A total of 9,506 households received $500 in emergency cash relief at the height of the crisis, and 39,800 families were served through local nonprofits. In addition, these partnerships provided remote learning support to local urban school districts in the greater Grand Rapids community.

Local Nonprofit Partners 

• Amplify GR
• Base Camp Urban Outreach
• Baxter Community Center
• Dwelling Place
• Family Leadership Initiative
• Family Outreach Center
• Family Promise of Grand Rapids
• Grand Rapids Chamber of Commerce
• Guiding Light Ministries
• Heart of West Michigan United Way
• Hope Academy
• Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
• Inner City Christian Federation (ICCF)
• Kent School Services Network (KSSN)
• Oakdale Neighbors
• The Potter’s House
• River City Scholars
• SpringGR
• Streams of Hope
• The Other Way Ministries
• Urban Church Leadership Center
• Women’s Resource Center
• West Michigan Works!