Economic Opportunity in West Michigan

The barrier is a lower level of education, or
the barrier is a lack of cash, or
the barrier is a family need, or
the barrier is a social circumstance, or
the barrier is all of the above.

What the women are trying to reach is financial independence: rent paid on time, a good credit standing, money for groceries, the ability to buy clothes and school supplies for their kids, some cash to start a savings account. For a number of women in West Michigan, however, the barriers to these simple financial goals seem insurmountable. They don't have training, they can't get a loan, they'd need childcare for everything, they don't expect to succeed anyway.

Economic opportunity locally is helping low-income female workers and entrepreneurs improve their skills in business as a road out of poverty. It's supplying scholarships for women to increase their economic literacy, providing classes for those who demonstrate capacity for entrepreneurship, piloting a micro-loan program to support local startup businesses, and connecting low-income single mothers with a network of other local women for friendship, mentorship, and social connection.

Creating economic opportunity in West Michigan is the [Y] in [XYZ], a key expression of our mission. By partnering with Grand Rapids Opportunities for Women [G.R.O.W.] and the Women's Resource Center to make opportunities available and to coordinate volunteers, we've been able to watch as barriers get smaller and goals get reached.

Volunteers can join [Y] in one of many ways—specifically, as Personal Coaches who provide assistance with life skills [e.g., personal finance management and time management] or as Family Support Volunteers who offer communication, organization, tangible resources, and encouragement to low-income single moms. You can find out more about getting involved with [Y] by contacting info@marshill.org, or you can give to [XYZ] at our online Joy Box.