The Great Start Collaborative of Kent County is a group of local professionals and parents who are working with First Steps and other stakeholders to assure that we have a coordinated system of community resources and supports to help all Kent County families provide a GREAT START for their children.
The Great Start Collaborative provides a venue for a diverse group of service providers, educators, parents, child advocates, and private funding organizations to talk openly, build trust, and work together toward a shared vision for children. The Collaborative develops and refines the blueprint for Kent County’s early childhood system and ensures that it is implemented with integrity.
Our local Collaborative is part of a coordinated network of 55 Great Start Collaboratives working in every county in Michigan. The Great Start system is funded by the Early Childhood Investment Corporation, a public corporation formed in 2005.
There is a Great Start Parent Coalition affiliated with every Great Start Collaborative, providing parents with an opportunity to inform, shape, and support the early childhood work in their community. Please click here to learn more about the Great Start Parent Coalition in Kent County.
Our Great Start Collaborative Coordinator is Judy Freeman. Judy can be reached at 616-632-1019 or jfreeman@firststepskent.org.
Collaborative Members:
- Lynne Ferrell, Frey Foundation (Chair)
- Joanne Kelty, Grand Rapids Public Schools (Vice Chair)
- Ernest Powers, Parent Representative (Secretary)
- Margaret Biersack, Spectrum Health Healthier Communities
- Ruth Bishop, Grand Rapids Community Foundation
- Diane Blain, MSU Extension
- Rebecca Brinks, Grand Rapids Community College
- Tony Campbell, Heart of West Michigan United Way
- Pam Cohn, Catholic Charities West Michigan
- Barbara Corbin, Kent Intermediate School District
- Candace Cowling, Child & Family Resource Council
- James Edwards, Community Research Institute
- Chana’ Edmond-Verley, RDV Corp.
- Cheryl Endres, Grand Rapids Community College
- Cheryl Garrison, Kent District Library
- Kristin Gietzen, Arbor Circle
- Jack Greenfield, Kent County Family & Children’s Coordinating Council
- Paul Haan, Healthy Homes Coalition
- Lynn Heemstra, Office of Our Community’s Children
- Mary Hockwalt, Michigan Family Resources
- Zsanara Hoskins, Parent Representative
- Cris Kooyer, Grand Rapids Community Foundation
- Nick Koster, 17th Circuit Court
- Debbie Mageed, Parent Representative
- Sarah McCarville, Grand Rapids Public Library
- Ronald McDermed, Cedar Springs Public Schools
- Erin McGovern, Kent Intermediate School District
- Jean McMurray, Renaissance Church
- Amy Middlestadt, Department of Human Services
- Barbara Hawkins Palmer, Healthy Kent 2010
- Nicole Pratt, YMCA of Greater Grand Rapids
- Jennifer Rees, Parent Representative
- Sylvia Saucedo-DeVries, Parent Representative
- David Sebastian, Sebastian Foundation
- Terry Stelter, Conductive Learning Center
- Kathy Stuby, Kelloggsville Public Schools
- Renee Stuller, Parent Representative
- Janel Switzer, Caledonia Community Schools
- Deb VanderMolen, Kent Regional 4C
- Matthew VanZetten, Kent County Administration
- Heather Walczewski, YMCA of Greater Grand Rapids
- Tom Zook, Children’s Assessment Center
- Betty Zylstra, Salvation Army Booth Family Services