GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. -- ICCF Community Homes says its "Building with Faith" campaign has surpassed its fundraising goal of more than $12 million.
IFFC says the funds will provide 100 new homes for income-restrained families to become first-time homebuyers and develop 100 affordable rental units. The housing will be developed in partnership with local churches on underused land.
Ryan VerWys spoke to WOOD Radio News about the initiative. He is the CEO of ICCF Community Homes.
"Many congregations have been blessed with excess real estate resources," he said. "We don't want churches feel like they need to be developers. We want to partner with them to help develop that housing on their sites."
The Alger Heights neighborhood was a central location for the homes. One-hundred income-challenged families in Grand Rapids will get a chance to be home buyers for the first time.
"It's already making an impact," VerWys said. "We worked with Tabernacle Community Church to help them redevelop one of their unused buildings in the Alger Heights neighborhood; to create a community with 27 new condominiums. And 14 of those families who've become homeowners were able to do so because of the help of this campaign."
Here is the ICCF news release:
This ambitious effort will create 100 new homes for income-restrained families to become first-time homebuyers and develop 100 new affordable rental units, helping alleviate the region’s severe housing shortage. Campaign funds will help develop housing in partnership with local churches, turning underutilized land into homes for neighbors with limited housing options. Gifts to the campaign will support land acquisition, construction, and homeownership services to make these new homes a reality.
ICCF Community Homes would like to express its gratitude for the many people who helped bring this campaign to completion, including campaign leadership, board members, staff, volunteers, and church and community partners. “We are thankful to God for the radical generosity of this community,” said Ryan VerWys, CEO of ICCF Community Homes. “We are deeply grateful for every church, every foundation, every business, and every individual who chose to give. Because of you, 200 families will have access to homes they can afford.”
While the Building with Faith campaign fundraising is complete, the need for affordable housing and ongoing support remains urgent. “Meeting this campaign goal is a major milestone, but it is not the finish line,” VerWys said. “We still rely on our community’s ongoing generosity to sustain our broader work: maintaining existing homes, providing resident services, offering education and counseling, and responding to new opportunities as they arise. There is still a vital role for supporters to play.”
Campaign funds do not cover ICCF’s general operations, resident services, or other mission-critical programs. ICCF Community Homes invites individuals and organizations to stay involved through volunteering, giving and planned gifts. For more information about Building with Faith or to learn how to support ICCF Community Homes’ ongoing work, visit iccf.org or call (616) 336-9333.
About ICCF Community Homes
Founded in 1974, ICCF Community Homes is Michigan’s oldest nonprofit provider of affordable housing. Serving more than 2,000 households annually in the Grand Rapids area, ICCF offers a continuum of services including emergency shelter, rental housing management, homeownership education, financial counseling, and newly constructed homes for purchase. Learn more at www.iccf.org.
##
