Healthy Marriages Grand Rapids

 The Healthy Marriages Healthy Relationships Project in Grand Rapids, Michigan began in October 2003. The project is overseen by Healthy Marriages Grand Rapids with administrative support from Pine Rest Christian Mental Health Services.  It provides relationship and marriage skills to low income parents in order to improve the lives of children.  It is funded by the federal Administration for Children and Families, Office of Child Support Enforcement through a contract with the State of Michigan, Department of Human Services.  Local match funding is provided by the Grand Rapids Community Foundation.   

The Healthy Marriages Healthy Relationships project (HMHR) has successfully reached the intended target group of low income parents. Since its inception nearly 2000 participants have attended at least one class of a relationship skill building program.  The curricula selected by the project are engaging and effective with participants.  Included are Family Wellness, How to Avoid Marrying a Jerk(ette), and Parenting Wisely.   

The HMHR model uses existing neighborhood and community organizations to recruit and coordinate services at their site.  A number of these partner sites collaborated with other organizations to bring services to a wider array of participants.  The role of the community intermediary, City Vision, is very valuable in keeping the collaborative of ten partners connected together and providing coaching support to some of the partners.  

The HMHR project has received national attention. The project was featured as one of 12 healthy marriage programs throughout the country in a best practice brochure distributed by the Administration for Children and Families (ACF).  In addition, the implementation evaluation study of HMHR, conducted by RTI and Urban Institute under contract with ACF, was published on the ACF web-site and presented at the national Welfare Research Conference sponsored by ACF in June 2006.  This in-depth analysis cited the early successes of the HMHR project.  In addition, HMHR project leadership staff have presented at national and state conferences.

 A qualitative evaluation research project is currently underway.  HMHR has acquired the services of a nationally known researcher, Dr. Wendy Manning, to conduct this research, through a contract with Bowling Green State University.  The goal is to learn more about how the HMHR services have impacted the lives of participants and how we can improve our ability to help them improve their relationships.  

The project has made a difference in the lives of low income parents in our community. Many people have been given hope through the use of the skills they learn from the HMHR sponsored workshops. A few couples have decided to marry. Single parents have learned how to start a healthy relationship.  They have skills to pass on to their children.  These accomplishments will lead to improved well-being of children in our community. 

I felt like I didn’t have anybody until I came to this class.  You-all have helped me feel good about myself.”                                            ~Family Wellness participant

 I learned that before you can have a good and faithful relationship of any kind with someone you need to learn more about them.  Because sometimes what you see on top is like a coating of icing on a rotten cake.”                                                                ~Teen male No Jerks participant

“I talk and speak a lot calmer than before.  

" I know how to bounce ideas off of somebody without feeling like I’m going crazy”          

“I have developed ways to speak to people without being demeaning and/or combative.”       

“I learned how to communicate with my family, I don’t yell as much.”

~young mothers who reside in a transitional housing program

What is HMHR?

Healthy Marriges Healthy Relationships is a collaborative of community organizations who empower parents and expectant parents by teaching relationship skills.  The goal is to strengthen marriages and relationships between parents in order to improve the well being of their children.

Healthy Marriages Healthy Relationships offers programs at partner sites.  The programs offered are:

Family Wellness - This class is for parents interested in improving communication and problem-solving skills in couple and family relationships.

Parenting Wisely - This class is designed to help parents improve their parenting skills, and how parents can work together to be effective.

How to Avoid Marrying a Jerk(ette) - Designed for singles who want to learn what to look for and what to avoid in searching for a healthy relationship.

* *No cost for programs* *

Partner Sites

Brown-Hutcherson Ministries - 618 Jefferson SE, site coordinator - Dorothy Jenkins - 988.2016

Clancy Street Ministries - 940 Clancy Ave NE, site coordinator - Tina Middleton - 235.2195

Coit Community CRC - 600 Lafayette Ave NE, site coordinator - Tonya Adkins McKeever - 458.2398

Jubilee Jobs, Inc - 935 Baxter Street SE, site coordinator - James Williamson - 774.9944

Restores, Inc - 1413 Madison Ave SE, site coordinator - Shannon Ingrm - 243.1984

Steepletown Neighborhood Ministries - 671 Davis Ave NW, site coordinator - Yolanda Macias - 451.4215

Streams of Hope - 1440 68th Street SE, site coordinator - Fayth Steensma - 831.8164

The Other Way Ministries - 710 W. Fulton Ave, site coordinator - Deb Borst - 454.4011

United Methodist Community House - 904 Sheldon SE, site coordinator - Euse Ekere - 452.3226

Healthy Marriages Healthy Relationship

"Where Growth Happens"

For more information on Healthy Marriages Healthy Relationships click on the following link for the ACF/OPRE report: 

http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/opre/strengthen/eval_com/reports/grand_rapids/grand_rapids.pdf