100 Garden
In 2008, Next Step of West Michigan was formed as a 501©3. With a small annual budget of $125,000, three men were hired on a construction team, doing cleaning, trash-outs, and simple maintenance work. In a few short years, the organization experienced tremendous growth. By 2017, the annual budget of Next Step exceeded $1.7 million and they were able to employ 25+ individuals in the course of a year doing construction and manufacturing work across the city.
We have outgrown our space!
In June of 2015, we closed on the purchase of 100 Garden St. SE. We are in the process of a full renovation and fund-raising effort.
This 100 Garden Capital Project will:
- Restore a dilapidated building to a beautiful and useable structure in a part of town that desperately needs the investment and beautification. This is going to be a LEED Certified building. Behind the LEED program is an immense infrastructure of support to help build quality, beautiful and environmentally responsible buildings.
- Provide the needed capacity for Next Step to grow, and to continue helping men and women rebuild their lives.
- Provide needed space to make beautiful furniture, do training, and join the effort to bring furniture building back to Grand Rapids. This new home of Next Step Woodworking will provide the capacity for our newly acquired CNC capabilities, sq. footage for a spray booth/clean room, and future metal fabrication.
- Provide for the ongoing expansion and growth of our Construction Division.
- Provide the space for our new and growing manufacturing division.
- Provide the needed space for materials, equipment and parking.
- Allow the capacity to take on larger projects, increase efficiencies, and give the opportunity for growth.
- Provide additional office space for future staff as well as the addition of on-site counseling and pastoral care services.
Thank You for your interest in this huge step of faith that Next Step is taking! If you have ideas, or want to get involved, please reach out to us! This will take the whole community to pull off, and will result in many years of impact for those looking for Hope.
Capital Campaign Funding Progress
These resources will be invested in:
- Purchase of the building
- Full Renovation, including:
- New windows, roof, structural work
- Full upgrade of electrical, plumbing and heating systems
- Full build-out of new office space, and meeting areas
- Greatly expanded square footage for our construction division
- Build-out of the new wood shop, including additional room for the newly acquired CNC machine, as well as a full finishing room and access to a loading dock/shipping area.
**This building also comes with 3 acres of land, which will provide the space for productive future use.
Donate to the 100 Garden Project