What a year it’s been for Young Life in the city of Grand Rapids, especially given that almost everything in Grand Rapids City Young Life is new—a new name, new staff, and many new volunteers.
But one thing hasn’t changed. For more than twenty years, Grand Rapids City Young Life has been “all in” when it comes to introducing kids to Jesus Christ and helping them grow in faith.
“The previous year had been all about maintaining the status quo,” shared Lateefah Gofoe, Area Director for Grand Rapids City Young Life. “I had prepared myself for losing ground but now we’re actually gaining ground and bringing new people into what we’re doing.”
The main factor in this successful year was an organizational shift in how the area structured its clubs.
End of Year Club, Spring 2017
Rewind to August 2016. Grand Rapids Urban Young Life (their former name) had been holding one big city-wide club for all of the city schools in Grand Rapids.
Fast forward now to July 2018 and Grand Rapids City Young Life (their new name) has four school-based clubs at Union High, Ottawa Hills High, Alger Middle and Burton Middle. This new set up has the area poised for growth in the coming year.
Union High Young Life
Two of the schools they hope to start club at this year are Riverside and Westwood middle schools, where some incredible contact work has already been taking place thanks to the leadership of Yesenia Gomez, the area’s new Staff Associate.
“Yesenia is helping drive ministry on the north side of the city. There are 14 volunteer leaders on the northside team [Union High, Riverside Middle, and Westwood Middle]. It’s been a positive step for our area to have a Latinx leader on our staff,” said Lateefah.
Leader Weekend | Fall 2017
The schools that make up the southside team are led by Joe Gofoe, Lateefah’s husband and partner in ministry. Joe leads teams of 29 volunteers who do ministry at Alger Middle, Burton Middle, and Ottawa Hills High.
Most of the volunteers that make up the southside team are coming from a new partnership piloted this year with the John Perkins Leadership Fellows at Calvin College. There are over 80 fellows in this program at Calvin and eight of them were Young Life leaders this year.
“We are pleased with how things are going and hope to expand it for next year,” shared Lateefah. “This partnership connects well to who we want to serve in the city and will hopefully boost our area and stabilize leaders on the south side.”
In addition to the Perkins partnership, the area anticipates that a growing connection at both GRCC and Cornerstone University will help boost their volunteer leader-base. Young Life was recently approved as an official organization at GRCC which Lateefah said is the first step. She has also begun conversations with Cornerstone’s new Director of Diversity and Multicultural Affairs with hopes of connecting with CU students who have a heart for reaching kids in an urban context.
Young Life GRCC, Student Org Fair | Fall 2017
Much of the growth and success of the past year can be attributed to the passion and dedication of Young Life staff and volunteers and their persistent showing up in kids’ lives.
Each week, Young Life leaders connect with kids in a variety of ways: A twice-weekly breakfast led by LC Cooper at Riverside Middle, a dance class led by Yesenia at Westwood Middle, and a basketball ministry led by Calvon Owens at Alger Middle.
Calvon hanging out with some YL kids
“We have been grateful to have Calvon Owens as our first Student Staff this year. Calvon is a young but very dynamic kid-preacher. He has as many as 40 kids at his club. It’s the largest of all of them. He brought in elements of basketball at Alger Middle so club consisted of part classroom/part gym,” shared Lateefah.
A big victory for the area was taking kids from six different schools to WyldLife Winter Weekend in January.
“There were instant connections between the kids. It was a victory for us because that was double the number of kids we took to WyldLife Weekend last year, and the growth was due in part to kids just telling their friends to come.”
Ministry is also growing due in part to teachers and parents getting on board with the mission. Like when a teacher at Riverside or a parent from City Middle contacts Lateefah asking, “How can we get Young Life into our school?”
“We are feeling blessed to have people reach out to us and into their spaces,” said Lateefah.
Riverside WyldLife
In the midst of all this growth and change, Lateefah is thankful for the work of her Administrator Derether Greer, who has faithfully served Grand Rapids City Young Life for ten years. “Ms. Greer is the glue for our area and has helped us have continuity. She is a major part of the story here.”
This summer City Young Life will be taking kids to Young Life camps in and out of state. A group of middle schoolers will head to WyldLife camp at Castaway in Detroit Lakes, Minnesota, a high school group will be going to Timber Wolf Lake in Lake City, MI, and a Basketball Camp for guys will take place in Erie, Pennsylvania.
On the horizon for Grand Rapids City Young Life are some pending Church Partnerships and new a YoungLives ministry. Church partnerships are a perfect way to better connect with more youth in the city, and YoungLives will provide a place of support and connection for teen moms in Grand Rapids. Tiffany Townsend, the area’s new bilingual administrative assistant, will also provide leadership YoungLives.
To learn more or to be part of the amazing things happening in Grand Rapids City Young Life, contact Lateefah Gofoe. Now let’s meet City Young Life’s newest staff members…
MEET CALVON: Calvon grew up in Grand Rapids and graduated from East Kentwood High School in 2015.
HIS POSITION: Young Life Student Staff serving at Alger Middle School
HIS YOUNG LIFE STORY: He learned about Young Life about a year ago from a friend who told him to get involved.
FAVORITE THING ABOUT HIS JOB: Being a caring presence in kids’ lives. Being a voice and vessel of God, communicating to kids just how God feels about them.WHO INSPIRES HIM: His childhood pastor Bishop May from Mt Moriah Church who inspired him by being a father-figure in his life and showing love.
FUN FACT: Calvon also serves as a youth pastor at his church, Lighthouse Ministries. He travels to evangelize and speak at youth events.
MEET YESENIA: Yesenia has 5 siblings and an awesome set of parents who have been married for 47 years! She went to Caledonia High School, GRCC for an Associates, Davenport for a Bachelors of Business, and is currently earning a Bachelors of Ministry through Ekklesia Training Center in Holland.
HER POSITION: YL Staff Associate serving at Union High School, Riverside Middle & Westwood Middle
HER YOUNG LIFE STORY: She first learned of YL during high school and attended a few clubs but didn’t commit back then. Never would she have guessed back then that she’d be on YL staff today. That’s how she knows God has called her here.
FAVORITE THING ABOUT HER JOB: Seeing hope restored in broken hearts.
WHO INSPIRES HER: Those who are fearlessly, boldly and unapologetically living on fire for Christ.
FUN FACT: Yesenia is also an incredible dancer. Check out Yessy’s Dance page.
MEET JOE: Joe was born and raised in Grand Rapids. He has worked in construction, has completed electrical courses, and most recently graduated fire academy.
HIS POSITION: Mission Staff leading clubs at Ottawa Hills and assisting at Burton Middle. Next year he will lead at Ottawa Hills and Alger Middle.
HIS YOUNG LIFE STORY: He has been involved with Young Life in one capacity or another for 10+ years.
FAVORITE THING ABOUT HIS JOB: The opportunity to disciple and do life with students.
WHO INSPIRES HIM: His pastor Pastor Troy Evans from The Edge is a great source of inspiration.
FUN FACT: Joe is a published author and is gifted in spoken word poetry, sharing his gifts throughout the city.
MEET TIFFANY: Tiffany was born and raised in Grand Rapids and graduated from Forest Hills Northern. (Go Huskies!) Her mom is from the Dominican Republic so she is a first generation American. Tiffany currently attends Midwifery College of Utah. She’s a mother of five with kids ages 12, 9, 7, 5, and 2. In addition to her family life, and her new role with Young Life, she keeps busy as a doula, midwifery student and certified lactation counselor.
HER POSITION: Bilingual Administrator for GR City Young Life
HER YOUNG LIFE STORY: Tiffany was introduced to Young Life when her son began attending club. Soon after, she and Lateefah began talking about growing YoungLives in the area. Having experienced the struggles of teen pregnancy herself she is passionate about connecting with this demographic of women.
FAVORITE THING ABOUT HER JOB: Empowering mothers to make educated decisions related to everything about their children, and connecting them with resources because motherhood can be challenging.
WHO INSPIRES HER: Naomi from the book of Ruth because she shows the importance of being connected to a sisterhood.
FUN FACT: She gave birth to her last baby at home with a midwife. She also owns her own business called EsSCENTial Touch where she provides doula services, lactation counseling, birthing classes, and skin care products.
