Supporting community building is the hallmark of Dyer-Ives

Foundation’s work. Much of this work takes the form of strengthening

neighborhood associations and other grassroots organizations –

through funding, training and other capacity-building support.

Sometimes the work focuses on the physical environment – supporting

a neighborhood group seeking to create a new playground, restore

a landmark building, explore the feasibility of a building project, or

engage in neighborhood planning.

Sometimes Dyer-Ives’ role is to help foster increased understanding

of the changing dynamics of our community – from demographic

trends to political realities. New Neighbors, New Opportunities:

Immigrants and Refugees in Grand Rapids is a reflection of this role.

The aim of this report is to help our community better understand the

important role that immigrants and refugees play in Grand Rapids.

History tells us that fear of the unknown and resistance to change

are deeply rooted in our culture, often hindering us from recognizing

and embracing new opportunities. Thus the paradox: although the

vast majority of Americans come from immigrant backgrounds, we have

often viewed immigrant and refugee newcomers to the U.S. with a

mixture of suspicion and fear, as evidenced by anti-immigrant attitudes,

behaviors and laws.

The aim of this report is not to rehash old arguments about

immigration-related issues but to present a new perspective that

is gaining increasing attention around the country: the view that

newcomers can play a critical role in community building. With this

perspective as a framework, this report also explores the newcomer

situation as it relates specifically to Grand Rapids: Is there a significant

movement of immigrants and refugees into the community? How

does our community support integration of these new neighbors?

Are there opportunities to strengthen our systems of support to more

effectively leverage the assets that immigrants and refugees bring?

in Grand Rapids represents the findings of research exploring both

the local situation and innovative work in other communities around

the country. The report is organized in six key sections:

New Neighbors, New Opportunities offers an introductory look

at the growing local community of immigrants and refugees, and the

challenges that confront both the newcomers and the community

in supporting immigrants and refugees’ efforts to become contributing

members of their new community.

Newcomer Contributions to Community Vitality explores the oftenoverlooked

role that immigrants and refugees play in strengthening

communities. This role encompasses not only maintaining the

population base in metropolitan areas and enriching the cultural fabric

but also driving economic growth through labor supply, market

creation, and new business development.

The Complex and Dynamic Process of Integration explains how

immigrants and refugees become acculturated to their new

environments, and introduces the concept of integration as a twoway

street, involving adaptation by both newcomers and the

communities receiving them.

Supporting Newcomer Integration offers a framework for understanding

the primary categories of newcomer integration services and an

overview of local agency roles in supporting newcomer integration

in Grand Rapids.

Strengthening the Community’s System of Support identifies

three key areas for building on existing resources in Grand Rapids

and on the experiences of other communities:

• Strengthening newcomer-focused organizations and programs

• Building the capacity of mainstream organizations to more effectively

support newcomers

• Involving the broader community.

Moving Forward suggests promising directions for seizing opportunities

to build a better local system of support for integrating immigrants

and refugees into the community.

For those who wish to know more, the Appendix provides additional

background on a variety of topics related to immigrants and refugees.

Several of the items in the Appendix relate specifically to Grand Rapids:

• The Numbers: Grand Rapids Residents Born Outside the U.S.

draws on U.S. census data to provide a statistical picture of the local

foreign-born population.

• A Sampling of Newcomer Resources in Grand Rapids offers a list

of local refugee resettlement agencies, refugee and immigrant service

providers, English as a Second Language providers, interpretation

and translation resources, coalition and networking groups, and

mutual assistance associations.