West Michigan Veterans Coalition

09/14/2026

The West Michigan Veterans Coalition is proud to support Seat at the Table, a collaborative public art project and recipient of a WMVC Women Veterans Grant. Thirteen women veterans created individual ceramic tiles representing their military service and the leadership journeys they have continued in their communities, careers, families, and beyond.

Together, their stories form a communal table that is now on display as part of ArtPrize 2026 at the Veterans Park in Grand Rapids. The piece recognizes the many ways women veterans continue to lead long after leaving military service and the work it has taken to earn their place at the table.

WMVC is proud to help make projects like this possible and to invest in opportunities that elevate the voices, experiences, and leadership of women veterans across West Michigan.

Stop by the Veterans Park, across from the Grand Rapids Children’s Museum, to see Seat at the Table during ArtPrize!

09/11/2026

Twenty five years ago, September 11 changed our nation forever.

Today, we remember the nearly 3,000 lives lost, the families forever changed, and the first responders who ran toward danger when others were trying to escape. We also recognize the generation of service members who answered the call in the years that followed, many of whom we are honored to serve alongside in our communities today.

08/28/2026

WMVC is at the Ottawa County Stand Down & Resource Fair today at the Pinnacle Center until 2 p.m.

Stop by and see us, connect with the many veteran organizations and community partners in attendance, and enjoy free food, swag, raffle prizes, and more.

Come say hello and learn more about the resources available to veterans and their families across West Michigan. We’ll see you there!

08/21/2026

08/19/2026

Yesterday, the West Michigan Veterans Coalition hosted our August Community Partners Meeting at the Ottawa County Fillmore Campus, bringing together a room full of organizations and individuals committed to better serving veterans across our region.

We were honored to hear from recipients of the Women Veterans Programming Grant Fund, who shared how their organizations are creating meaningful programs and resources for women veterans, service members, and their families:

• Healing in Arts — Pamela Alderman
• Healing in Arts — Jill Wolfe
• Equest Center for Therapeutic Riding, Inc. — Sara Mulder & Kelly Alcock
• SAVO — Tiffany Carr
• Sarah Wren Consulting — Sarah Wren

Their presentations led into an important community conversation about how we can better recognize, understand, and serve women veterans.

One of the biggest takeaways: there is no single women veteran experience. Women veterans bring different identities, responsibilities, backgrounds, and experiences with them when seeking support. Meeting their needs requires listening, intentional programming, greater awareness, and collaboration among the organizations serving them.

The conversation was also a valuable reminder of why these Community Partners Meetings matter. When organizations come together to share what they're seeing, what is working, and where gaps still exist, we strengthen the network of support available to veterans throughout West Michigan.

We are grateful to our presenters, community partners, and everyone who contributed to yesterday's conversation. Your work makes our veteran community stronger.

08/18/2026

We are a little more than 50 days away from the 75th annual Kent County Veteran of the Year Banquet in partnership with the United Veterans Council of Kent County.

We want to thank our sponsors for making this event possible:

-The Grand Rapids Community Foundation
- Grand Rapids Community College
- Acron Aviation
-The West Michigan Veterans Coalition
- Crossroads Eldercare Options
-Cornerstone Caregiving LLC

The FREE event is a chance for veterans and supporters to get together, honor a veteran doing amazing work for the veterans in our community and enjoy a nice dinner together.

The event planned for Thursday, October 8 from 6:30-9pm at Venue3Two in Kentwood.

Did you get your tickets yet? Register here before we fill up: https://www.kentcountymi.gov/1981/Veteran-of-the-Year

08/14/2026

We hope you will join us for our bi-monthly Community Partner gathering next week!

Date: Tuesday, 18 August
Time: 10:00am-12:00pm
Location: Ottawa County Veterans Services, 12220 Fillmore St, West Olive, MI
In-person or virtual (link is sent upon registration)

These gatherings exist to connect and empower the organizations, businesses and individuals that are serving or have a desire to serve and support our veterans, actively serving military members, and their families in the West Michigan region.

See you there!

Join us at the West Michigan Veterans Coalition: Community Partners Meeting to connect, collaborate, and support our local veterans.

08/08/2026

💙 Sponsor Spotlight: West Michigan Veterans Coalition 💙
To our incredible sponsor—thank you for believing in our mission and the veterans we serve. Your generosity helps transform lives through the healing power of art, creating opportunities for expression, connection, and renewed hope. We are honored to have your support.

Art of Resilience by Healing in Arts is funded in part by Creative Forces®: NEA Military Healing Arts Network, an initiative of the National Endowment in partnership with the U.S. Departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs. Creative Forces Community Engagement Grant program is managed by Mid-America Arts Alliance.
National Endowment for the Arts Mid-America Arts Alliance
Creative Forces

08/08/2026

On August 2, WMVC Chair Paul Ryan and Vice Chair Ryan Burke joined fellow veteran community leaders at a Veterans Roundtable hosted by Representatives Hilary Scholten (MI) and Ted Lieu (CA). The discussion focused on challenges facing veterans and military families, including transportation, access to health care, and the rising cost of basic needs.

WMVC remains committed to bringing organizations together, fostering meaningful collaboration, and advocating for solutions that strengthen support for veterans throughout West Michigan.