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Donor Story

28 results.

July 24, 2024 Nurturing education & science in Grand Rapids

Throughout Beatrice "Bea" Idema's life she believed in helping others. In 2010, her passion took on a new shape through the founding of the…

April 25, 2024 Time, talent and treasure: Empowering philanthropy through VAI’s JBoard Ambassadors

For those looking to make an impact in their community, getting started can be an intimidating task. There are countless entities looking for support, and…

March 12, 2024 Building a legacy through love and research

"If I can save one life, then all this suffering is worth it," Wendy Jo Blakely said when she decided to donate her body…

March 4, 2024 Supporting a shared mission

Matt and Sarah Jones knew the surface details of Van Andel Institute but for years, they didn’t have the opportunity to learn about its work…

September 21, 2023 From Purple Community to JBoard Ambassador

During an eighth-grade class project on chemotherapy, Sydney Vucelich stumbled onto Van Andel Institute’s website. She thought her work would benefit from the perspective of…

September 12, 2023 At the crossroads of community and research

For more than a decade, Matt Cook has worked to empower communities. As the vice president of community relations at Lake Michigan Credit Union…

September 12, 2023 A Mini fandom with major impact

Passion comes in all forms. For some, it's sports or books, but for Jim Cvelbar, it's a deep love for his Mini Cooper vehicle.…

August 31, 2023 Positivity and Perseverance: Richard Cebelak’s journey with Parkinson’s disease

Parkinson’s disease is a challenging diagnosis. It requires adjustments to day-to-day life and a change in regular habits. But for Richard Cebelak, Parkinson’s would not…