In 2024, City of Rest received a one-year $30,000 grant to support its Grand Rapids Alternative Correctional Experience or GRACE program, which offers skills training, mentoring, and vocational education to youth who have been referred from the juvenile detention center to the program. Hear from Executive Director Pastor Darryl Gaddy Sr. as he shares is insights into the work.
Name and role with the organization.
Pastor Darryl Gaddy Sr., Executive Director and a program facilitator for the GRACE program
Brief overview of your organization and what you do.
City of Rest is a nonprofit dedicated to empowering youth and adults through a compressive array of human service programs. Our mission is to facilitate personal growth and self-sufficiency by providing educational opportunities, vocational training, rehabilitation services, spiritual support, and positive engagements. We strive to enhance the lives of individuals facing challenges related to education, mental health, financial stability, and substance abuse, ultimately enabling them to thrive and contribute positively to their communities.
Our vision is to create a community where every individual has the opportunity to overcome barriers and achieve their fullest potential. We envision a society where all youth and adults can access the resources and support they need to flourish educationally, socially, mentally, financially, and spiritually. Through collaboration and compassionate service, we aim to foster resilience, restore hope, and inspire lifelong transformation for the individuals and families we serve.
As a leader committed to transformational change, I am proud to introduce you to the GRACE Program, an innovative Youth Diversion and Rehabilitation initiative. Our mission is to change the narrative for pre-risk, at-risk, and post-risk youth, specifically those at the cusp of entering deeper into the juvenile justice system, or facing the severe trajectory of being tried as adults.
Please provide a brief overview of the GRACE Program and how it came to be.
The GRACE Program emerged from crucial dialogues with the Kent County Prosecutor, underlining an urgent need: the spike in juvenile offenses demanded an effective preventive mechanism. These discussions catalyzed the formation of a comprehensive program designed to directly confront the gaps in support for these young individuals. This program is called GRACE – The Grand Rapids Alternative Correctional Experience.
What are its primary goals?
At the heart of our program lie several pivotal goals. Primarily, we aim to intercept the process that could see at-risk youth facing adult charges receive adult prison sentences by offering a vital second chance towards redemption and transformation. The ultimate goal is to instill hope and facilitate profound change through well-structured program interventions and counseling services. We also seek to inhibit youth that have not had contact with the system to stay away from juvenile crime and violence.
How does the program support children and families?
Recognizing the intricate networks surrounding these youths, our support extends far beyond them. Emotional and mental health counseling is just a part of this tapestry. We organize peer groups, one-on-one discussions, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy sessions, and mentorship opportunities. Additionally, field trips and community engagements are integral components. Importantly, we also prioritize supporting parents through tailored resources and engagement training, equipping them to better support their children.
How has youth/parent voice shaped the program?
Our solutions are not one-size-fits-all. The evolving needs of youth and their families are paramount, prompting continuous interaction with parents. We use a structured methodology, distributing pre- and post-program surveys as well as conducting ongoing evaluations. This feedback loop is critical for tailoring our approach to the community’s genuine needs.
Please describe the work that you’ve engaged in so far, and your hopes for the work through the remainder of the grant period.
To date, the journey has been one of hope, resilience, and learning. Each interaction, response, and real-time outcome informs our path forward. As we move through the grant period, our commitment is unwavering. We aim to deepen the program’s impact, creating lasting pathways for youth to find purpose and prevent recidivism. We have recently extended the program engagement from 16 to a minimum of 24 weeks to allow additional time to engage, impact, and guide the development of the youth and families involved.
What do you hope is the lasting impact of the GRACE Program for both its participants and the community as a whole?
The lasting impact we envision is dual-fold: Participants leaving with a renewed sense of self and opportunity, and a broader community shift towards empathy, understanding, and crime prevention. We dream of a community where the cycle of incarceration is averted through empowerment and opportunity. The GRACE Program has established ongoing opportunities to build healthy relationships with our law enforcement community. This initiative is transforming the way youth involved with the justice system perceive and interact with police officers, sheriffs, and the broader law enforcement community. The GRACE Program engages youth in vocational development and encourages them to consider educational and career goals. It offers graphic design training at our own facility, and collaborates with partners to provide extended technical training and support opportunities, ensuring lifelong sustainability beyond high school, into post-secondary education and career skill building engagements.
What have you learned and what might you share with other organizations who similarly support youth?
Through our journey, we’ve learned the necessity of adaptability and listening. We understand that the voices of those we serve hold the most wisdom. As an organization striving to support youth, we understand that embedding these voices in the core of our strategy proves invaluable to meet our end goals and achieve our specified outcomes.
How does your work support the Steelcase Foundation’s overarching mission of cultivating communities where children can thrive?
The GRACE Program’s work significantly aligns with the Steelcase Foundation’s mission of fostering enriching communities where children—not just survive—but thrive. By preventing youth from entering punitive systems and instead channeling them towards growth opportunities, we lay down strong community roots for thriving future generations.
Is there anything else you’d like to lift-up about this work?
Our work is ongoing, but every small triumph reinforces our purpose. We dedicate ourselves to every young individual and family who crosses our path, infused with the conviction that bright futures are cultivated here. For all these efforts and more, the GRACE Program stands as a beacon of hope and transformation, committed to reshaping narratives and laying robust foundations for youth to launch from as we “Build Better People, for a Better Tomorrow!”