Joel B Groat, Exec Dir-RPM

03/20/2026

Demolition! Making way for a new facility to help us build Fuertes Futuros - Strong Futures- for our multi-ethnic communities using literacy and the love of God.
Stay tuned for more details!

12/01/2025

Thanks everyone - we are on our way up!
Share this and help us help our underserved neighbors with literacy and love!

12/01/2025

GIVING TUESDAY PROGRESS REPORTS WILL APPEAR HERE!
Help us end 2025 Debt Free!

07/29/2025

This was great insight from Carey Nieuwhof and not just for pastors, but anyone striving to make a difference long-term in life and leadership.

In 2025, character isn’t optional—it’s essential.In this video, I share 5 new character rules every pastor needs to protect their integrity, lead with moral ...

04/29/2025

The Devastating Impact of AmeriCorps Cuts in Michigan

On Friday, April 25, DOGE ordered the AmeriCorps agency to terminate more than $400 million in grant funding — impacting over 1,000 nonprofit and community organizations and prematurely ending the service of over 32,000 AmeriCorps members and AmeriCorps Seniors volunteers. Nearly 41% of the AmeriCorps grant portfolio has been wiped out, and every state was impacted by these drastic cuts. Tens of thousands of service members have lost their AmeriCorps living allowance, benefits, and workforce development opportunities. This follows the devastating actions taken last week to demobilize AmeriCorps NCCC and FEMA Corps members and dismiss nearly 85% of AmeriCorps agency staff. Vital services that communities rely on — such as disaster response work, tutoring and mentoring students, connecting veterans and seniors to services, programs to combat hunger and homelessness, and more—will disappear unless something is done to counter these cuts.

Michigan's Impact
The loss is devastating. Michigan will lose over 1,200 AmeriCorps members, leaving local communities and neighbors without vital support. These cuts will directly affect the essential services that thousands of Michigan residents rely on.

AmeriCorps members are crucial to our communities and they serve us in the following ways:

VISTA members helping distribute diapers and other essential hygiene items to young families in need.
Corps members focused on food access, ensuring their neighbors’ pantries are stocked and include healthy options.
VISTA members helping high school students, many of whom would be first generation college students, find the right post-secondary education or career next step.

NOW is the time for action. Let’s stand together and support the programs that make a difference in our state.

Your voice can help save AmeriCorps. Take action today:

Email your Members of Congress in less than two minutes using this easy Contact Congress email tool. It will automatically fill in the relevant lawmakers, all you have to do is hit SEND.
Email Congress now.

04/14/2025

I so appreciate Anne D. and all the compassionate, caring women who make up Grand Rapids Professional Women for Good. RPM is honored to be one of their grant recipients.

03/27/2025

Teddy is our 7-year-old grandson. We’re grateful for all the prayers, shares, and support.

The week before Christmas Teddy Groat seemed like a regular six-year-old. … Suzanne Luchs needs your support for Support Teddy's Fight Against T-Cell Lymphoma

01/18/2025

I just got this to share with our immigrant ESL students, from a person who follows and cares about RPM and our literacy ministry.

Given the recent articles related to raids starting soon as close as Chicago, I’m not sure how much anybody involved will pay any attention to what immigrant people say or don’t say. 😢

However, if you have an immigrant in your life, be they documented or undocumented, I would encourage you to share this with them.

11/21/2024

So grateful to Classis GR South for their support of RPM and the opportunity to share how the world is coming to Roosevelt Park Ministries in this recent article.

Want to show some love to our multi-ethnic, international community? Donate to our ESL and Computer Literacy classes between now and Giving Tuesday, Dec 3rd 2024. ¡Muchisimas gracias!

One of our newest students is Jazmin, pictured with her husband, José Luis. They came into our office a couple of weeks before classes started to sign Jazmin up for ESL classes.

10/30/2024

I needed to get brought back to here, again.

“Oh, how great are God’s riches and wisdom and knowledge! How impossible it is for us to understand his decisions and his ways! For who can know the Lord’s thoughts? Who knows enough to give him advice? For everything comes from him and exists by his power and is intended for his glory. All glory to him forever! Amen.”
‭‭Romans‬ ‭11‬:‭33‬-‭36‬ ‭NLT‬‬

I’m always glad to be reminded that God has everything sorted even when I don’t. 🙂

Oh, how great are God’s riches and wisdom and knowledge! How impossible it is for us to understand his decisions and his ways! For who can know the LORD’s thoughts? Who knows enough to give him advic

09/04/2024

"Sometimes, love is tough, but love never ends tough. It ends sweet, in reconciliation, and in justice and hope. If your love doesn’t end with hope, it’s not love." Carey Nieuwhof

What signs of the Enemy do you need to look for in your life and leadership? Here are 5 warning signs the Enemy (not God) is present.