Our new space at the corner of East Michigan Avenue and Pitcher Street in downtown Kalamazoo is more than just our new home. It’s the beginning of a new and exciting way we’ll be connecting with the community.

We know this beautiful space will help deepen our connection to grantees, donors, and community groups — and that has been our intention through the four-month remodeling process.

This store-front presence gives us something we didn’t have in our previous locations, initially operated out of The Upjohn Company and — for the last 40 years — in the Comerica Building on Rose Street.

Our new location, just a few blocks away in the growing east sector of downtown Kalamazoo, provides increased visibility and accessibility.

The building itself, our first real home in our almost 90 years — and a generous gift from Jon Stryker’s Arcus Foundation, along with additional support from a small group of donors — will impact the community in another way too. The space enables our team to work in an open office environment, encouraging increased collaboration, resulting in creative ways of better serving our customer — the community.

The new arrangement will also break down departmental silos, mixing up the various departments into "neighborhoods" throughout the building.

"We believe the best way to make an impact on Kalamazoo County is to be present and engaged in the community. This street-level presence will help us bring people into our space," says Carrie Pickett-Erway, our president/CEO.

"Our emphasis on collaboration — both within and outside our organization — inspired us to go from the three meeting rooms we had to 12 in our new home. They’ll be a resource for us and our community partners," she says.

Your community foundation is about people and place. We like to think of this new venue as an illustration of being at the corner of history and progress. We hope you’ll come visit us. The welcome mat is out.