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D.A. Blodgett - St. John's breaks ground on $10 million expansion project

A groundbreaking ceremony is planned for today (Aug. 19) on the multipurpose facility that will bring all children and family services under one roof.

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — A non-profit organization in Grand Rapids that has been helping families in West Michigan for more than 100 years is set to break ground on a major expansion this morning.

D.A. Blodgett St. John’s is set to start construction on a $10-million project that will change the way the organization operates, helping even more families in the process.

A groundbreaking ceremony is planned for today (Aug. 19) on the multipurpose facility that will bring all children and family services under one roof.

Right now, the group which provides services in foster care, adoption, mentoring, and counseling works out of three different campuses.

This project will consolidate more than 15 programs and all employees into one property.

A spokesperson for the organization says the move will save $2-million in operating expenses and double their capacity to serve more people.

“For nearly 130 years, we've been serving the most vulnerable children and families in the West Michigan area. And this consolidation allows us to do that very efficiently and creates a more effective workspace for our staff, which will trickle down to serving our children and families more effectively," said Colette Beighley, chief advancement officer for D.A. Blodgett St. John's.

D.A. Blodgett St. John’s currently helps more than 7,000 children and families in West Michigan.

The groundbreaking starts at 11 a.m. on the northeast corner of Dean lake and Knapp Street in Grand Rapids.

Construction on the project is expected to begin next month and should be completed by the end of 2022.

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