🌱 Samaritas Foster Care​ Receives Donation + Waldorn Avenue Fire

Hello, people of Grand Rapids! It's me again, Erica Zenn, your host of the Grand Rapids Daily.

First, today's weather:

Mainly cloudy, p.m. flurries. High: 37 Low: 28.

Here are the top three stories in Grand Rapids today:

1. Samaritas Foster Care is receiving a five-figure donation from ZoomInfo as part of the company’s Winter Donation Drive. The Michigan nonprofit offers many services, including its foster care program. ZoomInfo did not specify the exact amount its Grand Rapids employees raised for Samaritas, but said it was in the mid-five figures range. (WOODTV.com)
2. A northeast Grand Rapids home was damaged after a fire destroyed the attached garage. Multiple engines were called in on Monday night to try to contain the fire in the 1700 block of Waldorn Avenue. Residents were home at the time of the fire, and occupants were evaluated at the scene for smoke inhalation. (WZZM13.com)
3. The Grand Rapids Ballet is hitting a milestone this year as they celebrate their 50th anniversary in 2022. As Michigan’s sole professional ballet company, Executive Director Glenn Del Vecchio says they are "humbled by the years of collaboration, support, and impact the West Michigan community has had on dance and the arts.” Anniversary celebrations begin with a performance of “Cinderella” on Feb. 25–27 at DeVos Performance Hall. (Fox17)

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Today in Grand Rapids:

• Beyond Burnout: Redefining Self-Care In The Nonprofit Sector, At Dorothy A. Johnson Center for Philanthropy (1:00 PM)

From my notebook:

• Grand Rapids Public Schools is looking for a new Project Coordinator of Professional Learning. (Facebook)
• Kalamazoo State Theatre is asking for input for the future of programming! What's in it for you? A chance to win $25 or 2 tickets to a 2022 show at KST! (Facebook)
• The opening night of the world premiere of Stinney: An American Execution is on Feb. 25, 2022 at Opera Grand Rapids. (Instagram)

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Now you're in the loop and ready to start this Wednesday! I'll catch up with you bright and early tomorrow morning with your next update.

— Erica Zenn

About me: Erica Zenn is a Masters Student in Applied Psychology at the University of Southern California who originally hails from Chapel Hill, NC. With a bachelors degree from Cornell University, Erica is an expert verbal and written communicator who brings extensive experience in employee engagement and customer experience of companies. Erica is passionate about community building, and loves using her writing and communication skills to bring people together.