RESOURCES
From GRIP
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Citizenship and Immigration
Library Resources
- Books about U.S. citizenship Including examination preparation.
Community Resources
- Immigration Lawyers in Michigan Search the Martindale-Hubbell Lawyer Locator
- U.S. Representative Vernon Ehlers Constituent services and case work, including immigration issues, available to Michigan residents living in the Third Congressional District (This district covers most of Kent County, as well as Barry and Ionia counties.)
Web Resources
- Contact USCIS Use InfoPass online to make an appointment with an immigration officer at the district office in Detroit.
- To make an appointment choose the option: "You wish to speak to an immigration officer."
- Family members only need one appointment per family.
- Be sure to print your confirmation letter and take it with you to the appointment.
- Bring photo identification to your appointment, as well as all supporting documents.
- You can also use InfoPass to cancel an appointment.
- USCIS District Office in Detroit Here you'll find location, hours, and other information.
- National Customer Service Center
- Service is available in English and Spanish.
Community Services for Immigrants and Refugees
Settlement and Refugee Services
- 2-1-1 Hotline United Way of West Michigan Referal Service
- African Community Center of Michigan Helping African immigrants and refugees through positive acculturation and advocacy
- Asian Health Outreach Foundation Healthcare advocacy for the Asian American and Pacific Islander community
- Bethany Refugee Services Resettlement, outreach, and assistance to refugees in Grand Rapids
- Catholic Social Services of Grand Rapids Immigration advocacy and assistance program
- Justice for our Neighbors Community immigration advocacy services affiliated with the First Church Methodist Church
- Kent County Health Department Health assessments, screenings, and referrals for refugees living in Kent County
- Lutheran Social Services of Michigan Refugee resettlement agency providing employment, language, and citizenship services
Heritage Centers and Associations
- Alliance Française de Grand Rapids Promoting French language and Francophone culture and cross-cultural understanding
- The Asian Center Supports the Asian community of West Michigan through education, employment, housing, and culture
- Bosnian Cultural Center - 2839 Eastern Ave (616-452-8094)
- Chinese Association of West Michigan Serving the socio-cultural needs of the Chinese community in the West Michigan area
- Council on American-Islamic Relations Advocacy group dedicated to civil rights, education, and inter-cultural understanding
- Edelweiss Club of Grand Rapids German/American club celebrating German culture and traditions
- Grandville Avenue Arts & Humanities Promotes reading and the arts by celebrating the community's cultural richness.
- Hispanic Center of Western Michigan Local organization providing adult education, language translation, legal advice, and civic engagement
- Japan-America Society of West Michigan Fosters understanding and friendship among Japanese and Americans
- Jewish Federation of Grand Rapids Cultural, social and financial support to the Jewish community, both local and international.
- Polish Heritage Society Celebrating Polish ancestry through educational and cultural programs
- Swedish American Heritage Society of West Michigan Dedicated to preserving traditional customs of Swedish heritage
- West Michigan Filipino American Association Civic, cultural, educational and charitable organization serving the Filipino community in West Michigan
- World Affairs Council of West Michigan Educates people about other countries, cultures, and foreign policy issues.
Economic Support
- Ethnic Connections in Greater Grand Rapids Provided by The Right Place, Inc., a regional economic development organization, this resource features listings of area religious institutions, restaurants, newspapers, and other organizations pertaining to ethnic diversity.
- Michigan Minority Business Development Council (MMBDC) Assists with the development of businesses owned by minorities.
- Multiracial Association of Professionals (MAP) Support network for professionals of color and their families
- Project Blueprint Leadership development for professionals of color by providing training which leads to placement on boards of directors of community agencies and organizations.
Learning English
Library Resources
Community Resources
- Kent County Literacy Council Located on the 5th Floor of the Public Library!
Web Resources
- Activities for ESL Students Quizzes, exercises, and puzzles contributed by teachers for English Language Learning.
- BBC Learn English with the help of the BBC.
- Dave's ESL Cafe Includes many interactive resources including the Help Center, discussion forums for students and teachers, a chat room, teaching ideas, and an ESL Web Guide, with links arranged by subject.
- La Mansion del Ingles Free English courses for Spanish speakers, with grammar, vocabulary, and listening practice
- Yourdictionary.com Links to online dictionaries for over 260 languages.
Resources in Other Languages
Library Resources
- Recursos en español A library guide to Spanish language resources
- GRPLJóvenes A library guide to Spanish language resources for teens
- GRPLNiños A library guide to Spanish language resources for kids
- International Languages A library guide to international language materials
Web Resources
- AltaVista - Babel Fish Translation Automatic translations of short passages of text and web pages. Includes several European languages, as well as Chinese, Korean, and Japanese.
- BBC World News The latest news from around the world.
- BBC World Service - Languages Choose the language you wish to read or listen to your news in.
- The Internet Public Library The Internet Public Library has links to newspapers all over the world, listed by country and by title. The directory can also be searched by keyword.
- Onlinenewspapers.com Links to thousands of newspapers, arranged by country.
Adult Basic Education
Browse the Library's collection of materials for adult learners.
Grocery Stores, Restaurants, and More
Ethnic Connections Listings of local ethnic groceries, restaurants, religious institutions, conversion charts, and more. A directory compiled the Right Place Inc., of greater Grand Rapids
Ethnic Resources Directory
Still haven't found what you are looking for? Take a look at this directory available at any Library branch.
West Michigan Ethnic Resources Directory Compiled by the Public Museum of Grand Rapids, this is a comprehensive directory of ethnic resources in the Grand Rapids area.
