Wedgwood Continues 60 Year Legacy of Transforming Lives

In the late 1950’s, the child welfare system broke the hearts of LaGrave Christian Reformed Church members Jean Boelkins and Dorothy Huizenga. These Grand Rapids women learned that boys in the local system were not living in situations or receiving care that would help heal their broken lives. Jean and Dorothy, who each had children of their own, considered these neglected boys “our children” and committed to help these boys and reform the system.

James Boelkins, retired Hope College Provost and former Wedgwood Board Chairman reflected on his Mother’s instrumental leadership. “Although trained in social work at Calvin College and Michigan State, Mom was fundamentally a stay-at-home mom for three boys. Still, she cared deeply for young boys who were caught up in a less than just juvenile detention system in Grand Rapids. She believed that these boys had been sinned against more than they had sinned, and they needed to be in a structured home environment instead of the juvenile detention center. I remember meetings of the original board members in our living room as they envisioned the first Christian Home for Boys.”

In 1960 Jean and Dorothy’s determination led to the founding of The Christian Home for Boys, which provided a safe environment where these boys could receive grace-filled care and discover hope. Eventually, The Christian Home for Boys and Christian Youth Home (for girls) merged to become Wedgwood Acres Christian Youth Homes. Today, 60 years later, Jean and Dorothy’s vision is known as Wedgwood Christian Services, a life-changing organization that continues to provide hurting kids a safe place to heal from trauma and move toward hopeful futures.

This year, Jean Boelkins and son, James Boelkins is celebrating its 60th Anniversary of providing professionally excellent and distinctively Christian services to kids and families. Over the last 60 years, Wedgwood has positively impacted the lives of over 350,000 in West Michigan, still providing a safe place for kids to heal from trauma.

The Christian Youth Home set out to provide a place for pre-teen and teen-aged kids, because at that age adoption was unlikely, and their trauma made it difficult for them to fit into a foster home setting. Today, Wedgwood’s Residential Program still cares for this same group, providing treatment that not only helps them heal, but equips them for success in foster homes, independent living, and even college.

What began with a pair of concerned citizens taking action has developed into a legacy of filling community needs for programming and services. Wedgwood now also offers outpatient counseling, occupational therapy, prevention services and positive youth development programming, early intervention services for children with an autism spectrum disorder, and education about and training to combat sexual exploitation and trafficking.

As society has changed over the past 60 years, the issues facing vulnerable children and teens have become more complex but what remains constant is the quality of care and commitment to transforming lives through God’s grace, present at Wedgwood Christian Services.