Perhaps you’ve noticed these markers scattered about the City of Holland proclaiming it an All-America City and have smiled in remembrance or maybe have wondered what the award entailed. Or it’s possible, you’ve never noticed the marker at all. And yet, ripple effects of initiatives that spurred Holland toward earning this title are all over the city.
Founded in 1894, the National Civic League has been advancing civic engagement on the local level for over one hundred and thirty years. The Board of Directors includes leaders from all across the United States who share the same passion for and dedication to democracy. According to the website the mission of the National Civic League is to “advance inclusive civic engagement and promote innovations in democracy to make decision-making more participatory, equitable, and effective.”
Since 1949, the National Civic League has annually granted ten communities with the All-America Award. The award is meant to honor cities that have demonstrated outstanding civic engagement, collaboration, and problem solving. Over 500 communities have received this honor—some cities have received the award multiple times. Grand Rapids has received the All-America City award three times. However, San Antonio, Texas takes the cake with nine wins total.
In order to be considered for the award, a city or community must submit itself for consideration. Once all submissions have been received, the National Civic League votes to narrow the pool down to twenty finalists. These twenty communities go on to present their initiatives and highlight the efforts of their community to a jury of national experts. Following the presentations, ten cities are chosen and presented as the winners of the award.
In 1996, Holland was chosen as one of the ten communities worthy of the title. Holland residents, businesses, schools, local government, churches, and community organizations actively pursued solutions to address community needs and ways to improve the city overall. The initiatives that the Holland community put forward at that time specifically targeted areas that were in need of support and restructuring, namely: youth, neighborhoods, and racial/ethnic divisions.
One of the initiatives that Holland started in 1996 was through Maple Avenue Ministries. The church offered supervised activities, sports, mentoring, and other after-school opportunities for local youth. The goal was to provide young people with a safe place to go after school where they would be cared for by responsible adults, effectively reducing youth violence and gang involvement.
Today, many Christian organizations and churches still provide safe places for kids to gather. Churches frequently partner with nonprofits such as Hand-to-Hand, Bethany Christian Services, Kids Food Basket, Compassionate Heart Ministries, and many others to support food discrepancies, offer mentorship, or provide a destination for kids who might otherwise have nowhere to go after school.
Churches and nonprofits were not the only organizations that stepped up when it came to youth care and support. Thirty years ago, Van Raalte Elementary decided it could do more as well. This initiative brought students tutoring services, drug-prevention education, recreation opportunities, and family assistance. Van Raalte Elementary aimed to help students succeed beyond the traditional classroom as well as connect families with more resources.
Today, many schools continue to prioritize and offer after-school programs. There is also a higher emphasis on prevention-based services. Initiatives such as this have contributed to Holland’s relatively low youth crime rate.
Considered by many to be one of Holland’s most innovative neighborhood revitalization efforts, the Ourstreet Neighborhood Program brought the city together to address housing concerns. The initiative brought about various housing rehabilitation programs, Neighborhood Services/Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) initiatives, and code enforcement and landlord-tenant mediation practices.
Today, we have more formalized landlord compliance systems than compared to the 1990s—there are more transparent housing inspections, rehabilitation grants provide financial assistance to those who qualify to cover health, safety, and accessibility repairs, and we’ve seen a continued dedication to preserving and investing in historic neighborhoods.
Additionally, the snowmelt initiative that led to the largest municipally run underground snowmelt system that we now enjoy in downtown Holland was a stand-out project that helped preserve Holland tourism year-round. Most recently, in 2024, Holland’s Eastcore Neighborhood won the “Neighborhood of the Year” award from Neighborhoods USA. The award specifically cited Holland’s revitalization efforts as a national example.
Due to the commitment to improve Holland’s neighborhoods and downtown area, Holland is known for being highly walkable and a treasured tourist attraction in addition to having an active downtown. The proximity to Lake Michigan and recurring events such as Tulip Time ensure visitors from all over the world consider Holland a vacation destination.
Holland was also recognized for its collaborative problem solving within diverse representation. Organizations such as Latin Americans United for Progress (LAUP) as well as Community Action House empower the voices of the people in order to ensure a more equitable community. By integrating immigrant populations, educating the community, providing opportunities to celebrate diversity, and advocating for voices most often silenced, these organizations diversified Holland.
Today, the City of Holland regularly celebrates Latino and Hispanic culture and heritage. The Herrick District Library and Holland Museum host many cultural events. Bilingual staff and translator services have made the city more accessible, and many schools now offer Spanish Language Immersion education.
Another initiative that worked to mitigate racial and ethnic divisions in Holland was the Holland Free Clinic. Due to an influx of seasonal workers and a growing population of lower-income families, local government and private donors stepped up to fund and provide Holland with a way to provide healthcare to those who might not otherwise have been able to afford or have access to it.
Predominantly run by volunteer doctors and nurses and funded by the community, the Holland Free Clinic was considered a model example of a community taking matters into its own hands rather than awaiting a federal solution.
While having shiny monuments around Holland that honor an award the city won in 1996 is nice, the real victory is the way Holland institutionalized these efforts. Youth recreation and support programs have stayed commonplace amongst churches, schools, and nonprofits. Neighborhood stabilization efforts and housing rehabilitation projects are also rooted into the identity of Holland. Holland has one of the largest Hispanic and Latino communities in West Michigan and has many active infrastructures to support and celebrate its diversity. What started off as a few programs, became city-wide practice. Thirty years ago, the people of Holland recognized a need, and the community rose up to fill the gaps.
Now, as we celebrate 250 years of American freedom and reflect on where we’ve been and where we’re headed, I wonder if the people of Holland might once again be bold enough to stand up for the needs of their neighborhood and celebrate the local, individual, power of the people. Perhaps it’s time Holland won another All-America City award.
Jade Havenaar is a Holland native and a life-long lover of the lake, coffee, and a good book. She’s a former middle school teacher and a published author. After marrying the boy she met in a bar and traveling the US together, she and her husband welcomed their first born and Jade happily added “boy mom” to the list of hats she wears. When she’s not writing or changing diapers, she’s probably out adventuring with her Golden Retriever, Henry.
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