We support, because we care.
Because your success is important to us, we are here to help you access GRCC and community resources so you can focus on your education, such as: Food, Utility Costs, Housing Costs, Housing Resources, Transportation (i.e bus passes, gas, etc), Auto Repairs, Healthcare/Medical Needs, Tuition and Fees, Textbooks and School Supplies, Internet Access, SNAP benefits (food assistance), Childcare, etc.
Please fill out the GET HELP contact form and a staff member will be in contact with you
GET HELP contact and Emergency Fund intake form
6.1 Transgender and Non Binary Equal Opportunity Policy
GRCC Resources for Transgender and Gender-Nonconforming Students
Preferred First Name
The Preferred First Name Change Form and the Email Change Form are available on the Student Records page or in print at the Office of Student Life (1st floor of the Student Center). Please contact the Student Records at studentrecords@grcc.edu with any questions.
Legal Name Change
Students who have already had their legal name change should go to the Student Records’ Frequently Asked Questions page under How do I change my name? and follow the instructions there. Once our Records Office confirms the change, students may request for their account’s name to be changed. Please check out the Grand Rapids Trans Fondation if you have not already changed your name legally and would like assistance with the process.
Pronoun Support
The Office of Student Life and Conduct also has copies of A Quick & Easy Guide to They/Them Pronouns by Archie Bongiovanni (Author, Illustrator) and Tristan Jimerson (Author). Please feel free to stop in and borrow the book.
Gender-Inclusive Restrooms
GRCC’s campus has Gender-Neutral or Unisex Restrooms in each building. To view the list, visit Gender Related Resources for more information.
Clothing Resources: Free Clothes Shop
The Office of Student Life and Conduct has free clothing (All genders, infant/kids through adult) available year-round for students and staff with an identified need. Present a valid Raider Card to the Office of Student Life and Conduct during their business hours to get checked in at the front desk. The Free Clothes Shop also accepts donations year-round. Gender-affirming clothes are available by request and are co-sponsored by Student Life and Conduct and StandOUT.
Student Organizations and Campus Resources
“The mission of StandOUT is to create a community of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, questioning, and straight/cisgender ally students that is inclusive of our many diversities, open to the many opinions of our membership, and safe for all members of the community.” Check them out on Raider Connect, our student involvement platform, to see when their next events and meetups are!
GRCC Office of Diversity Equity and Inclusion (ODEI)
The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer Plus Think Tank is a brave space for GRCC stakeholders that identify as members of the LGBTQ+ community. The Think Tank promotes awareness, agency, and advocacy, and provides an opportunity for participants to address issues relevant to LGBTQ+ communities. This coalition also includes a spectrum of straight cisgender allies.
Tangible access to society’s most prolific scholars, thought-leaders, activists, and innovative artists. The lecture series aims to connect members of the community with people that hold a compelling interest in shaping a culture of inclusion and social justice.
Check out the Winter 2023 Lineup:
- Jazz McKinney - Complex and Vexed: Celebrating Afro-Indigeneity as a Queer Two-Spirit Person
- Graci Harkema - Finding Belonging in Intersectionality
- Ricardo Tavarez: A Life Out Loud: Afro-Latino, Gay and Proud
Community Resources
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Digital Mental Health Resources for LGBTQ+ and Allies
Digital Mental Health Resources for LGBTQ+ and Allies offers a list of resources that are designed to help spread awareness and provide access to tools and solutions to help LGBTQ+ people with their mental health. Videos, books, podcasts, research, crisis lines and more are available to review.
Grand Rapids Trans Foundation (GRTF)
The GRTF has a mission to create opportunities for the Grand Rapids Trans community. They are moving to remove barriers and build equity for our local Trans community through substantial academic scholarships, assisting with legal document updates, and focusing on individuals who are experiencing financial barriers to resources. If you live in Kent County, contact the GRTF for their UPDATE! Program which assists with legal name changes, Transgender students may also apply for an academic scholarship. Applications are due May 1, 2023.
The Local Resource List created by the Grand Rapids Trans Foundation includes: crisis hotlines, Document Changes (Name, License, Birth Certificate) Support, Physical/Mental Health and Therapies, Housing Support, Workplaces, Churches, Temples, Synagogues, and Places of Worship, Local Trans-Owned Businesses, Higher Ed Support, Surgery Scholarships, and other Miscellaneous Gender-Related Support. The resources on this list have been found by the local community to be Trans-Affirming and Trans-Friendly.
The GR Pride Center provides community support groups, health programs, and local events to support the local LGBTQ community. The organization has a glossary of terminology, a business directory, and is host to the annual Grand Rapids Pride Festival.
Inclusive Ottawa County offers many community services to support diversity and equity within the community. Services include: Annual community events, clothing closets (kids-adult clothing), a food and hygiene pantry, Monday morning playdates for kids, and more! Inclusive Ottawa County hosts a Chalk Pride event during Pride month and a Banned Book Fair in the early fall, among other events.
Transgender Michigan an organization which provides advocacy, support and education while also creating coalitions in the state of Michigan. It also maintains a crisis hotline which can be reached at 855-345-TGMI.
The Trevor Project is the leading national organization focused on crisis and suicide prevention efforts among lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning youth. The Trevor Project maintains a 24/7 suicide hotline, which you can reach by calling 1-866-488-7386, by texting START to 678678, or by accessing the Trevor Project’s online chat feature. There is also a Community Chat feature called TrevorSpace for young people between the ages of 13-24 years old.
The Gay, Lesbian, Straight Education Network (GLSEN) *
GLSEN is an organization in support of LGBTQ students so that they are able to learn and grow in a school environment free from bullying and harassment. They have resources about creating safe and supportive environments, specifically focused on K-12 students.