Since 2005, we have invested in neighbor-to-neighbor community care

THE BEGINNINGS

2005-2018

BUILDING A COMMUNITY

In 2005, 3Sixty’s founding director, Brian Wolthuis, and his neighbor, Jon Myers, came together to connect neighbors in the community. Both licensed builders, Wolthuis and Myers used donated materials to organize several neighbor-led initiatives.

MAKING IT OFFICIAL

From these relationships, the 3Sixty community emerged to continue identifying and addressing broader neighborhood needs.

In 2009, 3Sixty became an official non-profit organization.

PARTNERING LOCALLY

3Sixty’s work expanded to include partnerships with area churches, social service agencies, and the City of Holland to address pressing neighborhood issues like affordable housing and public safety.

INVESTING IN PEOPLE

Over the years, 3Sixty has worked with many gifted, hardworking volunteers who have shared the vision for neighborhood connection. These volunteers and staff opened the Tool Library, started 8th Day Farms, and began regular neighborhood-wide spring & fall clean-ups.

GROWING & EXPANDING

2018-2022

LEADING FORWARD

In 2018, 3Sixty hired on Jake Norris as the new Director of 3Sixty, working to continue building partnerships across Holland, organize neighborhood connections, and run the growing operations out of the newly remodeled Midtown Hub.

ADVOCACY TEAM

In 2020, the Eastcore Neighborhood Advocacy Team was formalized, leading the way and stabilizing a plan for long-term community development and care.

In 2021, the Lupton Center selected 3Sixty as the 3rd City Catalyst in the country to launch a City Shapers Cohort in Holland, a 2-year program to equip local businesses, nonprofits, churches, and our Neighborhood Advocacy Team with the tools and know-how to produce sustainable change.

CITY SHAPERS

MONTELLO PARK

In 2022, 3Sixty branched out beyond the borders of Eastcore, and headed west—to the vibrant and diverse neighborhood of Montello Park. In partnership with four congregations and local residents, we are building stronger neighborhood connections on the westside!


Looking Ahead

Friends & Neighbors,

I have had the privilege of leading 3Sixty as its executive director for nearly five years. In that time, I have learned so much personally, as well as professionally, about our Eastcore neighborhood: what makes it great and where it is vulnerable. But most importantly, I have learned the names and faces of so many wonderful people: people who live here, work here, worship here, or learn here, all making it a beautiful place. I continue to be inspired by their lives as they not only seek richer relationships with their neighbors, but as they make a lasting impact in Eastcore. 

Along the way, I have also learned a lot about other neighborhoods, as well as the City of Holland as a whole.

Here are my key takeaways:

  • First, I have found that there are people like our Eastcore Neighborhood Connector Lori Appeldoorn throughout Holland: people who have the potential to transform their blocks alongside their neighbors, as neighbors. 

  • Secondly, I have discovered that some of the issues Eastcore residents are facing aren’t unique to Eastcore, and that addressing them takes a broader network of committed collaborators across all sectors. 

  • Finally, I have learned that while neighbors can name their future, they can only fully realize their aspirations in partnership with neighboring institutions, including the local church.

Building on our success in Eastcore, 3Sixty began incubating and supporting community connecting work in Holland’s Montello Park neighborhood this past year. In the years to come, we will continue expanding throughout the broader Holland/Zeeland area using the tools, experience, and relationships developed through our City Shapers cohort. 

In the short term, we will be supporting local leaders to develop two new neighborhood-based entities for residents, one in Eastcore and a new one in Montello Park, which 3Sixty will continue to resource and guide in their community development efforts. We will also work to strengthen existing neighborhood groups in other Holland neighborhoods. Lastly, we will continue building core leadership for working groups around key issues identified through our City Shapers assessment work this past year.

In order to multiply our impact throughout our broader community, I am asking for your support. Would you consider making a recurring financial contribution to 3Sixty? You can learn more and make a donation here.

Thank you for considering, and for all that you do to build community wherever you live.




Jake Norris
Executive Director
3Sixty