PLAY
TODAY
SHAPE
TOMORROW
2025 IMPACT REPORT
A MESSAGE FROM OUR CEO (OF PLAY)
I’m so excited to share with you our 2025 annual report for the Grand Rapids Children’s Museum. We believe play is not a break from learning - it is learning. Through play, children practice problem-solving, build resilience, discover empathy, and learn who they are in the world. In a time when childhood is increasingly shaped by stress, screens, and uncertainty, creating space for joyful, hands-on play is not optional; it is essential. Every laugh echoing through our Museum, every experiment tried, every story acted out is building the foundation for capable and curious children.
None of this happens without courage - the courage of children to try something new, the courage of families to show up, and the courage of donors and volunteers like you who believe deeply in the power of possibility. Your support allows us to say yes to access, yes to innovation, and yes to a future where every child feels welcome and capable. Together, we are choosing to invest boldly in play, knowing that when we do, we are shaping not just today’s moments of wonder, but tomorrow’s change-makers. Thank you for standing with us and for believing that play is one of the bravest investments we can make.
Playfully,
CEO (of Play)
2025 HIGHLIGHTS >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
FINANCIALS
2025 Revenue Total $2,892,424
• Contributed Revenue $1,642,374
• Earned Revenue $830,057
• Other Revenue & Investment Income $419,993
• Net assets released from restrictions $1,174,166
2025 Expenses Total $3,674,392
• Programs $3,105,869
• General & Administrative $387,178
• Fundraising $181,345
OUR CHAMPIONS
Adam Zahn
Alesha Overmyer
Ali Whitley
Allison Palm-Belliel*
Allyson Paris
Altitude Trampoline Park
Alyssa Lake
Amanda & Guillermo Cisneros
Amber Mcgarvey
Amway
Amy & Kevin Polston
Amy & Kirk Breukink
Amy & Tony Robinson
Andrea & Zachary Dennis
Andrea DeVos Fund
Andrea Maison
Andrew Family Foundation
Andrew Milnes
Anissa & Jermale Eddie
Anne & Stephen Scholler
Association of Children's Museums
Baldwin Foundation
Bank of America
Barbara & John Kruis
BDO
Biggby Coffee
Bonnie & James Scarlett
Boxed Water is Better LLC
Brenda Lamfers
Brett & Alexandria Filush
Brian Sharrow
Brigid & Kraig Kloostra
Bruce Goodman & Janet Krueger
Buddy's Pizza
Buffalo Wild Wings
Calina Ridgell
Candace & Paul Sorensen
Carla & Glenn Morris
Carlie & Matt Cook
Carlos Sanchez & Lynne Pope
Carolyn King
Cathleen Curley
CDV5 Foundation
Chadwick Busk
Christina Huseby
Christine & Peter Albertini
Cindy & John Williams
Cindy & Nick Paradiso
Cindy & Sean Foley
Cindy Wabeke
Clare Shubert
Craig & Patti Mutch
Dale & Sharon Rietberg
Danielle DeWitt
Danielle Parmenter
David & Carol Van Andel Family Foundation
David & Donna Hockstra
Debbie & Alan Abraham
Deborah & David Park
Deborah & Howard Wright
Delfina Vargas
Delta Dental Foundation
Delta Dental of Michigan
Denise & Tom Persons
Dewpoint IT
Donna & Michael Parr
Doug & Beth Parker
Doug & Karen Beverage
Doug & Maria DeVos Foundation
Downtown Grand Rapids Inc.
DTE Energy Foundation
Duard & Patricia Warsen
Ed Wong-Ligda & Carol Ligda-Wong
Edward & Linda Cox
Eileen DeVries Family Foundation
Elisabeth McPherson
Ella Hoekzema
Emily Buffum
Engineered Protection Systems Inc.
Erhardt Construction
Erica Osman
Erick & Holly Johnson
Erik & Kellianne Schumacher
Erin Crison & Jeremy Aungst
EV Construction
Experience Grand Rapids
Feld Entertainment Inc.
Fishbeck
Fratellis Pizza
Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park
Frey Foundation
Gabe DeVitis
Gabrielle Calkins & Anne Thompson
Gail & James Fahner
Geoff Malone
Gita Pita
Glenn & Claudia Place
Glenn Morris & Associates
Goldfish Swim School
GOLFTEC Grand Rapids
Grand Haven Area Community Foundation
Grand Rapids Public Schools
Grand Rapids Symphony Society
Grand Valley State University
Greg Willit & Meg Miller Willit
Gregory & Dorothy Flaska
Gun Lake Casino
Guzal Rahmani
H&S Companies
Heather & Brian Barthelmes
Herbrucks Poultry Ranch
Hoekstra Truck Equipment
Horizon Bank
Huntington Bank
ITC Holdings
J.C. Huizenga & Tammy Born-Huizenga
Jack H. Miller**
Jacqueline Bultman
James Horman
Jandernoa Foundation
Janet Zahn
Jason Barnum
Jenn Hackbarth
Jenna Betka-Pope
Jennifer Fowler-Rocca & Mark Rocca
Jessica & Jeremiah Johns
Jessica & Seth Yon
Jessica Furrow
Jessica Gomez
Jessie Waite
Jill & Craig Vyn
Jocelyn Dettloff
Josh Dunigan
Judy Sopeland & Charles Winslow
Julie & Jason Balgavy
Kaleigh Stuk
Kaly VanWieren
Kate Meaton
Katell Summers
Katey Morse
Katherine Hoffman-Pariyar
Kathleen & James Ringnalda
Kathy & Joel Ruiter
Kaylee & Katie Peterson
Kayleigh Kurr
Keli Christopher
Keller Foundation
Kelley Stoppels & Shawn Hughes
Kelly & Jason Joseph
Kent County Farm Bureau
Kent Medical Foundation
Kilwins
Kim & Paul Lothschutz
Kim & Tim Long
Kim Shefferly
Kimberly Flores
Kristen Faber
Kristen Hoeker
Kristin & Tom Gootjes
Kristin Beltzer
Kristine Kuhnert
Kyle Leonard
Lake Michigan Credit Union
Lauren & Nate Morris
Lauren Enos
Linda Patterson
Linkland Snack Foods
Lisa Boyd
Lisa Miller
Los Mariscos de Pancho
Louise & John Edison
Lucinda Hillard
Lynn Heemstra & William Van Vugt
Macatawa Bank
Madelon & Kurt Hassberger
Maggie & Scott Lancaster
Maggie McPhee
Marcia & Robert Schaub
Marcia McDowell
Margaret Smitt
Margaret Vega & Tom Erdall
Marianne & Art Nelson
Marilu Ormstad
Marilyn & Don Lancaster
Marilyn Kehr
Mark Baran
Marlene & Denny Bongard
Mary (Happy) Taylor
Mary & Blake Krueger
Mary & John Parker
Mary & Richard Stevens
Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Hospital
Mary Freyer
Mary Jennings
Mary Jo & Bob Pomeroy
Mason Jones
Maureen Hale
Megan & Eric Geiken
Mei Mah & Dan Fechtner
Meijer
Melissa Conway
Melissa Meitz
Mercantile Bank of Michigan
Meta Platforms Inc
Michael Davidson
Michael Davis
Michigan Education Trust
Michigan Humanities
Milinda Ysasi
Miller Johnson Attorneys
Miranda Hillard & Bismarck Lopez
Misti DeVries
Mitten Kids Dentistry & Orthodontics
Nantucket Baking Company LLC
Natalie & Omar Hall
Natalie Hillestad
National Nail Corp
Nellie Peterson
Nicole Meloche-Gregory & David Gregory
Nokomis Lavine
Northern Trust
Olive Garden
One Stop Coney
Paula & Matt Vicari
Peppinos Pizzaria & Sports Grille
Philomena Mantella & Robert Avery
PNC Bank
PNC Foundation
Reagan Marketing + Design LLC
Redtail Holdings LLC
Rehmann
Rick Armbruster
Rieth-Riley Construction Co., Inc.
Robin & Tom Bentley
Robin Bartells
Robyn Bruining & Dennie Hilliard
Ronaldo Pascual
Rotary Club of Grand Rapids
Ruth Posthumus & Marlin Feyen
Sam's Club (Kentwood)
Sandy & Kevin Jager
Sara Armbruster
Sara Talbot
Schnelker, Rassi & McConnell PLC
Shana Grife
Shannon Harris
Shari & Matthew Berger
Shirley & Mark Bordner
Shonna Swartout
Sommer Jabbar-Pearson & Branden Pearson
Sophia Courtney
Steelcase Foundation
Steelcase Inc.
Stephanie & Ryan Formsma
Stephanie Benziger
Steven Nicolet
Storr Printing
Tara & Dan Clappison
Tara Colvin
Taylor Crison-Huizenga & Ryan Huizenga
Tenisa Frye
Teresa Thome & Fred Stella
Terry & Wayne Norlin
The 4100 Group
The Gerber Foundation
Triangle Associates Inc.
Two Beards Deli
Uccello's Ristorante
Vickie & Jack Hannigan
W.K. Kellogg Foundation
Walmart (Grandville)
Warner Norcross + Judd LLP
Wege Foundation
Wells Fargo Bank
Windy & Jason Schnelker
* In memoriam of David Abbott
** We honor the memory of Jack H. Miller with heartfelt gratitude for 30 years of unwavering support and dedication, leaving behind a legacy of community impact that will be profoundly missed.
STAFF
CEO
Maggie Lancaster
CDO
Natalie Hall
CFO & COO
Erin Crison
Controller
Jenifer Nyland
Director of Education & Play
Lacey Ahmed
Director of Operations
Carly Katt
Director of Marketing & Events
Megan Geiken
Director of Exhibits & Facilities
Jeffrey MacDonald
Director of Grants & Evaluation
Madison Perian
Programs Manager
Sarah Butler
Gift Shop Manager
Ashley Soto
Development Manager
Nicolette Chambery
Volunteer Coordinator
Jennifer Hernandez
Educational Outreach Manager
Kate Meaton
Membership Manager & Database Coordinator
Alayna Forgette
Operations Coordinator
Jamal Dawson
Janitorial Manager
Omar Gonzalez
Janitorial Assistants
Jessica Carpenter
Roberto Gonzalez
Floor Managers
Ashley Soto
Claire Hammond
Kim Flores
Lily Snyder
Program Facilitators
Gil Lopez
Hailey McColgan
Liz VanOstran
Michael Keys
Play Facilitators
Emily Vazquez
Essence Hill
Isaac Ysseldyke
Jude Garlets
Jullian Greer
Kenadee Spicer
Mallory Jackson
Matthew Zabler
October Travis
Rebeca Lopez
Sandra Gil
Tennyson Holsclaw
Vermadee Sherif
Willow Grey-Lughod
BOARD
Nick Paradiso
Michael Best Strategies
Past President
Jocelyn Dettloff
Mary Free Bed
Board President
Benjamin Brenner
Match-E-Be-Nash-She-Wish Band for Pottawatomi Indians (AKA Gun Lake Tribe) Tribal Council Member
& Gun Lake Tribe Gaming Authority
President Elect
Jessica L. Yon
Artist
Vice President
Erik Schumacher
Rehmann
Treasurer & Secretary
John Parker
EV Construction
Member at Large
Members
Katherine (Katie) Mason Asante
Mason Jones
Kristi L. Haik, Ph.D.
Grand Rapids Community College
Miranda Hillard, MD
Corewell Health Helen DeVos Children's Hospital
Sommer Jabbar-Pearson, Ph.D.
AYA Youth Collective
Sandy Jager
Mercantile Bank
Jason Joseph
Corewell Health
Paul Lothschutz
H & S Companies
Mei Mah
Center for Educational Partnerships, GVSU
Krashawn Martin
City of Wyoming Director of Parks and Recreation
Kevin Polston
Kentwood Public Schools
Dale Rietberg
Varnum, LLP
Jason Schnelker
Schnelker, Rassi, & McConnell, PLC
Kelley Stoppels
Miller Johnson
Margaret Vega
Fine Artist and Founding Director of SiteStudio and Children's Designing for Children Artist
THANKS FOR A GREAT YEAR!
We are an environment for play.
We advocate for the value of play.
We build minds through play.
