About Us
Our Staff
Contact us at entf@hwmuw.org.
Wende Randall (she, her, hers)
Director
wrandall@hwmuw.org
Emily Madsen (she, her, hers)
Data Analyst
emadsen@hwmuw.org
Janelle Vandergrift (she, her, hers)
Kent County Food Policy Coordinator
jvandergrift@hwmuw.org
Nick Dobkowski (he, him, his)
Food and Energy Facilitator
ndobkowski@hwmuw.org
Tamara Bailey (she, her, hers)
Administrative Assistant
tbailey@hwmuw.org
Our History
The Kent County Essential Needs Task Force (ENTF) was formed in 1982 in response to the struggles that people living in Kent County residents were facing to meet their basic needs. ENTF focuses on system change with an emphasis on collective impact and the interconnectedness of all systems.
Alignment Partners
ENTF works closely with other local and statewide systems-change conveners, to strengthen our work and uplift similar organizations that hold a shared vision for an equitable future. By maintaining communication, aligning strategies, and advocating together, ENTF and our alignment partners can expand our reach and deepen our impact. A few of our Alignment Partners include:
Our Board of Trustees
In 2013, A governance committee was formed, comprised of seven organizations taking a leadership role to guide ENTF. In 2023, that group restructured as a Board of Trustees, to include community-wide system experts. Current Board of Trustees Members:
- City of Grand Rapids - Connie Bohatch
- Kent County - Sandra Ghoston-Jones
- West Michigan Works! - Tawana Brown
- City of Wyoming - Nicole Hofert
- Heart of West Michigan United Way - Michelle VanDyke
- Department of Health and Human Services - Tracey Fountain
- The Salvation Army - Victoria Arnold
- Digital Inclusion Committee Chair - Blythe Kazmierczak, Euzen Connect
- Economic and Workforce Development Committee Chair - Jayme Vosovic, Michigan League for Public Policy (alternate Daniel VanderMolen, First Step Kent)
- Energy Efficiency Committee Chair - Monica Light, Flat River Outreach Ministries
- Food and Nutrition Committee Chair - Nancy Maiquez, YMCA
- Transportation Committee Chair - Ken Miguel-Cipriano, Public Agency at WMCAT (alternate Michael Williams, Disability Advocates of Kent County)