About Our Chapter

Welcome to Chicktime Grand Rapids! My name is Gina and I am the Managing Leader of our chapter. I accepted a leadership position with Chicktime when the need arose, but I firmly believe every volunteer is a leader in her own right. I’ve been working at an organization that serves kids in residential treatment and foster care for most of my career. While my role is in technology, I’ve always enjoyed opportunities to interact with the teens and mentor them. I started serving with Chicktime because I loved the premise of women sharing their gifts with children who need strong role models.  I’d seen the impact that safe adult mentors have on the kids I already serve, and the joy that comes from seeing kids from broken situations have the opportunity to be kids… sometimes that includes the adults as well! I’m passionate about getting things done well and encouraging the best in people.
 
We would love for you to join us on our journey to add love and joy to the lives of these children. Our volunteers are what keeps our chapter going and that is why we need you too! If you’re interested in becoming a member or receiving event invitations, select the “Join a Chapter” link and then click MI- Grand Rapids.

 
 
Our History:

Chicktime Grand Rapids was founded in 2016 by Melissa Drenchen. Her Chicktime adventure began with googling volunteer opportunities. She was looking for a way to give back to the community. Empowering women and children, especially those that maybe disadvantaged had become extremely important to her. She also had a passion for helping children with special needs and when her own nephew experienced great change when he received access to a therapeutic animal, she  decided that more children with special needs should be able to have that experience as well so she opened my own therapeutic riding center. It is Melissa’s dream to help make lives better one person at a time. Melissa believed that what makes Chicktime so great is how easy it is to get involved! We thank Melissa for her two years of dedication to Chicktime Grand Rapids.