A quiet Beginning, A Flourishing Movement

In the quiet determination of a few local advocates, among the grassroots conversations, there was a hum of something long overdue. It was 2018 and a small group of people in Grand Rapids came together and began asking a simple question no one else seemed to be asking: Why is it so hard for LGBTQ+ people to get the health care they need?

The spark came from a specific problem. Grace Huizinga, a longtime nurse and healthcare educator, began looking at why LGBTQ+ people in Grand Rapids struggled to access PrEP, the medication used to prevent HIV. The issue wasn’t availability. It was that most local providers lacked the training and comfort levels to discuss and prescribe it. That fostered bigger conversations about gaps between the LGBTQ+ community and the healthcare systems, and how trust, discrimination, and past negative experiences kept people from seeking preventive care at all.

To some, it was just another barrier. To others, it was the first time someone was truly listening. But to those who would become the heart of this movement, it was the quiet exhale that comes when a community finally rises up to care for itself.

They started with nothing but conviction, volunteer-run, passion-fueled, and determined to help eliminate healthcare disparities for LGBTQ+ people across the greater Grand Rapids region. In 2020, they became a formal 501(c)3 nonprofit. In 2023, they hired their first Executive Director. And with each step, the movement continued to grow stronger.

This isn’t just an organization anymore. It’s the hope of many.

When patients walk through the doors that once felt closed, when providers learn to ask the questions that save lives, when young people see themselves reflected in the future of healthcare, there’s an unspoken understanding in the room…This is why we do what we do.

Today, that quiet beginning has become something much more. It's become a gathering place, a point of connection, a true hub for health and belonging. Renamed QHub Health in 2026, we are building on that foundation, deepening our commitment, and expanding our reach.

Because the work is not done, neither are we. And we are STRONGER TOGETHER!

Mission: Championing Health Equity for the 2SLGBTQIA+ community

Vision: Thriving Queer Communities. Affirming Care for all!

QHub Health: Stronger Together - New Name. Same Fight.

We Are Still Stronger Together.