Kendra Wills
willsk@msu.edu
Telephone: 616-608-7424
Cellphone: 517-930-0928
MSU Extension
Community Food Systems Educator, Product Center Innovation Counselor
MSU Extension at the Downtown Market109 Logan Street SW. Grand Rapids MI 49503
Community Engagement & Leadership Development
Kent County Extension Office 775 Ball Ave. N.E.Grand Rapids, MI 49503
Kendra Wills works on community engagement and leadership development as well as farm-to-school education.
Coverage Area
Kendra Wills works on local food council development, food business coaching, local food procurement, and the promotion of Michigan foods and agriculture.
Tags: kent, msu extension
Authored Articles
- Employee mentorship and positive community impact are the keys to success for this Grand Rapids fresh juice business, August 16, 2019
- Home vegetable gardeners are asked to "grow a row" for their local food pantry, May 17, 2019
- 490 Bakery aims to employ previously incarcerated individuals, March 11, 2019
- Critical conversations at the April 5, 2019 Michigan Racial Equity in the Food System Summit, February 22, 2019
- How does Michigan State University’s Product Center help new food businesses?, February 1, 2019
- Generation Yum: Learn how Millennials and Gen Z are impacting the food system, January 15, 2019
- Bridge Street Market opens in Grand Rapids, September 12, 2018
- PA 116: A farmland preservation program in Michigan that new farmers may not be familiar with, June 25, 2018
- Reducing waste one straw at a time, June 4, 2018
- An introduction to Michigan lamb, May 9, 2018
- Free point of sale devices for accepting SNAP benefit payments delayed, March 28, 2018
- Being mindful of your health during March Madness, March 7, 2018
- St. Patrick’s Day is a great time for kids to try new green foods, February 21, 2018
- Show your love with Michigan cherries, February 7, 2018
- New online resource for building local food councils, January 16, 2018
- What’s new with meal subscription services?, January 8, 2018
- Thinking about tapping maple trees in 2018?, November 27, 2017
- Spectrum health in Grand Rapids launches culinary medicine program for residents, October 31, 2017
- What is food systems planning?, October 2, 2017
- Local food for your tailgate, September 20, 2017
- Fall food and beer pairings, September 20, 2017
- Thinking about food systems when disaster strikes, September 18, 2017
- Michigan Food Hub Network and Incubator Kitchen Network held joint meeting on July 20, July 27, 2017
- MSU Students launch local food business made from campus grown foods, June 27, 2017
- Michigan State University launches its first Extension Office at a community college, May 30, 2017
- Bulk buying at the Southeast Area Farmers' Market provides benefits for low-income families, May 30, 2017
- Celebrating the history of the strawberry, May 23, 2017
- Implementing a client choice food pantry model, May 1, 2017
- Many USDA grant programs will likely hold a 2018 grant cycle, April 11, 2017
- Celebrating the history of maple syrup, March 20, 2017
- Montague and Whitehall school meals include locally-grown potatoes, February 20, 2017
- Seasonal eating in the winter months, January 24, 2017
- Solving food insecurity in Michigan, January 19, 2017
- Reducing food waste at home, January 17, 2017
- Unique partnerships to promote farm-to-school, January 12, 2017
- There's still time to celebrate farm-to-school month, October 19, 2016
- Study up on different ways to use venison, October 7, 2016
- Michigan potatoes are delicious autumn comfort food, September 28, 2016
- Happily preserving their farmland, September 7, 2016
- Grand Rapids’ largest urban farm adds pizza to their menu, August 23, 2016
- MSU Extension helps evaluate the Muskegon Farmers Market, August 22, 2016
- Sourcing locally-grown carrots for Michigan institutions, August 12, 2016
- Have you evaluated your farmers market lately?, August 8, 2016
- Have you evaluated your farmers market lately?, August 8, 2016
- The green roof: a worthwhile investment, August 3, 2016
- Don't miss out on Michigan cherries, July 19, 2016
- First MSU Extension office to be awarded Spartan Gold-Level Green Certification, June 23, 2016
- MSU Extension teams up with Power of Produce at the Muskegon Farmers Market for the second year, May 26, 2016
- Home gardeners can donate produce to food pantries, April 29, 2016
- Radishes can actually be pretty rad, April 19, 2016
- Lake County farmers market feasibility study process, April 19, 2016
- Michigan Fresh from the hoophouse, March 22, 2016
- Combine reading and healthy food during National Reading Awareness Month and Nutrition Months, February 29, 2016
- Growing in the classroom, February 23, 2016
- Flint leaders working to build community sustainability, February 1, 2016
- Lessons learned from a career in school nutrition, January 28, 2016
- 2016 featured local foods for institutions, January 12, 2016
- Learning to grow on foreign soil, December 7, 2015
- School nutrition staff tour Prairie Farms dairy operations, November 19, 2015
- How do I talk to farmers about their food safety practices?, October 21, 2015
- Fall in love with Michigan’s fresh flavors, October 12, 2015
- Donating Michigan venison to food pantries, September 30, 2015
- Join the Michigan Apple Crunch, September 28, 2015
- Advancing Michigan farmers markets, September 15, 2015
- Farm-to-high school, September 9, 2015
- Healthy food fuels a successful partnership, September 1, 2015
- Lowell students get a lesson in business at the Grand Rapids Downtown Market, August 20, 2015
- Damaged school hoop house?, August 20, 2015
- Celebrate local food and farming during National Farmers Market Week, July 9, 2015
- Michigan Fresh comes to a farmers market near you, June 12, 2015
- Grand Rapids-area food pantries stock local produce, June 2, 2015
- Do I need a license to sell eggs at the farmers market?, May 28, 2015
- Tips for growing tomatoes in your home garden, April 27, 2015
- Healthy transplants are key for a successful garden, April 22, 2015
- Teaching medical students to cook, April 20, 2015
- Celebrate Easter with locally-produced eggs, March 19, 2015
- Planning your Michigan Fresh garden, February 26, 2015
- Should your community start a farmers market?, February 24, 2015
- Muskegon’s local food scene is emerging, February 6, 2015
- Where are Michigan’s food hubs?, January 26, 2015
- Free winter break reading list for foodies, December 16, 2014
- Ice cream with a local twist, December 10, 2014
- Creative ways farmers are growing with Double Up Food Bucks, December 4, 2014
- Why do we eat cranberries at Thanksgiving?, November 19, 2014
- Putting a Michigan turkey on your table for Thanksgiving, November 10, 2014
- Growing more than produce at New City Neighbors’ urban farm in Grand Rapids, Michigan, November 5, 2014
- October is National Farm-to-School Month, September 22, 2014
- Spice up your tailgate with Michigan meats, September 8, 2014
- Collaborative markets, August 20, 2014
- MSU Extension launches “Summer Surplus” produce donation campaign in Western Michigan, August 6, 2014
- Serving up local from the county fair, July 21, 2014
- Get ready for Michigan blueberries, June 19, 2014
- Michigan Catch and Cook program connects community members, local restaurants, May 28, 2014
- Farmers markets a great learning opportunity for kids, May 22, 2014
- Cultivate Michigan, April 23, 2014
- Act now if you want to rent garden space in Grand Rapids, April 17, 2014
- LINC Up Soul Food Café serves workforce development with a side of fried pickles, March 14, 2014
- Families behind the food, March 13, 2014
- Will a mobile farmers market work for your community?, March 5, 2014
- Broccoli for Bruno Mars and kale for Katy Perry, February 20, 2014
- Michigan wool at the 2014 Winter Olympic Games, January 23, 2014
- The Grand Rapids Downtown Market offers a variety of ways to expand your local food knowledge, January 19, 2014
- Honoring Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. with a national day of service, December 31, 2013
- Advice from chefs about ordering at a farm-to-table restaurant, December 31, 2013
- Locally-sourced food dominates National Restaurant Association’s top trends list for 2014, December 16, 2013
- “Let’s Move Salad Bars to Midwest Schools” campaign gets attention in Michigan, December 4, 2013
- Venison: Enjoying the local harvest and giving back, November 3, 2013
- MSU Extension teams up with Gavin Orchards to celebrate Michigan apples at two West Michigan schools, October 20, 2013
- Where do all these soybeans go?, October 8, 2013
- ArtPrize in Grand Rapids, Mich. is fueled by local produce, September 20, 2013
- New farm project in Grand Rapids, Mich. seeks to provide employment for refugees, September 10, 2013
- Michigan school districts welcome back students with Michigan apples, peaches and pears, September 3, 2013
- Farm-to-Pizza: a farm-to-school lesson plan for elementary students, August 13, 2013
- Michigan Fresh now offers five fact sheets in Spanish, July 29, 2013
- Can a vegetable garden save you money?, July 15, 2013
- Summer reading list for foodies, June 27, 2013
- Senator Goeff Hansen’s Inaugural Bicycle Tour Highlights Hidden Agri-Tourism Gems in Oceana County, June 13, 2013
- Celebrating Made in Michigan week at school cafeterias, May 23, 2013
- High school students liked Michigan lamb for lunch, May 2, 2013
- Celebrating Earth Day helps youth develop leadership skills, April 13, 2013
- Several “healthy corner stores” in Grand Rapids ready to expand, March 8, 2013
- Preserve your farm through purchase of development rights if you have an expired oil and gas lease, March 8, 2013
- Farm-to-school success story: Grand Rapids Public Schools adds Michigan dry beans to its menu, February 21, 2013
- Oil and gas leases can affect farmland owners' purchase of development rights, February 11, 2013
- Celebrating Martin Luther King Jr. day of service, January 15, 2013
- Consider adding Michigan whitefish to your healthy diet for the new year, January 7, 2013
- Attention Agricultural Producers: USDA Value-Added Producer Grants can help you expand, December 31, 2012
- Advice for parents on developing leadership qualities in children, December 11, 2012
- Grand Rapids schools offer healthy meal choices, November 27, 2012
- Techniques for citizen participation in the comprehensive planning process, November 15, 2012
- Starting a community conversation using the World Café format, October 17, 2012
- Great Lakes farm market expo offers educational opportunities for local food producers, October 15, 2012
- Grand Rapids' new “Downtown Market” continues making progress, September 21, 2012
- Attention absentee voters: Follow voting rules so your vote counts, September 20, 2012
- Successful strategies for engaging the Latino and Hispanic population, September 10, 2012
- Grand Rapids area farmers make the leap to restaurant ownership, August 19, 2012
- Breakfast on the Farm in Kent County provides hands-on learning about local agriculture, July 27, 2012
- The Grand Rapids Urban Forest Project: Building citizen advocates, July 10, 2012
- Attention Michigan farmers: Schools are looking for more vegetables and beans, June 26, 2012
- Gardening with special needs: The benefits of horticultural therapy, May 21, 2012
- Senator Goeff Hansen partners with MSU Extension to promote Michigan fruits and vegetables, May 21, 2012
- Economic Gardening: A Tool to Develop Local Business Leaders, April 20, 2012
- Kent County to Offer Junior Master Gardener Program in Two Locations This Summer, April 20, 2012
- Taming the meeting beast, March 20, 2012
- Godfrey-Lee schools serve locally grown vegetables, March 13, 2012
- MSU Extension and Aquinas College partner to build community leadership, February 21, 2012
- MSU Extension provides facilitation assistance to engage citizens in biobanking practices, February 17, 2012
- Double Up Food Bucks program helps increase Bridge Card sales at West Michigan farmers markets, February 4, 2012
- Double Up Food Bucks Program helps increase Bridge Card sales at West Michigan farmers markets, January 16, 2012
- MSU Extension and West Michigan Farmlink partner to promote local food purchasing, January 12, 2012
Authored Documents
- Conservation Easements, May 31, 2016
- Selling to schools and hospitals, January 11, 2016
- Michigan Fresh: Maple Syrup (E3251), September 15, 2015
- Michigan Fresh: Great Lakes Lake Whitefish (E3211), January 28, 2015