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Leaving a legacy is a concept with layers of meaning. Joya Bandstra’s connection with the Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Foundation is one such example. Her dad, Ken Bandstra, is a Charter member of the Bonsai Society. In 2023, he made a gift to the Foundation in Joya’s name to allow Joya to become a member of the Perennial Society. With the gift, Joya chose an unrestricted, named fund at the Foundation — the Bandstra Family Fund. Joya was honored at the 2024 Society Donor Recognition event.

As Joya puts it, her dad bought in from the beginning. He was a good role model for his kids, making it clear to them that he always wanted to be part of the community. In 1999, he and his now-husband Ken had a commitment ceremony at the Gardens, a “beautiful event” that Joya remembers fondly. Something Joya and her dad share is a love for architecture and art, a mutual passion that they bond over with their visits to Meijer Gardens.

“I’ve seen so many places and things — what we have here is amazing, the depth of programming, something to do in every season... I’m finding something new every time I come. I finally took the time to walk through the entire sculpture garden. It’s astonishing how much is here. There is something for everyone.”

Joya has worked in graphic design, tech, communications, and global operations. Two years ago, with her kids out of the home, she had the opportunity to move wherever she wanted — and she decided to come back to Grand Rapids, landing a role as the Director of Brand Management Operations at Steelcase.

Now, she’s thinking about her own legacy. As she explains it, her dad “gave money to establish a fund, but I have since built the Foundation into my own estate plan.” With her kids graduated from college and on their own, Joya notes that she has room to be more intentional with what comes next. When we talked to her, a good friend had just been in a fatal car accident the weekend before. “It puts it all into perspective,” she said. “Being intentional about a plan, no matter how old you are, is important.”

After 30 years in South Bend, Joya notes, “What has struck me since moving back to Grand Rapids is how fortunate we are in this community to have the wealthy families that intentionally keep the money in the community — even if they’re no longer here. That’s the difference I’ve noticed between us and other towns our size.” It’s because of the community’s generosity that “there’s no town this size that has the abundance and level of facilities we do.” Amidst the arena, amphitheater, and other venues that draw crowds from the area and beyond, Joya thinks “this is the flagship spot for GR.”