Dear friends,
This month, many families across our state have seen their food benefits significantly reduced. For nearly three years, folks have relied on additional support as part of an expanded food benefit program launched during the pandemic. This change leaves more than 13,000 low-income Ottawa County neighbors with less, at a time when groceries, rent, and other essentials already cost more.
Along with our partners, we're preparing to meet increasing need. Last week alone, 34 brand new families came to Food Club seeking help, and left with a Food Club membership and healthy groceries. Today as I write this, over 1,200 families have active Food Club memberships - relying on food from our shelves to fill their tables.
As our own costs increase to rescue, purchase, sort, stock, and share this food, we hope you’ll consider supporting our work in new ways through this time of expanded service.
Monthly Donations help sustain our work, every single month. It costs us $60 per month to support each new Food Club family membership. Help us expand our ability to welcome and serve!
Regular Volunteers keep Food Club, the Community Kitchen, and our Food Rescue team running, every day of the week.
For too many families, this could be a breaking point. We remain committed to standing alongside our neighbors in the critical moment between a challenge and a crisis, to ensure that all in our community have the resources they need to achieve stability. This work is only possible because of people like you, and we're incredibly grateful for your belief and support.
Gratefully,
Scott Rumpsa | CEO
Program Updates
Financial Wellness
In our third year as a VITA (Volunteer Income Tax Assistance) provider, our volunteer team has already completed tax returns for 185 of our neighbors!
One guest shared that our team helped her file her taxes in both 2021 and 2022. She was so appreciative of our service, and shared that she was "so impressed and inspired" by the program that she wanted to be involved as a volunteer next year! We love seeing guests jump in to continue building a stronger community for all of our neighbors.
Food Club
When the Opportunity Hub was designed, our team dreamed about creating a shared community space, where other local experts could volunteer their time and expertise to sharpen our guests’ knowledge and build a stronger network of support.
We’re so glad to have our partners from OAISD as regular guests in our Healthy@Home cooking classes, and as participants in a special cooking class series with MSU Extension! Jenny, a Special Education Teacher with OAISD, says that our classes “teach critical skills about healthy eating, while also providing an opportunity for my students to be part of a community where they feel safe asking questions and interacting with others.” And her students love participating in class too! One student mentioned, “I take ingredients home and use them to cook for myself and my family” while another student enjoys class as an opportunity to “be around friends and community members.”
Community Kitchen
When our Food Rescue team received a large donation of candy, Chef Heidi knew we could use it to bring some fun to guests at the Community Kitchen. She loaded up her car, then went to work setting up a Pop-Up Candy Shop!
Volunteers gave each guest a chocolate gold coin to “buy” a candy of their choice during their visit to the Community Kitchen. Guests had a great time, and our team loved utilizing community resources in a new, fun way! We're all about finding small, creative ways to delight our guests, and using food as a tool to foster joy and connection.
Outreach
Last month, Action House and First United Methodist Church of Holland (FUMC) celebrated the fourth anniversary of Refresh: Hygiene and Hope! Refresh is a joint effort to provide access to services that increase dignity, and eliminate housing barriers for neighbors experiencing homelessness. Refresh Program Director, LuAnne, shared “I think our [dignifying] approach to Refresh is what makes this different. People have come from other programs where they were not seen as a human being. At Refresh, we offer relationships, and that is empowering.”
Volunteers and Outreach staff work to greet each guest by name, offer connection, learn their stories, and celebrate moments big and small. Since its inception in 2019, Refresh has grown 156% with over 15,000 visits, and has provided 5,791 showers, 565 haircuts, and 2,858 case management meetings for guests.
In Case You Missed It
CAH News & Updates
Action House raises $3,416 for I Am Academy!
If you shopped at our Resale Store on February 25, you helped support local nonprofit I Am Academy! Learn more about their efforts to empower African American youth in our community.
Community Action House: Reimagining Our Approach & Expanding Our Impact - Community Action House
Our partners at the Michigan West Coast Chamber of Commerce are helping spread the word about our efforts to build a stronger, healthier community! In February's edition of The West Coast Way Magazine, Action House CEO Scott Rumpsa shares about what makes us different, our innovative approach to alleviating hunger and poverty in our communities, and what the 2022 Impact Award means for our programming.
Fustini's cares for the community through charitable giving
Community Action House was selected as the Holland Fustini's nonprofit of choice for 2023! Read more about their efforts to give back.
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