Outreach is made possible by deep collaboration between the Lakeshore Housing Alliance, a program of the Greater Ottawa County United Way, the Michigan State Housing Development Authority, and Action House Outreach staff - serving families and individuals experiencing housing hardship in Ottawa County while actively assessing community needs. 

Contact: outreach@communityactionhouse.org | 616-594-0092

Our Approach

Working in close collaboration with the Lakeshore Housing Alliance, our team follows a Housing First approach, combining it with highly relational and collaborative service, to help neighbors find & maintain safe, stable housing. A Housing First approach acknowledges that stable housing is a fundamental need and the critical first step in building long-term stability (National Alliance to End Homelessness, 2022). 

• Meeting housing needs first allows us to remove a significant barrier to other life improvements: when we put housing first, people are more likely to achieve job stability and better health and therefore remain housed. 

• Housing First doesn’t mean housing only—it creates a foundation upon which further progress is possible. Once housed, our team walks alongside individuals to connect them to resources that help them stay housed. From food access through Food Club, to Financial Wellness counseling and classes, recently housed neighbors are more likely to maintain stability if they have access to coordinated resources and a network of support.

Our Outreach Programs

Refresh: Hygiene and Hope

Herrick District Library Partnership

How to Support

In addition to providing long-term support and pathways toward safe housing, we work to meet immediate needs in an effort to keep our neighbors safe and warm during the winter months. Your donations of winter gear directly support our neighbors experiencing homelessness.