Community
Why we love them:
Autism Support of Kent County (ASK) works to provide services that make it possible for individuals with autism to lead healthier and more productive lives. ASK funds programs, worth over $70,000 annually, for individuals affected by Autism Spectrum Disorder and their families.
Why we love them:
David's House Ministries exists to extend God's love and foster a community of care to adults with special needs. Their goal is to provide a fun, life-enriching experience for all of the residents that call us home. They work to create an environment conducive to providing quality, total-person care for those living and receiving services at David's House.
Why we love them:
Created in 1969, Family Assistance has been serving local needs as a ministry through Calvin Christian Reformed Church. Specifically, the organization provides free clothing for many in the community
who struggle to make ends meet. Working through area social services, local agencies and schools, Family Assistance is able to fill over 4,000 clothing orders on an annual basis. These clothes are available to many people within our community including (1) Head Start children and other students in poverty, (2) those who are homeless, (3) new refugees in the area, (4) those being resettled out of prison, (5) those who are struggling due to mental illness, and (6) the many others who find themselves swallowed by poverty through other circumstances. Care for the needy requires a holistic approach and the Family Assistance ministry welcomes its small role in providing for God’s world.
This is a thriving ministry that is supported by donations of gently used clothing and financial donations.
Family Assistance by the Numbers:
- 72,657 individuals served (January 1986–October 2020)
- 3,687 baby quilts sewn since 1986
- 1,299 winter jackets requested in 2020
- 1,103 pairs of boots requested in 2020
- 80 agencies served
If you're interested in donating clothes to Family Assistance, please call ahead to check on any restrictions at 616-----?
Kid's Food Basket
Why we love them:
In 2001, a Grand Rapids Public School principal witnessed some of her students digging through the trash for food to take home for dinner. Mary K. Hoodhood, a long-time advocate, heard this story and set into motion a grassroots community response: Kids’ Food Basket. In 2002, we started by serving 125 kids every weekday at three schools through our Sack Supper program. Today, we serve approximately 8,800 every day, but our work is not done.