Number of Attendees: 31

Ministry with Community

Mission:

To empower people to make positive life changes by providing food, daytime shelter and other basic services to central Kalamazoo’s homeless, poor, mentally ill and hard-to-serve adults. Through community cooperation, these services are provided in an atmosphere of dignity, hope, and unconditional acceptance.

Ministry with Community history:

• Started 30 years ago in basement of North Presbyterian Church providing meals to needy
• Mid 80s- purchased existing property for day shelter and meals
• Serve people experiencing poverty, mental illness, homelessness, working poor, individuals and families
• Rebuilding Lives Capital Campaign – undergoing a $6 million campaign to support and enhance Ministry with a broad range of services. New location for the building at 500 N. Edwards, the public shelter area will be 3 times larger and the dining room will accommodate almost twice as many people, there will be additional classrooms, offices for outreach workers and multipurpose spaces to accommodate the current level of need and provide necessary flexibility to meet the future needs of individuals and families.

Staff:

• Rob Oakleaf- Executive Director (Kalamazoo College graduate)
• Ali Kole- Volunteer and Development Coordinator
• 3 fulltime social workers- available 7 days a week to help with any issues
• Office staff/volunteers

Services provided to meet basic human needs {first come/first served):

• Warm place to stay
• 2 meals served daily, 365 days a year, averaging 300-400 meals daily
• Food pantry
• Haircuts
• Flu shots
• HIV testing
• Mailing address
• Use of phones
• Laundry facility
• Private shower facility
• Provide personal hygiene items (baskets around campus)

Additional services provided:

• ID program Social Security cards/Birth CertificatesJob team that assists finding day jobs and long-term jobsHave van that takes individuals to job sites starting at 5am
• Staffed Computer lab //use Michigan Works, JET (Jobs, Education, Training) and AARP
• Provide equipment used at job sites, such as steel-toed boots
• Bus tokens

Opportunities to Volunteer (includes past and present):

Internships through Mary Jane Stryker CenterHumanities – Poetry Readings

• SIPs
• Research- opportunities for students
• Collecting personal hygiene items
• Gardening
• Serving Meals

Activities

• Bingo (will need to provide small prizes such as candy, clothes, personal hygiene items)
• Arts and crafts (will need to provide supplies)Ice cream socials (they provide bowls and spoons, will need to provide ice cream and toppings)
• Gardening- either vegetable or flowers (vegetables usually are picked by someone prior to being ready) – can check with various greenhouses to provide free plants, etc.
• Music- have students/staff/faculty provide
• Dance
• Picnics/Lunch- if group larger than 3 or 4, will need to arrange a day to serve in advance

Donations of the following items to Ministry with Community are always needed and appreciated. Items can be dropped off weekdays 6:30 a.m.–5:30 p.m.

• Deodorant (travel size)
• Two-Bladed Razors
• Lotion (travel size)
• Feminine Products
• Lip Balm
• Shampoo (travel size)
• Conditioner (travel size)
• Soap (travel size)
• Toothbrushes
• Shaving Cream
• Band-Aids
• Bath Towels & Washcloths

Kitchen Needs

• Sugar (packets or bulk)
• Peanut butter and Jelly
• Coffee Mugs (9 or 10 oz.)
• Teaspoons Dish
• Towels & Dish Rags Minutes

Submitted by Jennifer Combes