Program Updates

Financial Wellness

Earlier this year, our Financial Wellness team spent the day at Bridget’s House, an organization in Allendale that supports women and children experiencing housing instability. This visit marked the beginning of a collaborative effort to provide tailored, one-on-one financial guidance to each family living there. From reviewing credit reports to developing custom debt repayment plans, we worked side-by-side with residents to lay the groundwork for long-term financial progress.

When Sharon* sat down with our team, we uncovered a tax issue that was preventing her from receiving critical tax credits. We connected her with our Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program, where she got the support she needed to identify the issue, gather documents, and complete the paperwork needed. With these steps taken, Sharon will soon have access to tax credits again—giving her the financial cushion she needs to catch her breath and begin taking steps toward a stronger financial future.

Going forward, our Financial Wellness team will be a continued resource for residents and a welcoming partner for new guests at Bridget’s House. We’re so grateful to collaborate with partners like Bridget’s House to ensure all our neighbors have access to the tools and support needed to build a stronger financial future!

*Name and photo changed for privacy

Food Club

This International Women’s Month, we’re proud to celebrate the strength and resilience of women and families in our community! Thanks to the national nonprofit PERIOD., our Food Club was recently stocked with free menstrual care kits. Their volunteers helped pack and donate hundreds of kits, helping to meet a critical but often overlooked need. Period products can be expensive, and when families have to choose between groceries and personal care, groceries often take priority. These kits will help provide more neighbors with the dignified access to essentials they need to thrive!

When our neighbors have what they need to feel confident and cared for they’re better equipped to focus on building a brighter future. Throughout March, we’re collecting personal care items to help ensure all of our neighbors have the essentials they need. Drop off donations at Food Club or our Resale Store and be part of building a stronger, healthier community!

Outreach & Housing Access

When our Outreach team first met Don at Refresh, he was living outdoors, facing what felt like an impossible list of barriers. At Refresh, he began working one-on-one with our team to secure steady income, gather the documents needed to pursue housing, and connect with our partners at Community Mental Health. Through that partnership, Don qualified for a permanent supportive housing voucher! This type of voucher helps neighbors who need additional support maintain stable housing. Participants contribute a portion of their income toward rent, and the voucher covers the remaining cost. Don also worked with our VITA team to file his taxes—one more step in strengthening the financial foundation that would support his move into housing.

After working through applications with our team, Don was approved for housing with his voucher! In October our team helped furnish his new home with items from our Resale Store and connected him to Food Club so he could access the fresh, healthy food he needs to thrive. Today, Don still visits Refresh from time to time. What was once a place of urgent need is now simply part of his community where he finds familiar faces and steady encouragement. With a safe home and support network, Don has rediscovered his love for hiking and biking, knowing he’ll always have a safe, warm place to return to at the end of the day.

Lakeshore Food Rescue

Last month Krista Burgett, Senior Manager of Food Partnerships, shared her expertise at the GVSU Food Connections Summit! This summit brings together local farmers, businesses, students, and organizations to strengthen partnerships and explore solutions for a more sustainable food economy. During her presentation, Krista explained how redirecting surplus food keeps good food out of landfills, reduces harmful environmental impact, and strengthens regional collaboration to turn excess food into food access. We’re so grateful for opportunities to lead in conversations like these and to champion solutions that nourish our neighbors and protect our planet.

With Global Recycling Day coming up on March 18, we’re reminded that recycling goes beyond paper and plastic. Food can (and should!) be recycled too. Through Lakeshore Food Rescue, surplus food that would otherwise go to waste is redirected to neighbors who need it most. In 2025 alone, our Lakeshore Food Rescue program rescued more than 3.1 million pounds of food!

Community Kitchen

Last month, we gathered to celebrate the Community Kitchen’s final day of service at Western Theological Seminary. Guests, volunteers, and staff were welcomed with a celebratory buffet featuring grilled steak, roasted veggies, strawberry french toast, and more. The room was filled with laughter and stories as neighbors reflected on the friendships formed and hope restored around those tables!

Looking ahead, we’re excited for the Community Kitchen’s next chapter—one rooted in collaboration, and the hope of providing more integrated support for our neighbors. The Community Kitchen is now serving meals at First United Methodist Church and will move again this spring to a newly renovated space at the Salvation Army. We’re deeply grateful for the decades of partnership with Western Theological Seminary and for the many community partners including FUMC, the Salvation Army, and so many others who walk alongside us in building a place of hospitality and care for our neighbors.

Resale Store

Construction is moving along at our second Resale Store on the Northside, on track to open in April! Built from neighbors, for neighbors, every donation, sale, and volunteer shift at our Resale Stores fuels programs that build a stronger, healthier community.

Ready to kick off your spring cleaning? Donate to Resale! Clear out those closets, gather gently used items, and bring them our way, or host a Resale donation drive!

Resale donations also equip neighbors like Allison with the essentials needed to build a brighter future: earlier this year, a sudden crisis left Allison* without a safe, stable place to call home. As a Food Club member, she knew she could turn to our team for support. Together, we gathered essential documents, navigated job applications, and our team provided a Resale Store voucher to ensure she had clothing for interviews. Soon after, Allison shared excitedly with our team that she had found a job!

Still, stable housing remained out of reach. When a housing application was denied due to an old utility bill, our team helped Allison appeal the decision—submitting proof of payment and letters of recommendation to strengthen her case. With that added support, her application was approved, and Allison moved into a safe, stable home! Today, Allison continues to access fresh, healthy food through Food Club and is working with our Financial Wellness team to build a budget and strengthen her savings.

*Name changed for privacy

Program Highlight

Healthy@Home and Financial Wellness Collab!

Last month, we welcomed 9 neighbors for a Healthy@Home class in collaboration with our Financial Wellness team! At Action House, we know that healthy eating doesn’t happen in isolation. It’s connected to financial stability, access to resources, and the confidence to plan ahead. When neighbors have the tools to manage both their food and their finances, they’re better equipped to build lasting stability.

During the class, guests learned practical strategies for planning weekly menus, building cost-effective grocery lists, and reducing food waste while preparing and tasting a homemade pasta sauce recipe. By combining nutrition education with financial tools, neighbors left equipped with simple, actionable steps to support both their health and their household budgets.

March is National Nutrition Month! It's a great reminder that nourishing your body with healthy food and staying active can boost your energy, support your health, and help you feel your best. Even small changes can make a big difference! Looking for a fun way to celebrate? Join us for a Healthy@Home class this month!

Save the Date

The Golf Classic is Back!

Register here for Action House's 23rd annual Golf Classic, presented by Bradford! Get together a group of four friends or colleagues and enjoy a great day of golf and new connections while supporting Action House programs.

Thursday, June 11, 2026

The Ravines Golf Club | 3520 Palmer Dr, Saugatuck, MI 49453

AM Session: 8 AM - 1PM | PM Session: 1:30 PM - 6:30 PM

Noble Twist’s Give Back Tap is on March 18!

On Wednesday, March 18, Noble Twist Taphouse is hosting a Give Back Tap to support Community Action House. Stop by from 4-9pm to support Action House programs that nourish, equip, and empower our neighbors!

Enjoy Songs of the ‘70s While Supporting Action House!

Join Holland Christian’s Living Hope Singers on March 13 and 14 at 7:00pm and celebrate the iconic songs of the ’70s through their Vintage Vibes Showcase! $1 of every ticket sold will support Action House programs that build a stronger, healthier community.