Dear friends,

November is Homelessness Awareness Month.

Often when we think about homelessness, we focus on what we can see - what happens after someone loses their home. But behind every visible struggle are months or years of quiet challenges: rising costs, lost income, or shrinking support that slowly push families toward crisis.

Homelessness doesn’t happen in an instant.

When affordable housing is out of reach, even small setbacks - an illness, a reduced paycheck, an unexpected bill - can push families past the breaking point. One hard month can quickly turn into a crisis.

This month, as Michigan families face continued challenges and uncertainty with November SNAP benefits, that reality is hitting home for thousands of our neighbors. When a family loses access to food support, their risk of homelessness increases. Hunger and housing are deeply connected - because every dollar needed for food is a dollar not available for rent, utilities, or transportation to work. When families can’t afford both, they often lose more than just meals.

Our team works to keep families in their homes, and get families into homes. Through Food Club, Financial Wellness, and Resource Navigation, we ease pressure on family budgets and strengthen stability before a crisis hits. And when someone has already lost housing, our Outreach & Housing Access team walks alongside them - offering critical assistance, guidance, and connection to housing.

There’s no single story of homelessness, and no single solution. No one organization can solve homelessness on its own. Our housing system is made up of many incredible partners, each tackling a different piece of the puzzle. We’re deeply grateful for all of the agencies and community members who are committed to this work, and to strengthening how we all show up, together.

So far this year, we’ve already walked alongside 88 families – 111 neighbors – who moved from homelessness to safe housing, and helped 25 families avoid foreclosure. Each story looks different - because every person’s path to stability is unique. This month, we’re sharing a few of those stories. The more we understand the challenges each neighbor faced, and the ways our team and partners worked alongside them, the more fully we can celebrate what it truly takes to move from crisis to stability - and the collective effort behind every story of hope.

We’re celebrating neighbors like:

Robert,* who lived outdoors while working until finding housing with our team’s support.
Allison,* who secured a job and continued working each day while unhoused, until a breakthrough moment alongside our team led her to a safe apartment.
Amanda,* whose family avoided eviction through financial counseling and support.

Our community can be a place where every person has what they need to move through moments of challenge with dignity - where losing housing doesn’t mean losing hope, and where neighbors help neighbors find stability, belonging, and a place to call home. That vision depends on all of us: showing up, giving generously, and extending care to one another, especially during moments of crisis.

Volunteer: Serve a meal at the Community Kitchen, lend a hand at Refresh, or fill a pressing need at Food Club as we help families build and maintain stability.
Donate: Gifts of every size power our work. Every $85 can cover our monthly costs of serving one more family at Food Club. Looking for a consistent way to support? Join our Community Table: the circle of monthly donors whose steady support keeps us flexible and responsive.
Share: Follow along and share the stories we’re highlighting this month - awareness and understanding are powerful forms of action, too.

Everyone deserves a safe home, good food, and the opportunity to build a strong foundation for their family. And everyone needs a community that believes in them - their worth, their dignity, and their potential. Thank you for working alongside us to build a community where this vision becomes a reality.

Sincerely,

Scott Rumpsa | CEO

Program Updates

Food Club

Last month we celebrated the fourth anniversary of our Food Club & Opportunity Hub - a place where thousands of neighbors have found the healthy food, resource connection, and financial empowerment they need to build a brighter future. This milestone is only possible because four years ago, neighbors like you said “yes” to powering this work.

To celebrate, last month we hosted CommunityFest - our annual week-long celebration for Food Club members, filled with fun, gratitude, and connection. Sponsored by Corewell Health, the event featured fun for all ages: pumpkin painting, games, a family photo booth, and time to reflect and celebrate.

This year’s celebration came at a time of growing need in our community. Recent uncertainty with SNAP benefits is leaving families with only a portion of their typical food assistance for November. Thousands of local neighbors will still need support this month. In response, we are preparing to double our service this month alone – serving up to 500 families a day, six days a week at Food Club. We’re so grateful for the generosity of neighbors like you, who have powered our work for the past four years, and are making it possible for us to provide extra support to families who are impacted by the SNAP pause.

Outreach & Housing Access

Earlier this year, our Outreach team met Thomas* while he was living outdoors. The lack of available and affordable housing in our community meant that even with income, he couldn’t find a place to call home. Thomas began visiting the Community Kitchen and Refresh, where he found nourishing meals, hygiene services, and through our support, connected with our partners at Community Mental Health.

As Thomas began working with Community Mental Health, he received a housing voucher through their program - opening up more opportunities to secure safe, stable housing. After working through applications with our team, Thomas applied for an apartment and was approved! On move-in day, furniture, dishes, and other essentials from our Resale Store were delivered, transforming Thomas’s new apartment into a warm, welcoming home, and a foundation for future progress.

Now equipped with a Food Club voucher to access the fresh, healthy food he needs to thrive, and connections made with our Financial Wellness team, Thomas is moving forward with hope and momentum.

*Name and photo changed for privacy

Financial Wellness

As the cost of living rises, more neighbors are feeling the effects of stretched budgets and shifting support systems. This year, our Financial Wellness team has seen more families in our community seeking out financial counseling - including Noah*, who reached out after an unexpected crisis left him at risk of foreclosure.

Determined to keep his family in their home, Noah partnered with our team to understand his options and chart a path forward. Together, Noah and our team navigated months of paperwork and unexpected roadblocks. In the end, Noah was able to refinance his mortgage - saving his home and giving his family the foundation of stability they needed to move forward.

Keeping someone in their home costs less than regaining housing after homelessness. Our programs help interrupt the pipeline into homelessness by lowering costs, building skills, and offering support that helps people stay stable. Our Financial Wellness team is here to help. The sooner a neighbor reaches out, the more options we have to help them protect their home and financial future.

*Name and photo changed for privacy

Lakeshore Food Rescue

When truck drivers face rejected freight or overloaded hauls, that perfectly good food often goes to waste. Recently, a neighbor employed at a local truck stop noticed this, and connected with Lakeshore Food Rescue – looking for a way to make sure that this extra food didn’t go to waste!

Now, when a truck rolls onto the scale and is over the weight limit, the team at the truck stop knows they can give us a call. Thanks to this partnership, we can rescue fresh, high-quality food straight from trucks and redistribute it to our Food Club, Community Kitchen, and other local partners across Ottawa County. We’re so grateful for neighbors like this who speak up, step in, and help turn excess food into food access!

Community Kitchen

At Community Action House, we believe that meals are an expression of care and connection. The Community Kitchen serves hundreds of hot meals every week, but our Kitchen team’s impact goes even further.

Over the past year, the Community Kitchen team has stepped up to help make our special events like The Reunion and Farm-to-Food Club even more meaningful. Whether they’re preparing farm-fresh dinners or unique appetizers, our Kitchen team brings skill, care, and joy to every meal.

When event guests enjoy a meal from our Kitchen team, they get a taste of the same care and hospitality served every day at the Community Kitchen. The Kitchen team’s work behind the scenes helps turn each event into a celebration of community - where good food becomes a bridge to deeper connection and belonging.

Program Highlight

Nourishing Healthcare Partnerships

Last fall, we launched our Nourishing Healthcare Partnerships program, designed to improve the health and wellbeing of our neighbors by increasing access to fresh, healthy food. Through this initiative, we partner with healthcare providers - like Holland Free Health Clinic - to offer Food Club vouchers to neighbors facing both chronic health conditions and food insecurity.

The early results are encouraging: 66% of participants reported eating more fruits and vegetables, and 83% of participants shared that they now manage their health conditions more effectively. This program is designed not just to provide food, but to empower neighbors with the nutrition and tools they need to thrive. We're excited to continue growing this program and deepening our partnerships in the healthcare space to support even more neighbors in building a stronger, healthier future!

Save the Date

Giving Tuesday is December 2!

Giving Tuesday is coming up soon - a global day of generosity that fuels local impact. As rising costs and shrinking supports leave more families struggling to afford basic needs, your support helps Community Action House show up with compassion, connection, and practical support when it matters most. Together, we can make this our most impactful Giving Tuesday yet. Mark your calendars, or make your early gift today to help us kick it off strong!

Donate Early!

In Case You Missed It

Celebrating Compassion in Action

Last year, 2,800+ individuals powered our service, turning their Compassion into Action to build a stronger, healthier community.

Talk of The Town

Last month, CEO Scott Rumpsa appeared on WHTC to talk about the fourth anniversary of our Food Club & Opportunity Hub and share about Food Club’s impact.

Tune In!

FOX 17: Holland nonprofit prepares for surge in need as Michigan pauses November SNAP benefits

The uncertainty of SNAP benefits will impact more than 30,000 neighbors in Ottawa and Allegan counties. Support our neighbors by donating, volunteering, hosting a food drive, and advocating for SNAP and similar programs.

Learn more

Michigan Health Endowment Fund: Food Clubs Adapt and Expand to Meet Community Needs

In October, our partners at the Michigan Health Endowment Fund shared an article highlighting how Michigan’s food clubs are evolving beyond food distribution to offer dignified access, food rescue, and social‑service integration.

Learn more

WOOD TV: Food Club celebrates four years of service

Last month marked the fourth anniversary of Food Club! Since opening, Food Club has provided over 5 million meals-worth of groceries to over 7,036 families.

Learn more

MDARD Awards Community Action House Farm to Family Grant

This year, MDARD awarded Community Action House funding to expand our community’s access to locally sourced produce and eggs at our Food Club & Opportunity Hub!

Learn more