Program Updates

Food Club

Last month, we invited the community to “Act with Action House” for Hunger Action Month - and one neighbor, Joanie, jumped right in! As a longtime supporter of Community Action House, Joanie has hosted donation drives and fundraisers in the past, but this time she brought her community together for something new.

Inspired by the opportunity to nourish our neighbors in a hands-on way, Joanie rallied 25 friends and neighbors for a day of fun, connection, and packing meal kits! Neighbors ages 2 to 80 came together and packed over 50 meal kits - each one helping stock the shelves at Food Club and giving local families the ingredients they need to cook simple, easy, fresh meals at home.

We’re so grateful to Joanie and her neighbors for coming together to help build a stronger, healthier community! Join the movement by gathering your friends, church group, or coworkers this month to pack meal kits and help nourish our neighbors this holiday season!

Pack Meal Kits!

Outreach & Housing Access

Earlier this year, Maya* and her family were experiencing homelessness for the very first time. Unsure of where to turn, she connected with our Outreach team at Refresh for support. Meeting her with kindness and care, our team immediately focused on what mattered most: keeping her family safe and together.

At Community Action House, we know that finding a path forward often takes more than one organization - it takes a network of agencies working together. That’s why we turned to our trusted network of partners to ensure Maya received the support she needed to take the next steps toward stability.

Our partners at Lifeline Ministries quickly stepped in, providing a hotel stay that offered Maya’s family immediate relief and shelter. Soon after, we connected Maya with Family Promise, who helped her complete housing applications and ultimately secure safe, stable housing. Through each of these transitions, we walked alongside Maya ensuring every connection was rooted in trust, dignity, and a shared commitment to her family’s future. We’re so grateful to our community partners who join us in building compassionate, coordinated solutions and help connect neighbors like Maya with the tools and resources needed to build a brighter future.

*Name and photo changed for privacy

Financial Wellness

As a Food Club member, Jennifer* already knew that Community Action House was a place she could turn to when things got tough. So when financial hardship hit, she reached out, trusting that our team would walk alongside her. While working through her immediate challenges, we discovered a missed opportunity: Jennifer had not filed taxes for several years and didn’t know she was eligible for unclaimed refunds.

Partnering with our Financial Wellness team, Jennifer began the process of filing several years of taxes. Together, we navigated each form and phone call, breaking down the complicated process into manageable steps. In the end, Jennifer recovered thousands of dollars - providing a critical financial cushion at a time when stability felt out of reach.

Today, Jennifer continues to work with our Financial Wellness team to build a budget, sharpen her skills, and set financial goals. Jennifer’s story reflects what we’ve seen for over 50 years: when life becomes uncertain, neighbors turn to Community Action House knowing we’ll walk alongside them with tools, care, and partnership they need to build a brighter future.

*Name and photo changed for privacy

Lakeshore Food Rescue

At Community Action House, we believe good food belongs with people - not in landfills. That’s why our Lakeshore Food Rescue program works to redirect surplus food to neighbors who need it most.

Our partners at Superior Sales, a Hudsonville produce wholesaler, regularly have an abundance of fresh fruits and vegetables to share with the community. When one of their longtime partners, Jehovah Jireh, was suddenly short on cold storage, our team stepped in. Each week, Lakeshore Food Rescue now picks up produce from Superior Sales, delivering what Jehovah Jireh can store and redistributing the rest to local partners across Ottawa County, our Food Club, and the Community Kitchen. It’s a flexible, community-powered solution that ensures good food gets to the families in our community who need it most.

Just last month, Superior Sales donated 12 pallets of cucumbers, and our team quickly got to work making sure every box was delivered to local partners who are helping to build a stronger, healthier community!

Community Kitchen

Last month, our team at the Community Kitchen hosted a special Guest Appreciation Pop-Up to celebrate the neighbors who fill the Kitchen with connection, conversation, and community every day. With a table filled with treats, personal hygiene products, and small trinkets, we created a space where neighbors had the opportunity to choose something special just for them.

Small comforts like these can make a big difference and remind our neighbors that they’re not alone. We’re grateful for everything our volunteers and Kitchen team do to make the Kitchen a warm, welcoming place for everyone in our community. It's because of them that our neighbors feel seen and supported at the Kitchen. And when someone feels safe and known, our team can step in with the resource connection and one-on-one support they need to take the next steps toward lasting stability.

Program Highlight

Healthy@Home at the Holland Farmers Market!

Earlier this fall, our Healthy@Home team joined the Holland Farmers Market for a joyful afternoon of food, music, and family fun. The day began with a story time from Herrick District Library, followed by beautiful music performed by a quartet from the Holland Symphony Orchestra.

After the music, families gathered to build their own colorful grain bowls using fresh ingredients provided by our Healthy@Home team. Kids got creative with coloring pages and temporary veggie tattoos, while parents connected with our team to learn more about Community Action House programs.

We were so grateful for the opportunity to connect with families through this fun, hands-on activity and to share simple ways to build a stronger, healthier future! A big thank you to the Holland Farmers Market, Herrick District Library, and the Holland Symphony Orchestra for partnering with us.

Save the Date

Host a Food Drive Before Thanksgiving!

Thanksgiving is right around the corner, and we're preparing to provide up to 1,800 families with the Thanksgiving groceries they need to make their holiday meal special. Help us stock the shelves and empower families to cook healthy meals at home by hosting a food drive!

Host a Drive

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, Healthcare Partnerships Manager Mara Lidacis and Director of Communications Katy Russner-Travis appeared on WHTC to talk about Hunger Action Month.