Program Updates

Food Club

Six years ago, Malcolm* and Leah* first connected with Community Action House through our former food pantry. Retired, they spend much of their time volunteering in the community. When they learned Action House was opening Food Club, they signed up right away—excited to have fresh, healthy food within reach for them on their fixed income.

After becoming Food Club members, Malcolm and Leah began attending Healthy@Home classes, where they learned new recipes and cooking skills while finding a community of support. They also shop at our Resale Stores, where affordable finds help stretch their budget even further. Today, some of their favorite moments are spent cooking together, trying recipes from class with fresh ingredients they picked out at Food Club. Fresh, healthy meals that once felt difficult to fit into their budget are now part of how Malcolm and Leah eat, cook, and care for their health together every day.

Over time, their connection to Food Club has opened the door to even deeper support. Last year, Malcolm and Leah worked with our Financial Wellness team through the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program. Through the program, they had their taxes filed at no cost, leaving more room in their budget for other bills and everyday expenses.

After years spent giving their own time to others through volunteering, Malcolm and Leah are grateful to have a community they can count on too, sharing, “Community Action House is a group of people here that helps us feel happier and healthier, and we are so grateful to be here.”

*Names and photo changed for privacy

Outreach & Housing Access

Earlier this year, a sudden crisis left Audrey* without a stable place to call home. Although she was working full time, her income wasn’t enough to qualify for housing. Each night, after a full day of work, she returned to her car to sleep.

Working alongside Good Samaritan, our team helped Audrey complete the homelessness verification she needed to pursue financial assistance through their Rapid Rehousing program. At the same time, Audrey connected with our Financial Wellness team to build a budget and begin laying the groundwork for a stronger financial future.

Over the summer, her determination paid off: Audrey was approved for housing! Soon after, she became a Food Club member, and our team provided vouchers to our Resale Store, where she found a high chair for her young son. With a safe, stable home again, Audrey was able to bring her son home after he had been staying with family.

Today, Audrey is still working full time, and at the end of each day, she and her son have a safe home to return to together. Through Food Club, she can choose fresh, healthy groceries for her family, and she continues working with our Financial Wellness team toward an even stronger financial future. With a community walking alongside her, Audrey found a safe home, reunited her family, and began building a brighter future.

*Name and photo changed for privacy

Financial Wellness

Last year, Lillian* was facing the possibility of losing her home to foreclosure. She turned to our Financial Wellness team for support, and together, they saved her home, refinanced her mortgage, and consolidated debt into more manageable monthly payments.

Our partnership didn’t stop when that immediate crisis was resolved. Lillian continued working with our team to make the most of her fixed income and make informed financial decisions. We also connected her with Food Club, where affordable access to fresh, healthy food helps stretch her budget while supporting her health.

Although Lillian continues to face significant financial challenges, she doesn’t have to face them alone. Our team continues to walk alongside her, offering guidance as circumstances change to help her find a way forward.

“The time and effort you put into me is far reaching,” Lillian shared. “It is invaluable having you to talk to about big financial decisions… [and] I plan on teaching my nephew and niece the budgeting techniques I learned.”

*Name and photo changed for privacy

Food Rescue & Partnerships

While Food Club prepares to open each Thursday morning, another kind of shopping is happening downstairs. For two hours each week, our Food Rescue & Partnerships team welcomes nonprofit partners serving church meal sites, day programs, residential housing, and other community organizations to “shop” our surplus inventory and bring fresh food back to the neighbors they serve.

Since July, 21 nonprofit partners have taken more than 30,000 pounds of food back into our community! On an average visit, partners leave with about 230 pounds of produce, meat, dairy, and pantry staples. By sharing our surplus with organizations already serving neighbors across our community, we’re ensuring good food reaches our neighbors who need it most.

The capacity to redistribute food at this scale has been built through years of investment and collaboration. We’re grateful for the staff, volunteers, food donors, and nonprofit partners who make it possible. Together, we’re turning excess food into food access!

Community Kitchen

Earlier this year, David* began visiting the Community Kitchen for warm meals while living outdoors and navigating serious physical and mental health challenges. With a reliable place to return to, David began building relationships with our team, and we walked alongside him to take steps toward stability.

Our team helped David begin navigating housing options. Because of his health needs, finding the right housing has been complicated, and living outdoors made it difficult to consistently manage the medication he relies on. Through it all, the Community Kitchen remained a place to reconnect, meet an immediate need, and keep moving forward.

Working alongside our community partners, we’ve continued building a network of support around David. Community Mental Health helped him secure a short-term housing placement earlier this year, and when that ended, our friends at Gateway Mission stepped in to provide emergency shelter.

While David is still on waitlists for transitional housing that will best support his health, having a community rally around him in support has brought the stability he needs to continue building a brighter future. What began with a warm meal at the Community Kitchen has grown into a network of support helping David find a way forward. We’re grateful for the community partners who walk alongside us and our neighbors, ensuring no one has to face challenges alone.

*Name and photo changed for privacy

Resale Stores

In August, a volunteer group from Good Shepherd Lutheran Church joined us at our Northside Resale Store! After seeing a back room full of clothing and household goods ready to be stocked, the group jumped in and, in just two hours, got everything out onto the sales floor.

Good Shepherd Lutheran Church has been a steady supporter of Community Action House since 2011, finding tangible ways year after year to care for our neighbors. Earlier this year, their Women’s Group donated boxes of personal care products for neighbors in need. From donating essential items to sharing their time and talents at Resale, we’re grateful for the many ways Good Shepherd Lutheran Church continues to take action alongside us to build a stronger community.

Resale Store Hours & Information

Resale South

694 Michigan Ave, Holland 49423

Shopping Hours: Monday-Saturday, 10am-6pm, closed Sunday

Donation Hours: Monday-Saturday, 10am-5pm, closed Sunday

Resale North

650 Riley Street, Holland 49424

Shopping Hours: Monday-Saturday, 10am-6pm, closed Sunday

Donation Hours: Monday-Saturday, 10am-5pm, closed Sunday

Cleaning out your closets this fall?

Donate to Resale! Your gently used items get a second life—providing essentials for neighbors and generating the funding that keeps our programs strong.

As a thank you for donating, you'll receive a coupon for your next purchase at Resale!

Donation Guidelins

Program Highlight

Congresswoman Hillary Scholten visits Food Club

Last month, we were proud to welcome Congresswoman Hillary Scholten to Community Action House for a conversation about affordability, food access, and building a stronger, healthier community. We believe leaders make stronger decisions when they understand both the realities our neighbors are navigating and the practical solutions our community is building. That’s why we welcome opportunities to bring what we’re learning—and our neighbors’ experiences—into conversations about lasting solutions.

We regularly engage with elected leaders from across the political spectrum because healthy food, stable housing, and financial stability are critically important community issues, not partisan ones. These challenges affect families across our community, which is why we regularly welcome elected officials from across the political spectrum to listen, learn, and engage. That ongoing dialogue has included city and county officials, state lawmakers, staff from Congressman Bill Huizenga’s office, and most recently, Congresswoman Hillary Scholten.

During Congresswoman Scholten’s visit, we shared what we're seeing across West Michigan right now—from the affordability challenges families are navigating, to the importance of federal nutrition, healthcare, and housing efforts, to the collaborative solutions emerging through efforts like our Lakeshore Food Rescue, Food as Medicine healthcare partnerships, and the Food Club Network.

Every day, neighbors come together through Community Action House to listen, learn, and work toward a stronger future for every family. We’re grateful to everyone who chooses to build that future alongside us.