Degage Ministries is seeing an increase in women needing emergency shelter, this winter hitting its highest number ever. Right now 153 women are staying at the shelter and the boil water advisory is hitting them hard.
“That’s a hardship for every family, in terms of having to boil water or adjust their cooking but when you have 150 people in shelter, that becomes a real emergency.’
The Grand Rapids Fire Department delivered 30 cases of water to Mel Trotter Ministries and another 30 to Degage. Shelter leaders say it’s going through it fast. Executive Director Thelma Ensink is appealing to people in the community to help by donating bottled water that Degage can also share with neighbors in low-income apartments nearby.
“This afternoon we’ll go out and make sure some of our unsheltered friends have access as well. We’re concerned about our most vulnerable in the community that just don’t have the luxury of having their own home or their own stove to boil water.”
Anyone wanting to donate cases of bottled water can bring them directly to Degage Ministries at 139 Sheldon in downtown Grand Rapids where staff can unload them.
