An innovative collaboration called Partners in Ministry has opened a new Community and Service Center in downtown Grand Rapids’ Heartside neighborhood.
“It's just a place for people to come during the day if they don't have a place to go warm up, get a cup of coffee, charge a phone and have a restroom to use.”
Brian Kamstra is the Community Resource Coordinator at Westminster Presbyterian Church.
It’s hosting the new center on Jefferson Avenue SE.
“It's also a place where we're trying to bring resources to the people who need it. We're trying to get people to caseworkers, get housing assessments done, get connected to resources and insurance, healthcare. We're really just trying to create a place where people can come to one place to start working back towards independence.”
The city of Grand Rapids provided $40,000 toward the project, partnering with Degage Ministries, Mel Trotter Ministries, Catholic Charities West Michigan and seven area churches.
“It's a very ecumenical project. You have a lot of different views, a lot of different places that they're coming from in terms of faith, but we're all kind of putting aside our differences to work on something together.”
The collaborative group, known as Partners in Ministry, includes the following organizations (listed in alphabetical order):
- Catholic Charities West Michigan
- City of Grand Rapids
- Cornerstone Church
- Crossroads Bible Church
- Dégagé Ministries
- First United Methodist Church
- LaGrave Christian Reformed Church
- Mel Trotter Ministries
- Park Church
- St. Mark's Episcopal Church
- Westminster Presbyterian Church
The center is open Monday through Friday from 8AM to 3PM.
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