“We had, through our food pantry, almost 11,000 different food requests filled and served over 2,000 unique households.”
Katie Carpenter is Development and Communications Coordinator for The Other Way Ministries on Grand Rapids West Side. She says the organization’s 2025 Annual Report highlights their continuing mission of meeting the community’s needs.
“We had over 6,500 hours of volunteering across our different programs during 2025.”
Carpenter says before the COVID pandemic, their food pantry service served around 150 individuals and families.
“And we are now serving over 900 per month, so that is 600 times that amount.”
The Other Way Ministries also offers respite programs for the unhoused as well as after-school programs and childcare services.
“Our teen club really has grown from 12 teens to over 40 teens that have been interested in participating in some ways. We do have a wait list for our K-5 afterschool and summer programs, too, so we’re certainly seeing a need in our community.”
You can read the full report here.
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