homelessness
Powerful, individual stories behind homeless numbers
by (Degage Ministries)
Submitted 02-21-2018 under NONPROFITS
Numbers tell an important story, but more meaningful to me is the powerful story of each person represented by those numbers. Katheryn has one of those powerful stories. After being homeless for many months, she came to Dégagé's Open Door Women...
Small steps, big results
by (Guiding Light)
Submitted 02-07-2018 under NONPROFITS
A new year is often thought of as a new start. For Johnny, this January has been the realization of a long-time goal. This is a special story for me to be able to share with you: the hard work and long road that’s resulted in a new type of...
Formerly homeless, Heartside resident uses voice to give back
by (Degage Ministries)
Submitted 02-06-2018 under NONPROFITS
Five years ago, Thomas found himself homeless when he and his sister were evicted after their mother's death. With nowhere else to go, Thomas went to an area shelter where he was told about Dégagé and the services we offer. Not one to let a...
Catalyst Radio: HQ talks about helping homeless youth in Grand Rapids
by (Catalyst Radio)
Submitted 01-12-2018 under NONPROFITS
Host John Moose Williamson speaks with Luke Petsch, Development Director of HQGR, a youth drop-in center for those in unsafe or unstable housing situations. For more information on HQ, visit https://hqgr.org/. Catalyst Radio is the weekly public...
Regulating begging is still bad solution to poverty, public safety concerns
by (Elizabeth Roger...)
Submitted 12-12-2017 under OPINION
I work at The Rapidian now and have for about three years, but before I was a staff member, I was a community journalist. The second article I wrote on The Rapidian was an opinion piece detailing why I thought banning panhandling was a terrible idea...
Open Projector Night Spotlight from UICA: Jose Jimenez, People's Choice Award winner
by (KCAD)
Submitted 12-12-2017 under NONPROFITS
Give us a short bio. I am a Latino filmmaker born and raised in Los Angeles. I attended California State University, Northridge where I earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Cinema and Television Arts. I’ve produced, wrote, filmed, and edited a...
Finding more than a place to sleep
by (Degage Ministries)
Submitted 12-05-2017 under NONPROFITS
Katheryn is a woman of deep faith who came to Dégagé for more than a place to sleep. She came wanting to deepen her faith, grow in her ability to trust, and be encouraged in her journey. After her first night in our Open Door Women's Center,...
Dégagé patron volunteers give back each week in dining room
by (Degage Ministries)
Submitted 10-05-2017 under NONPROFITS
Our Patron Volunteer Program gives our patrons the opportunity to volunteer their time and talents in our Dining Room. Once a volunteer serves 20 hours, they are presented with a certificate of recognition and are invited to our monthly pizza party...
Hope Community meets housing needs of women, their children
by (Hope Community ...)
Submitted 07-05-2017 under NONPROFITS
Hope Community is dedicated to meeting the housing needs of homeless women and their minor children. The program is administered by the Grand Rapids Housing Commission. Hope Community facilities include a service center thathouses offices for...
At Westminster, Scott finds food, community, purpose
by (kooim)
Submitted 06-22-2017 under LOCAL LIFE
For Scott Smith, 52, the Downtown Food Pantry at Westminster Presbyterian Church provides more than just food. It enhances his quality of life. He first found the pantry when he was at one of his lowest points. Today, he’s able to help those...