Join the Fight Against Hunger

For Ethel Sluiter, having the resources from TrueNorth Community Services’ food pantry has helped her and her husband make ends meet. Both have retired and are unable to work, and because of this, they are living on a fixed income making it challenging to get by with the rising cost of living.

Ethel has come to TrueNorth’s food pantry every two weeks for the past five years. Having a reliable place to get food and other necessities like laundry soap and personal care items has helped Ethel and her husband live off of their fixed income.

With rising costs, many seniors like Ethel have struggled to get by. In just the past year, there has been an increase of seniors who have utilized TrueNorth’s Hunger Prevention services. Ethel says these services are a, “Tremendous support for people, especially the senior citizens…for senior citizens, they can’t work. This is a tremendous support for them.”

Living on a fixed income makes unexpected costs difficult to manage. Ethel says that being able to come to TrueNorth’s food pantry gives her peace of mind that if these unexpected costs come, she has access to food and essential items and won’t have to sacrifice her family’s essential needs to get by.

“I’m just thankful for the help that we do get,” says Ethel. With the resources from TrueNorth, Ethel and her husband are able to live healthy, secure lives knowing they have what they need to live and thrive.

You can help individuals and families like Ethel by giving to our Hunger Prevention programs. Your gift will provide those in need with nutritious, healthy food that will give them the sustenance necessary to lead productive lives. Without your compassionate support, many in our community would go hungry.

You can also join the fight against hunger by attending Empty Bowls. Supporters come to Empty Bowls for a simple lunch of soup and bread and take home a hand-decorated bowl as a reminder of all the empty bowls in our community. 

If you can’t attend Empty Bowls, you can still help meet our neighbors needs by making a generous gift.

Make your commitment to decreasing food insecurity in our community by giving today and attending Empty Bowls. Click below to make your caring gift and register for Empty Bowls.

Make a caring gift to Hunger Prevention

Register for Empty Bowls

Duane Gives Back

After being chronically homeless for three years, Duane is happy to be living his new life safely housed. It wasn’t an easy journey to get to this point, however. Through Duane’s hard work and support from TrueNorth Community Services, Duane was able to change his situation for the better and now even gives back by helping those who are in the same situation he used to be in.

When Duane was homeless, he would utilize the tent city during the summer and the local shelter in the winter. He would stay with a family member or a friend temporarily from time to time but that was never the best situation for him. Duane worked two jobs to help get him on his feet, but even while doing everything he could, he didn’t believe he deserved to have a place to call home. Duane says, “And I think I didn’t deserve it, and that was wrong… I was working two jobs trying to get myself [on] my feet so I can get somewhere in life.”

Through encouragement from his caseworker at TrueNorth and seeing his hard work pay off, Duane began to have more hope for a healthier future. Duane’s determination paid off when he moved into his new apartment the day before his birthday. When reflecting on how he felt when he first walked into his new home, Duane says, “I wanted to jump up and down and make all kinds of noise and throw a big old party. I worked hard to get this, you know. Ya, I was pretty excited.”

After being housed, Duane’s personal life improved as he had fewer worries and was reconnecting with his family. “I don’t have many worries. It’s great having a place to live,” says Duane. “I have some stress but not too bad, it’s a lot easier now that I have a place.” Having a place to call home enables Duane to focus on his relationships and his future. Now, Duane has a stronger relationship with his siblings because they have less worries about his well-being now that he lives in a safer, healthier place.

Giving back to the community has also been important to Duane even when he was homeless. Duane had started volunteering at HELP Ministries before he found housing. After volunteering for a while, he was offered a job and continues to work there today. Duane has also spent time volunteering at the homeless shelter he used to stay at. He doesn’t want anyone else to be in his previous situation, which is why he continues to volunteer at the shelter to help others get back on their feet.

Today, Duane has been living in his new home for over 2 years. He continues to work and volunteer and is still grateful for the support he has received to get where he is today. Duane says, “I don’t want to live the homeless life again so I’ll do what I can do to keep my apartment and find resources. I don’t want to see anybody else homeless either. No going backwards, it’s always forward.”

An Exciting New Name Change

TrueNorth’s Newaygo County Out-of-School Time programs, Engage! at Patricia St. Clair Elementary and David C. Outwin Middle School, and R.E.A.C.H. at White Cloud Elementary and White Cloud Jr. High, are now part of 21st Century Community Learning Centers (CCLC) Project FOCUS (For Our Children’s Ultimate Success) programs. Their new official name is Project FOCUS Rural Grit.

Michigan’s Nita M. Lowey 21st Century Community Learning Centers funding is through a competitive grant application with the Michigan Department of Education and is part of the federal Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). In partnership with White Cloud Public Schools and Hesperia Community Schools, TrueNorth applied for the grant in March and received notification in June that the grant proposal was awarded. The grant will provide $245,000 for each district’s afterschool program for just over $2.5 million for five years. 

The purpose of the 21st CCLC program is to provide federal funds to support the creation of community learning centers that provide academic enrichment opportunities during out-of-school hours. The program helps students meet state and local academic standards in core subjects and offers a broad array of enrichment activities that complement their regular educational programs. The program’s success lies in strong partnerships with the school districts, as all work together to provide a caring, safe, and supportive environment for children after school. The funding also allows for a six-week summer program in both districts.  

“The 21st CCLC funding will be a huge asset for our rural communities. Providing structured out-of-school time programming for students will give them the much-needed homework help and enrichment experiences they may not get otherwise. It can definitely be a game-changer in the trajectory of the lives of these students,” said Hesperia school board member Mark Kraus, who is also part of the Project FOCUS Rural Grit Collaborative Advisory Committee. 

For more information or to apply for Project FOCUS Rural Grit at Hesperia or White Cloud, please reach out to Danielle Siegel, Youth Programs Director, at dsiegel@truenorthservices.org or call (231) 942-0641, ext. 109.

Gerber Gives Back in Many Ways

Gerber Life is a Life Insurance company based in Fremont. With a little over 500 employees in total, between their main offices in Fremont, an office in White Plains, NY, and remote workers, they service the entire country. As a community-minded organization, they allow each employee individually to serve four hours, and an additional four hours as a group, volunteering for local organizations, on the clock.

The offices in Fremont house their Contact Center, Agency, I.T., and Operations Teams, and a great many of these employees have volunteered for a variety of TrueNorth programs and services, including, the Feeding America West Michigan Mobile Food Pantry, Tools for School, and Children’s Christmas Programs. 

“TrueNorth is such an asset to, and serves so many in our community,” said Kari Faltinek, Gerber Life Senior Project Manager. “We at Gerber Life consider ourselves a family, and those values translate perfectly to what TrueNorth does, so we’re happy to be a part of that.”

Since 2006, Gerber Life staff have volunteered over 1,815 hours for TrueNorth. “Gerber Life continues to be a pillar of support for TrueNorth and our communities. Their commitment to creating a better world is evident through their generosity and service. We are proud to have them as partners in achieving our mission,” said Mark Kraus, our Community Liaison and Development Director. 

Tools for School Levels the Playing Field

Tools for School helped level the playing field for over 800 Newaygo County students on Tuesday, August 15th, when they all received brand new backpacks, full of the school supplies they’ll need to start the year off right. Depending on each student’s age, backpacks included items such as folders, pencils, pens, markers, crayons, notebooks, pencil boxes, erasers, highlighters, glue, scissors and more.

Students and families were able to access vital information and services from several TrueNorth programs, and many local organizations, including – Arbor Circle, Corewell Health, DHHS, Fremont District Library, Girl Scouts Michigan Shore to Shore, Junior Achievement, Michigan Public Service Commission, Molina Healthcare, Newaygo Day Care Corp, Newaygo Promise, Telemon Corporation, and Youth Attention Center.

In addition, students were able to receive dental checkups, and vision exams, from the Child and Adolescent Health Center. Some students even left the event with fresh haircuts, thanks to local hairstylist Raven, from Hair by Raven. Youth also enjoyed outdoor fun including a bounce house, face painting, free book giveaways from the Newaygo County Great Start Collaborative, and even animal visits with pet turtles and a bunny!

“Having enough school supplies is vital to a students’ success in the classroom.” said Mike Voyt, Children’s Services Director. “We want to make sure that all students start the school year off on a level playing field, excited and ready to learn.”

Additional backpacks will be distributed to area schools in the coming weeks, and in the end, we will serve over 1,000 students this year. Tools for School is supported by the Fremont Area Community Foundation, The Gerber Foundation, Choice One Bank, and community contributions and volunteers.

Being Neighborly with Coffee Connections

Coffee Connections, a new initiative of Community Connections, has been taking being neighborly to the next level. For many seniors in our community, it can be challenging to find opportunities to interact with others and spend time outside of their homes. To help those experiencing social isolation, Coffee Connections was created to be a welcoming place for individuals to gather and enjoy time together, right from their homes.

TrueNorth has visited three locations, multiple times, bringing coffee and other beverages, chairs, and a welcoming atmosphere. Having been run since June, dozens of seniors have begun to form and strengthen new friendships.

Coming right to individuals’ apartment buildings decreases a lot of barriers for seniors. Many have difficulties getting out on their own, and without activities and other social events happening in their building, there would be no avenue for them to get to know their neighbors.

Renee, who comes to Coffee Connections and other TrueNorth programs, says, “Before the pandemic we used to do all kinds of things, but now, we’ve all gotten used to being alone.”  Now, they can come out to their building’s front lawn for welcoming conversations and interactions.

Just having the groups get together has helped spark a more friendly, inviting atmosphere at these buildings. People walking by get curious when they see the groups meeting and are invited to join. Regulars hand out extra flyers to other residents and encourage them to come. 

The conversations vary greatly, but one aspect remains the same; each person is welcomed and encouraged to be involved. From just talking about life and learning about community events and resources, to showing the group their latest sewing project, there is space for everyone to feel more connected.

Both Coffee Connections groups continue to grow and are excited to welcome more and more people. To learn more about Coffee Connections and other Community Connections’ initiatives, email Jackie Knight at jknight@truenorthservices.org.

Out-of-School Time students & staff

Dee Hankins had been in 12 different foster homes in the first 12 years of his life. Statistically, almost 50% of African American males placed in the foster care system drop out of high school, and are almost 10 times more likely to end up in a prison than to ever step foot on a college campus. This was not the case for Dee. With help and encouragement from high school educators and a college sponsorship program called United Friends of Children, he graduated from California State University, Long Beach. Shortly after that, he realized his gift for public speaking, and his story, were a perfect match to show every student they can have a chance at a successful future. 

Project FOCUS Program Director, Donna Grodus, initially became familiar with Dee and his story through his presentation at the National Out-of-School Time Conference, BOOST, she attended. She knew it would be impactful to have him speak and engage with Project FOCUS students. 

For three days in June, Dee spoke to over 200 Project FOCUS students at two large gatherings, encouraging them to focus on their resilience to rise above challenging situations. While visiting the students, Dee also had the chance to participate in some of their regular programming, and he was duly impressed. Then, he presented a master class to the collective Out-of-School Time staff members at the TrueNorth Service Center. 

“I wouldn’t have been able to wait for school to be over if I had something like this… it was amazing and really eye-opening!” 

Dee shifted his message a bit when talking to the Project FOCUS staff, hoping to encourage them in the amazing work they’re doing and the lasting, positive impact they’re having on students.

“This organization really touched me, and spoke to me… I want to take the essence back home with me and share this with people.”

Hunger doesn’t take summers off

“I’m hungry!” is the worst phrase a parent can hear, particularly when they can’t afford enough groceries to last them through the month. Yet, it happens all too often. With school aged children home for summer, and have little to no access to the free school meals, demand and need for our Hunger Prevention Services have increased. Our walk-in Food Pantry and twice-a-month Feeding America Mobile Food Pantry visits continue to see high, and often record numbers of local people accessing them to keep themselves and their families fed.

“We are experiencing an 180% increase in pantry usage from 2020” said Mike Voyt, our Hunger Prevention Director. “This, coupled with an increase in grocery cost of almost 6%, on top of an 11% increase from the previous year, is proving to be too difficult for many local families to overcome.”

One new service we’ve added is free summer meals for kids under 18. Every Thursday, to-go meal kits will be made available to parents with children at home. Kids will receive a week’s worth of breakfasts and lunches, and a gallon of milk. This service will be offered through mid-August, and is already going a long way in relieving that particular need in the homes of families we serve. 

Tools for School

For single, working parent Eric Puff, TrueNorth Community Services’ Tools for School program has had a positive impact on his family and in the community overall. Having a one stop shop for school supplies and additional resources not only relieves some of the stress surrounding the start of the school year but also helps area children, like Eric’s son Johnny, become excited for the upcoming school year.

“The availability of school supplies when you’re spending all sorts of money on everything else–you know food for lunches, outfits for the first day of school, second day, third day, fourth day, fifth day, all that stuff is amazing,” says Eric. “It’s super convenient, super helpful at just the right time.”

Eric and his son Johnny have been participating in Tools for School for three years. While the format of the program has shifted year to year due to the pandemic, the impact has remained the same. Just having a high-quality backpack that will last the entire school year helps make the school year more manageable. 

Tools for School is also a celebration of the upcoming school year. Eric’s son Johnny lights up every year when he receives his backpack. Eric says receiving his backpack is “definitely a high point” for Johnny as he gets ready to go back to school.

You can help area children like Johnny celebrate the new school year by giving to Tools for School. Your gift will level the playing field for all of our students by giving them everything they need to succeed. Giving to Tools for School means that you are investing in the next generation and their well-being. You are not only providing school supplies and resources but you are also encouraging area students to grow as individuals. 

Tools for School is “one of many programs that TrueNorth has that has an astounding impact,” says Eric. Join Eric and our community’s celebration of the school year by giving today to ensure our children thrive this school year and beyond.

Holton Project FOCUS plants away!

When Lexi Freed, the Project FOCUS Site Coordinator at Holton Middle School, presented the idea of buying a raised bed and starting a garden with the students in her program, one of them suggested approaching Mr. Kamrowski, the woodshop and geometry teacher about getting his help with building their own garden beds from scratch.

Kamrowski was happy to get involved and within a few days of receiving the supplies, he and his students in his Geometry and Construction class were hard at work building what would end up being two, roughly, 3’ x 4’ raised wooden garden beds.

“As our garden plan progressed, we had our participants research what types of plants pair well together and how we should go about planting them,” said Freed. “Students made ‘garden graphs’ based on what they found and started adding in plants that were not on our initial list! Everyone was shocked to see how quickly our plants germinated. Our squash had gotten so big that we had no choice but to transplant them into small pots until they were able to survive outside.” 

Freed and her students filled the beds with topsoil and planted seeds in late May. The garden project will include some potted plants and an herb tower as well. The plan, for now, is to transplant the seedlings into the garden beds, tower, and pots, when they resume programming for Summer Learning. Participants will continue to tend to the garden over the summer and have the opportunity to bring fresh herbs, fruits, and vegetables home to their families.