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Medical Items for Loan

Free Resource for the Community

Did you know TrueNorth has a Medical Loan Closet? A Medical Loan Closet is a community resource that allows individuals to borrow durable medical equipment (DME) and ours is completely free for anyone in the community to use.

Based on donation availability, we have a wide variety of equipment available, including wheelchairs, walkers, crutches, bedside commodes, shower chairs, mobility scooters, grabbers for hard-to-reach items, adult incontinence supplies and much more. Whether you’re recovering from surgery, healing from an injury or caring for a loved one, we’re here to help you access the equipment you need without the added financial burden.

Our Medical Loan Closet is made possible through the generosity of community members. If you have medical equipment that is no longer needed, please consider donating it to help others. We gladly accept clean items that are in good working order so they can continue serving neighbors in need.

If you have questions about borrowing or donating equipment, contact TrueNorth Community Services. Together, we can make sure these valuable resources remain available for everyone who needs them.






More Than a Meal

Building Connections with Food Center Workshops

Sharing a meal creates a unique opportunity for people to bond. At TrueNorth, our monthly Recipe Workshops are helping Food Center members do just that while learning new cooking skills, trying healthy recipes and building connections with one another.

Hosted in the TrueNorth commercial kitchen, these hands-on workshops give participants the chance to prepare healthy meals using ingredients commonly available through the Food Center. What began as a Cooking Basics series has grown into participant-driven classes featuring recipes like Handmade Noodles, Falafel Wraps, Jarred Salads, Crunchy Roasted Beans and Stir Fry. Our recent Stir Fry workshop drew 16 registrations and welcomed volunteer Mary Tate, a fellow ServSafe certified cook, who generously shared her time and expertise to help lead the class.

Each family leaves with more than a full stomach! Participants take home a recipe kit complete with the ingredients needed to recreate the meal at home, making it easy to share what they’ve learned with family members.

We’re also finding new ways to reach participants beyond the kitchen through seasonal produce seminars, take-home meal kits and short cooking videos on our new YouTube channel. These options help reduce barriers such as transportation and busy schedules while expanding access to nutrition education.

Whether someone is learning a new cooking technique, discovering a healthy recipe their family enjoys or simply sharing a meal and conversation with neighbors, these workshops are helping Food Center members build skills, confidence and community, one recipe at a time.

To help make sure life changing initiatives like this continue, consider lending your support.






100 Years of Friendship

Friends Gather at Camp Newaygo’s 100th Reunion

Camp Newaygo’s Centennial Alumni Reunion brought together more than 240 alumni representing nearly every decade of camp’s history. Guests traveled from across the United States, England, Australia and Ireland to celebrate a century of memories. Some attendees had been campers under Camp Newaygo’s very first director, Florence Foster, while others represented third-generation camp families, with grandmothers, mothers and daughters who had all served on staff.

The reunion wasn’t simply about remembering camp. It was about living it again. Alumni tie-dyed shirts, sailed on Pickerel Lake, cooked over open fires, paddled the Muskegon River, built picnic tables, volunteered on the Wetland Trail and gathered daily for camp song karaoke. More than 200 alumni canoed across the lake for the beloved Sing on the Lake tradition, performing for guests at Little Switzerland Resort and Campground. Handcrafted wooden wishing boats, each carrying a hand-dipped candle, floated across the water during the historic Wishing Boat Ceremony, while Serenade continued late into the night as generations sang together for hours.

Many alumni spent the weekend immersed in Camp Newaygo’s history, paging through a century of lovingly restored scrapbooks, exploring the newly published history and song books and visiting The Heritage Museum of Newaygo County for a special centennial exhibit.

The reunion celebrated more than Camp Newaygo’s history. It celebrated a living tradition. One that continues to be passed from generation to generation through songs, stories, friendships and a shared love for this special place.






Walking All Together

Walking Program Begins Again

As Michigan residents, we all know just how short and sweet summer weather can be.

After the long and hard winter Michiganders emerge like the spring flowers to enjoy the sunshine and beautiful walking trails that are abundant in Newaygo County. Walking in nature is great for our mental health, and of course it’s beneficial for our physical health as well.

There are numerous benefits to walking and because of this TrueNorth’s Community Connections program created Walking All Together. Community Connections strives to provide older adults with a simple, welcoming way to stay active, build friendships and strengthen their connection to the community. We recognize that meaningful relationships and regular movement are both essential to healthy aging, so this program brings people together in a supportive environment where every step helps reduce isolation, improve well-being and fosters a sense of belonging.  

Newaygo County has plenty of beautiful walking trails to choose from, but sometimes finding groups for older adults that walk at a comfortable pace and distance can be difficult. The Walking All Together group is the perfect way to get started, and participants that join us five times will earn a free fitness tracker to monitor their progress. Walking All Together meets every Wednesday at 11 am at Garfield Township Hall Nature Trail. If you are interested in joining, contact Riley at (231) 924-0641, ext. 178 or rknight@truenorthservices.org.






Summer Fun Ahead!

OST and Camp Summer Programs Begin

For many West Michigan youth, summer is a season of adventure, friendship and discovery. Through TrueNorth’s Project FOCUS, Summer Blast and Camp Newaygo programs, hundreds of young people will experience a summer filled with fun, learning and opportunities to grow.

Project FOCUS provides youth with a safe and supportive environment where they can stay engaged, build confidence and continue developing important life and academic skills while school is out. Summer Blast adds excitement through hands-on activities, creative exploration and memorable experiences that encourage youth to try new things and connect with their peers. And both of these programs incorporate exciting weekly field trips into their summer!

At Camp Newaygo, campers will unplug from screens and immerse themselves in nature and outdoor adventures. Whether they’re paddling across a lake or learning a new skill, youth gain independence, resilience and a sense of belonging that stays with them long after summer ends.

Together, these programs help ensure young people have access to safe places and enriching experiences during summer months. While every activity may look different, they share a common goal: helping youth build confidence, create meaningful connections and discover their potential.

This summer, TrueNorth is creating opportunities for young people not just to stay busy, but to thrive.






Support Local Youth

Support Tools for School

As the new school year approaches, more than 1,000 students across Newaygo County are counting on our community to help them start strong. Through TrueNorth Community Services’ annual Tools for School event on August 11, local children will receive the essential supplies they need to walk into the classroom with confidence.

For many families, back-to-school costs can be overwhelming. Tools for School helps remove that burden by providing backpacks filled with supplies, new sneakers and even fresh haircuts—ensuring every child feels prepared, confident and ready to learn on day one.

Since June 1, a county-wide donation drive has been underway, and the need is real. Basic items like pencils, notebooks, backpacks and sneakers can make a life-changing difference for a child. Community members can drop off donations at locations throughout the county, at TrueNorth, or choose to give financially.

Every dollar and every donation directly impacts a student right here in our community. When a child feels prepared, they’re more likely to succeed—and that success starts with all of us.

Join us in making sure no child goes without. To donate or learn more, visit www.truenorthservices.org/donate or contact Courtney Schwartz at (231) 924-0641, ext. 141.






Poverty Impacts Mental Health

Three of TrueNorth’s main service areas are Housing and Homeless Prevention, Food Insecurity; and Heat and Energy Assistance. People struggling with any, or all of these issues, are also at elevated mental health risks. 

Last month was Mental Health Awareness Month. Continue reading to learn more about the mental health risks associated with homelessness, hunger and utility insecurity and what TrueNorth does to help alleviate them.

Mental Health Effects of Homelessness

The Center for Disease Control (CDC) lists several health risks associated with homelessness. Those impacting mental health include:

  • An increased risk for respiratory infections like TB and COVID-19 for those staying in homeless shelters, which lead to stress and exhaustion. 
  • Increased risk for mental illnesses, such as anxiety, depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) due to higher rates of stress, uncertainty and threats to safety while experiencing homelessness.
  • Worsening health outcomes, such as severe illness or death, due to barriers to health care, mental health care and other social services.

Sometimes it’s hard to know if the horse is leading the cart or the cart is leading the horse. As stated by Homeless Hub, “people with poor mental health are more susceptible to the three main factors that can lead to homelessness: poverty, disaffiliation, and personal vulnerability.” It begs the question; are people homeless due, at least in part, to their declined mental health, or vise-versa?

Most experts agree; homelessness amplifies poor mental health. The stress of experiencing homelessness often exacerbates previous mental illness and increases anxiety, fear, depression, sleeplessness and substance use. Homeless Hub also reports people who have experienced homelessness at some point in their lives are two to three times more likely to report their mental health as being poor. 

Impact of Homelessness on Children

EBSCO is a leading provider of research databases, e-journal, book collection development and acquisition management and a major provider of library technology, e-books and clinical decision solutions. In an online report on the causes and effects of homelessness, they state, “Homelessness has definite psychological effects, ranging from the detrimental effects of disrupted sleep to the deep psychological trauma inflicted by chronic stress, instability, and exposure to violence.” 

This report also points out several troubling negative impacts on youth; “Homeless preschoolers are more prone to developmental delays in language, motor skills, and social skills. Children who experience chronic stress due to poverty or homelessness have poorer concentration and memory, affecting their ability to learn.”

Additionally, they display more aggression and shyness, have sleep problems, lower self-esteem and experience more disruptions to their education. Homeless children are also twice as likely to experience hunger, which as we previously discussed, has serious negative effects on children’s physical, emotional and cognitive development.

Mental Health Effects of Hunger

According to Feeding America, hunger can cause many mental health problems including depression, anxiety and even posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The USDA says there’s a strong connection between hunger and chronic diseases like high blood pressure, heart disease and diabetes. Poor physical health almost always equals poor mental health.
 
The National Library of Medicine published a report entitled Food Insecurity and Psychological Distress; a Review of Recent Literature. In it, referencing many different sources, they call out several compelling facts. They identified a significant and positive link between food insecurity and depression, anxiety and stress. In one poll from Gallup, results demonstrated a dose-response relationship between food insecurity and poorer mental health. This is a relationship describing how the magnitude of a biological effect (response) changes as the amount or intensity of a stimulus (dose or exposure) increases. As levels of food insecurity worsened (i.e., mild to moderate to severe) so did reported mental health status.

Impact of Hunger on Children

When school age children do not have access to enough nutritious food, they find it harder to concentrate at school. 50% of them will need to repeat a grade at some time during their education. A healthy diet is essential for brain development as well as emotional and mental health.   

The Canadian National Longitudinal Survey of Children and Youth, reports child hunger is a predictor of serious mental health issues. These include depression and suicidal thoughts during late adolescence and young adulthood. It is hypothesized child hunger may be related to depression later in life as a result of nutritional deprivation. 

In Hunger: Its Impact on Children’s Health and Mental Health, the American Academy of Pediatrics states the following; “Compared with pre-school age children with no hunger, severe hunger was associated with higher rates of homelessness (75% vs 48%), more traumatic life events (8.5 vs 6), low birth weight (23% vs 6%), and higher levels of chronic illness and internalizing behavior problems.” 

For both preschoolers and school-aged children, severe child hunger was associated with higher levels of internalizing behavior problems. After controlling for housing status, mother’s distress and stressful life events, severe child hunger was also associated with higher reported anxiety/depression among school-aged children. Mothers with school-aged children who face severe hunger are also 56.2% more likely to have PTSD and 53.1% more likely to have severe depression. The inability to feed your loved ones can have traumatic effects on a person’s mental health.   

Mental Health Effects of Energy Insecurity

In a recent report from Psychiatrist.com we learn about the growing public health concerns of Energy Insecurity. Over 40% of Americans reported at least one form of energy insecurity in 2024. The report states those unable to afford adequate heating, cooling or electricity have twice the risks of poor mental health.  

A comprehensive new analysis published in JAMA Network Open in late October of 2025 shows energy insecurity is not just an economic issue. It is a mental health issue as well. Their findings stated; “In this cross-sectional study of 187 million US adults, individuals experiencing at least 1 form of energy insecurity in the past year had significantly higher odds of reporting symptoms of depression and anxiety compared with individuals without energy insecurity.” 

The study referenced data from nearly 1.14 million responses collected from the U.S. Census Bureau’s Household Pulse Survey. Collected between December 2022 and September 2024, 22% admitted they were unable to pay a full energy bill. 22% also kept their homes at unsafe temperatures as means to save money.       

Additionally, as people struggle to keep the lights and heat on, they often forgo other expenses like medical care, including mental health treatment. Over a third (34%) cut back on food, medicine or other necessities to cover energy costs. 

Energy-insecure adults lived with 2.29 times greater odds of anxiety and 2.31 times greater odds of depression. Even after accounting for related hardships (such as food insecurity and housing instability), energy insecurity remained a reliable indicator of poor mental health. 

Impact of Energy Insecurity on Children  

Families experiencing food insecurity also often experience energy insecurity. Known as Dual Food and Energy Hardships, it creates undo mental stress on children, causing a number of adverse mental health issues.     

According to a report published by the National Library of Medicine, approximately 10% of households reported dual food and energy hardship. Children experiencing dual food and energy hardship had three times greater odds of withdrawn/depressed behaviors. They also showed four times greater odds of rule breaking behavior.  

Energy insecurity severely impacts children’s mental health, causing higher rates of anxiety, depression and chronic stress. It manifests through fear of utility shut-offs, chronic discomfort from extreme temperatures, and, in many cases, associated food insecurity, leading to behavioral problems and emotional distress.  

What TrueNorth Does to Alleviate Homelessness

TrueNorth’s Housing Resource Center strives to keep families and individuals in safe and affordable housing, while working towards the goal of self-sufficiency.

TrueNorth helps families from low-income households remain in their current housing or to acquire safer, more affordable housing by providing housing assistance with rent payments to prevent homelessness, or secure housing for those in crisis.

TrueNorth is also a designated Housing Assessment & Resource Agency (HARA) for Lake, Mason, Muskegon, Newaygo and Oceana counties and a partner of the West Michigan Housing Network.

What TrueNorth Does to Alleviate Hunger

Hunger Prevention Programs decrease poverty and promote prosperity by working to ensure that all people in our community have consistent, dependable access to enough food for active, healthy living. TrueNorth offers a self-select Food Center for area residents. Food Center members have access to services such as cooking classes, nutrition consultations, food preservation resources and referrals.  
TrueNorth also hosts Feeding America West Michigan Mobile Food Pantry distribution at our service center twice a month.

What TrueNorth Does to Energy Insecurity

The stress of food insecurity is often compounded by the looming threat of a utility shut-off, creating a cycle of anxiety that can severely impact mental health. To support those facing these challenges, the emPower heat and energy assistance program offers a vital safety net for qualified families across all 83 Michigan counties. By providing financial aid for heat-related utility bills, deliverable fuels and energy conservation initiatives, emPower helps ensure families can maintain a safe, well-lit, home kept at a healthy temperature alleviating one of the most significant burdens of poverty.

Beyond immediate financial relief, the program provides Self-Sufficiency Services. These services are designed to address the root causes of energy instability by helping participants develop long-term stability. This includes personalized assistance with budgeting, enrolling in affordable payment plans and optimizing energy efficiency within the home. By fostering self-sufficiency, emPower aims to break the cycle of “crisis-to-crisis” living and provide families with the mental peace of mind that comes from predictable, manageable household expenses.

Plant-a-Row

Plant-a-Row For Hunger

For thousands of local families, putting healthy food on the table continues to be a daily struggle. Rising costs, limited resources and gaps in assistance programs mean many households turn to the TrueNorth’s Hunger Prevention Programs for support, especially when it comes to accessing fresh produce.

That’s why programs like Plant-a-Row for Hunger are so important.
Each year, generous local gardeners and farmers plant extra rows specifically to donate fresh vegetables to TrueNorth’s Food Center. These donations provide nutritious food that is often difficult and expensive for families to obtain. Last year alone, the campaign brought in more than 9,000 pounds of fresh produce for local households.

Financial supporters also help provide seeds to families interested in starting home gardens of their own — creating opportunities for healthier meals, greater self-sufficiency and even stronger family connections.

One local family used seeds from TrueNorth to grow tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, broccoli and herbs for the very first time. They preserved food for the winter and even shared extra produce with four other families in need.

You can help local families access healthy food this growing season. Whether by making a gift to support Hunger Prevention Programs, donating fresh produce from your garden or planting an extra row to share, your support helps neighbors experience nourishment, dignity and hope — one row at a time.






Awardees Honored

COE Celebrates Volunteers

We often say volunteers are the lifeblood of our organization. The fact of the matter is; we wouldn’t be able to accomplish a fraction of what we do without them. In 2025, 383 individuals gave almost 10,000 hours of their time and talents to TrueNorth. 

Every year, TrueNorth honors several individuals and organizations with public recognition at our Community of Efforts celebration. The event, which features live music and a catered meal, in addition to the awards presentations, is designed as a well-deserved thank you to TrueNorth’s many volunteers and donors.

The event featured a delicious dinner, courtesy of Taste of Home Catering and dessert provided by The Great Bakes. Jazz vocalist Marquita Bernard accompanied herself on the 1912 TrueNorth Steinway and provided the perfect atmosphere and entertainment.

Community Awards this year were given out as follows: Kurt Sanderson (pictured above) received the Bessie Slautterback Award for lifetime service; Judy Chelsey received the Gene Cotton Award for creating a brighter future; Croton Township received the Peggie Stone Award for commitment to youth; and Darren Walker and the Healthy Plant Worm Farm received the Community Partner Award for generosity.

The following individuals received Program Awards: Bridget Fitzpatrick received the Camp Newaygo Award; Ruth Betar received the Children’s Services Award; Dennis and Phyllis Sano received the Community Connections Award; Lori Eslick received the Cultural Arts Award; Leighan Campeau received the Hunger Prevention Award; Greg McAllister received the Out-of-School Time Program Award; Jayne Elenbaas received the Spirit of TrueNorth Award; and Kathy Machuta received the TrueMentors Award.

To learn more about getting involved with TrueNorth, contact Madison Butler at (231) 924-0641, ext. 112 or mbutler@truenorthservices.org.






Student Art

Student Art Exhibit

TrueNorth recently celebrated the creativity and talent of local middle and high school students during its annual student Art Contest and Exhibit, a long-standing event that gives young artists the opportunity to share their work with the community and earn scholarships to support their artistic growth.

This year’s exhibit featured artwork from students across Newaygo County, with awards recognizing outstanding individual pieces, senior artists and student portfolios. Scholarship winners received cash awards to help fund art classes, camps or supplies as they continue developing their creative skills.

The exhibit was judged by Lindsay Isenhart, Program Coordinator for the Newaygo County Council for the Arts.

Beyond the ribbons and scholarships, the event celebrated the imagination, hard work and personal expression of local students.

The exhibit is important to youth, as Newaygo High School art teacher Casmara Karrip shares, “An art show is so important because it gives students the chance to truly be seen for their creativity, ideas and individuality. Watching students gain confidence and pride in sharing their work is one of the most rewarding parts of teaching art. The exhibit reminds them that creativity matters and that their voices and talents deserve to be celebrated.” 

One Director’s Choice winner will also have their artwork purchased by TrueNorth to become part of the organization’s permanent collection of student artwork.

A full list of award winners can be found here. A video can be found here.