Help Ministry With Community

Rob Oakleaf, Executive Director of Ministry With Community, stopped by the Rocker Morning Show to fill us in the $6 million Rebuilding Lives Campaign.  Ministry With Community is one of the "gems" in our area that we have to do whatever it takes to support.

Take a minute to read about what's going on and how you can help.

Ministry with Community Announces $6 million Rebuilding Lives Campaign

Representatives of the local news media are invited to attend a special news conference at Ministry with Community on Tuesday, March 24 at 10:30 am.  The media announcement will provide details regarding the $6 million Rebuilding Lives campaign, a community-wide fundraising effort to invest in a new facility for Ministry with Community and those it serves.

The event will also feature a very exciting announcement about how Ministry with Community will achieve its fundraising goal.  Participating in the event will be Rob Oakleaf, Executive Director of Ministry with Community, and Jack Hopkins and Patti Huiskamp, Campaign Co-Chairs of the Rebuilding Lives campaign. The event will present a summary of how the campaign will impact the local region and provide renderings of the new facility in addition to the announcement of an inspiring gift.

Ministry with Community, founded in 1977, is a haven for people who are struggling with homelessness, poverty, mental illness, substance abuse and other challenges.  Its mission is to empower people to make positive life changes.  Last year, Ministry with Community served over 1,400 local residents through a variety of programs designed to meet basic needs and encourage productive steps toward independence with guidance and support.

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Please direct your media call to Rob Oakleaf, (269) 389-0123.

Ministry with Community Announces

Campaign for New Facility

and Challenge Grant

Today, Ministry with Community announced that it has raised $4.2 million as part of its $6 million  Rebuilding  Lives  campaign,  a  fundraising  effort  to  build  a  new  facility  for  the community’s homeless and most vulnerable.  Initiated last year, and chaired by community leaders, Jack Hopkins, retired CEO of the Kalamazoo Community Foundation, and Patti Huiskamp, long-time community volunteer, the Rebuilding Lives campaign was launched to ensure that Ministry with Community continues to provide the highest quality services in a setting that is friendly, open, and dignified for its member population.

Ministry with Community is Kalamazoo’s resource center and daytime shelter for anyone struggling with homelessness, poverty, unemployment, mental illness and other challenges. The planned 24,000 square foot facility is designed to support and enhance Ministry with Community’s broad range of services.  The public shelter area will be three times larger and the dining room will accommodate almost twice as many people.  The new facility, which will be

located at 500 N Edwards St, will also offer additional classrooms, offices for outreach workers and multipurpose space.  It will be able to accommodate the current level of need and provide the necessary flexibility to meet the future needs of individuals and families. “This has been an absolutely amazing experience for Ministry, our leadership, and for our donors, friends, and supporters.” said Rob Oakleaf, Executive Director of Ministry with Community. “We started last year with a dream and a goal, and here we are, just a year later and we’ve raised 70% of our $6 million goal. The generosity of this community is incredibly humbling.”

As the campaign has gained momentum, Hopkins and Huiskamp were pleased to announce a surprise challenge grant of $1 million to the campaign by the Bill and Julia Van Domelen Foundation.  “At the end of 2014, Bill and Julia approached us about the challenge grant.  They recognized the valuable service we provide to the community and wanted to help ensure that we could reach our goal to provide a facility that would meet the needs of those we serve while saving us long-term operational funding through more efficient construction and energy savings.” said Huiskamp.  “The most exciting part of the Van Domelen Challenge is that it provides a dollar for dollar match for new donations to the Rebuilding Lives campaign,” added Hopkins.  “This project so closely aligns with our mission of helping those most impacted by the pains of poverty.  We could not be more excited to be a part of this important effort,” shared Julia Van Domelen.

“Our final step is to reach out to those who haven’t yet participated and to ask them to consider joining us in this important endeavor to invest in our neighbors who are struggling. Residents want to live in a place where people care for each other, and we’re working to help those who are willing to work to change their circumstances.” said Oakleaf.

“We now hope that the greater community will embrace this campaign to help us raise the additional funds needed to complete this effort. Donors can support this campaign by visiting ministrywithcommunity.org, by mail at 440 N. Church St., Kalamazoo, MI 49007 or by stopping by Ministry to make a donation,” said Jack Hopkins. “We gratefully accept any and all gifts.”