Guest post by Jeremy Monteith

For over 90 years, The Salvation Army has been serving Grand Haven and North Ottawa County residents. We are guided by a simple mission: To preach the gospel of Jesus Christ while working to meet human needs in His name without discrimination.

Working with hundreds of community volunteers, The Salvation Army of Grand Haven works to address issues such as:

  • Long term poverty and chronic unemployment.
  • Families in crisis or facing temporary emergencies.
  • Families and individuals in need of food or clothing.
  • Youth searching for meaning and mentoring through our character building programs.
Campaign for Area Families & Children

Last year we provided over 12,000 points of contacts with individuals and families through our services and programs. As a result of our growing programs and services, the Advisory Board of The Salvation Army of Grand Haven decided it was time to expand our current facilities at 310 N. Despelder. In June of 2016, a group of community leaders began to approach donors, businesses, and foundations in the North Ottawa County area to raise $1.1 million dollars for a building expansion. As of today, we have raised around $810,000 (74% of our goal) and are striving to raise the remaining $290,000 by the end of this year.

Early on in our campaign we met with the Grand Haven Area Community Foundation and the support they showed us was incredible. The staff was more than willing to assist us and answer any questions we had regarding the community. The foundation also encouraged us to apply for a grant through the community foundation and so we did. In the spring of 2017, the Grand Haven Area Community Foundation awarded us a $125,000 grant to go towards our capital campaign and building expansion.

This incredible gift from the foundation showed us that this community sees the importance of the services and programs The Salvation Army of Grand Haven provides to the North Ottawa County area. It also showed us that the community sees how The Salvation Army and the work it does is important to the future of this community as we strive to continue to offer new and vital programs and services to those in need.

We are grateful for the leadership and support of the Grand Haven Area Community Foundation. Whether it is providing children with opportunities to realize their full potential or providing adults with opportunities to gain the skills and supports necessary to lead healthier and more productive lives, the Grand Haven Area Community Foundation’s collaborative approach and ability to invest resources continues to positively impact lives in our community.

If you are interested in learning more about the programs and services of The Salvation Army of Grand Haven, please visit our website at www.sagrandhaven.org. If you would like to learn more or give a gift to our capital campaign, please contact Jeremy Monteith at 616-430-6479 or Jeremy_Monteith@usc.salvationarmy.org.

The Grand Haven Area Community Foundation considers grants with an emphasis on arts & culture, economic & community betterment, education, and health & human services. Learn more about our grant priorities and grantmaking process here.