HOLLAND, Michigan — As heavy snow led schools and businesses to close Monday, two neighboring churches served as brief respites from the blistering cold.
Hope Church and First United Methodist Church, located on 10th and 11th Streets in Holland, opened as warming centers. Hope took in guests and offered free lunch between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., and First United Methodist opened from 5-9 p.m.
The pastors at Hope Church decided to open and serve a meal following the closure of the Community Kitchen at the nearby Western Theological Seminary. The seminary partners with the nonprofit Community Action House to provide free daily meals to struggling individuals and families.
“People are aware of how bad the storm was, and they’re aware of how many people are connected with the Community Kitchen, so we had a lot of people respond,” said Rev. Gordon Wiersma, a pastor at Hope.
The church served different soups, fruits and desserts along with warm beverages. Visitors were encouraged to stop at First United Methodist Church after the warming center closed.
“It’s a blessing,” said Jeff Young, who is homeless and gets meals at the seminary. “Holland is still feeding people. They’re still looking out to get them warm.”
Wiersma said both churches plan to stay open as warming centers for at least the next two days. Hope will serve a free meal if Holland Schools are closed.
“It’s a sense of hospitality and being connected to our neighbors that we all have different situations and times that we all need support,” Wiersma said. “And our facilities are here to provide that.”
Members of the Holland Department of Public Safety will help connect those in the homeless community to warming shelters during the week, according to a release by the city of Holland.
The city is also in contact with the Holland Rescue Mission, which has shelters on Fairbanks and S. River Avenues. The shelter housed over 130 people over the weekend and accepts anyone, Development Director Rachael Neal said.
The shelters can collectively hold between 250-300 people each night.
“If anyone in the community sees someone struggling, please help them get to one of our facilities,” Neal said. “If you don’t feel comfortable, call the public safety non-emergency line.”
The shelters have not reached capacity this winter, but they are running low on winter gear and would appreciate donations, she said.
Calvary Church in Holland Heights will also serve as a warming center from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. from Tuesday-Thursday.
Christ Memorial Church is going to be a daytime warming station and an overnight shelter for women and children until Friday, Feb. 1.
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