HOLLAND, Mich. — People looking for a place to clean up can now stop at a Holland church twice a week with the expansion of a local program.
Community Action House, a nonprofit dedicated to providing resources for under-served communities, started the "Refresh" program in February of 2019. It offers free showers, hair cuts and hot meals to guests.
Refresh operates out of First United Methodist Church on W. 10th Street. Crowds were at capacity since it began, said Angela Maxwell, homeless outreach coordinator for Community Action House.
"We're doing about 20 showers every time we're open," Maxwell said. "There is really no way we could fit any more showers in that time. The need was clearly there for us to expand our hours."
About 50 people attended Refresh every Tuesday between 9 a.m. and noon. To meet demand, Community Action House added Fridays to the schedule.
"The volunteers were just driven," Maxwell said. "We did a couple more volunteer training [sessions]. We've had a few more people sign on, so we were in a position that we were able."
After receiving a sizable donation, CAC was able to install a new water heater at First United. They are looking more volunteers to continue adding days and hours at that location—preferably a nights or weekends.
"We would definitely be interested in helping another church model a similar program," Maxwell said. "I think that could be useful in other areas of the community because we are very central city."
Many of Refresh's patrons also get lunch at the Community Kitchen, a free daily meal offered through CAC at the Western Theological Seminary. Together, the programs foster community, said Ronald Ooms, a regular attendee.
"It's nice to stay warm," Ooms said. "You could go to the library or the depot, but there's a community here and everyone pretty much knows everyone. Everyone is welcome."
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