This agency will pursue a practice where the education, health and human service needs of residents within our service area are addressed without regard to age, race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, disability, national origin, or any other classification or category.

The Director's Note

In rural communities like ours, homelessness is often hidden but steadily growing. At Christian Neighbors, we see firsthand the increasing number of individuals and families without stable housing. They are living in cars, tents, and couch surfing with friends and families from time to time.

The halt in November SNAP benefits and the new, stricter work requirements beginning November 1 will disproportionately affect our unhoused neighbors - many of whom already face significant barriers to employment and access to resources. These changes will make it even harder for people to meet basic needs like food and shelter, further straining an already vulnerable population.

Now, more than ever, kindness matters - in our words and in our actions. If you are in a position to be able to help – please help. Remember even a smile can help brighten someone’s day.

With Gratitude,

Jennifer Collins

Executive Director

Fall Fundraiser

A Yummy addition to your Thanksgiving festivities to support a great cause! We have 2 different sized offerings and the beautiful acacia boards are yours to keep for future use. Boards can be picked up on Wednesday, November 26^th from 3pm-5pm. Purchasing one of these boards for your Thanksgiving celebration is a way to share your blessings with those that need help your neighbors in need this holiday season!

Scan the QR code below to reserve your board today. Orders due by Friday, November 21^st.

Two Commonly Asked Questions About Homelessness

I don’t see people sleeping on the street in town. Is homelessness in our area really a problem? We actually do have a large number of unhoused people in our area. So far in 2025, we have helped 79 ‘household cases’ that are unhoused, which can consist of individuals, families, single parents, veterans, seniors, etc. 34 are Level One homeless, living on the street, in a car, shed, etc. 36 are couch surfing between friend/family homes and 9 their situation is unknown/undocumented. These are all cases in Plainwell and Otsego alone and these are only the cases that we know about, it is definitely more.

Affordable housing in Allegan County is at 99% occupancy currently, so once you become unhoused in this area, it is extremely difficult to find housing. There are also no shelters in our county. We do have several income based housing complexes (where you pay approx. 30% of your income for rent) but those waiting lists are over a year long. Average rent around here for a one bedroom is approximately $850 and 2 bed is $1000+ per month. Rent has gone up significantly in the past 5 years.

What do we do to help the unhoused? First and foremost, we try our best to divert our neighbors in need from becoming unhoused. Our priority when allocating our financial assistance resources is to help with delinquent rent payments and utility payments. When we assist with rent, we require a budget to be made with our clients and we go line by line, figuring out how we can cut expenses, offer other resources that they may not be aware of and sign them up for food benefits or Medicaid if they don’t have it and we think they could qualify. Then we discuss the possible need for credit repair classes or a budgeting class, suggest trying to refinance a car loan if the interest rate is too high and we give other resources for food pantries to reduce their grocery budget. If they are in an apartment or house that does not fit with their income, we always recommend filling out the application for a subsidized apartment that is based on their income so they can get on the wait list. So far this year, we have helped over 125 households in our area alone with rent payments and have made over 180 utility payments.

If someone is already unhoused their first visit, we will refer them to On Point, which is our county’s housing assessment and resource agency if they are level 1 homeless (living on the street, in a car, shed, tent or camper). We provide necessary items like easy to prepare foods, gloves, socks, hygiene items, can openers, blankets, etc. We help them fill out housing applications and we also have a great relationship with local landlords and residential property managers so we can try to connect them with any place that has an opening coming up soon. Once they finally get an apartment or home secured, we assist with security deposit and also help get old utility bills current so they can get electric or gas turned on in their name at their new place. You would be surprised at how many people finally find a place to move into and then the only remaining hurdle is an old utility bill. This prevents many people from becoming housed because by the time they get the bill paid, the apartment has gone to the next person on the list.

As you can see, there is not a quick fix to homelessness in our area, and it can be a long road to becoming housed. There are many layers to the problem ranging from domestic violence, underemployment and unemployment, illness, transportation issues, mental illness and addiction and many more. While it is not an easy problem to solve, we are there for people to provide what we can when they need it and we can’t do that without the support of the community, so thank you for your help!

Help Support One

of Our Greatest Needs in the Pantry

Christian Neighbors Education Resource Center (ERC) provides programs, classes, and services free of charge to anyone in our community, regardless of their income. We connect community members through shared learning and life experiences.

Education Resource Center

The Christian Neighbors Education Resource Center continues to flourish for 2025!

Many of the programs and classes run out of this building are an asset to the community

and vital for those who partake in the services. Below are ongoing monthly and special events for November.

When CRISIS Hits, the ERC is There to Help!

Crisis hits everyone at some point. Sometimes the crisis is comparatively small – a misplaced set of keys, one missed work shift without pay, or a fight with a loved one.

And some crises like losing a job, getting divorced or facing serious health issues rock a person’s world.

One key to surviving – and even growing through – crisis is having a community or tribe that helps and supports you through the storm. That’s where programs and classes in our Education Resource Center become important. The ERC is a safe space where the Christian Neighbors mission to provide people with the skills to build stable lives meets our vision to connect community members through shared learning and life experiences.

It’s a space where some neighbors Marty Rose McLeod teach teens and adults how to cook healthy meals and others like Kim Stevens and Diane Holmes show people how to cut holiday costs by making gifts.

It’s a space where local businesses like OMPT Physical Therapy show people how to improve their health or Plainwell Counseling Center owner Cheryl Parente-Roggow helps organize an annual high tea for seniors, and organizations like Meals on Wheels provide activities for folks to just gather and enjoy the company of others.

It’s a space where groups like Community Action of Allegan County, the Area Agency on Aging of Western Michigan and the Allegan County Legal Assistance Center help provide educational programs.

What skills can Christian Neighbors offer to help you improve and stabilize your world?

Do you have gifts that could help your neighbors find peace and hope in these changing times? How might your presence make connections that will help a neighbor through a tough time?

Check the calendar at christianneighbors.org to register for classes and programs to find out.

Food Pantry

Our donations remain strong even though grocery prices continue to rise and our pantry has seen a 14% increase in families coming in. Individuals, churches, schools, businesses, the donation items all come from various places and yes, it takes a community to feed the community in need. With SNAP benefits not coming through for families, we anticipate the need to be even greater.

Souptober wrapped up on Oct 31 with food pantries all across Allegan County collecting soup. We collected here at Christian Neighbors along with 4 Parker Hannifin locations, McPherson Plastics, Gun Plain Township Hall and Otsego United Methodist Church.

Other Upcoming Events:

Stuff the Bus is coming up on November 21 & 22. This is always a profitable food drive for us and we look forward to this drive as the holidays approach.

Meijer Simply Give is ongoing at the Plainwell Meijer through December 28. The double match day for this is on Saturday, December 13. We rely heavily on these Simply Give dollars for ongoing pantry needs and placing large orders for delivery. 

Mobile Food Distributions

Thank you to members of First United Methodist Church (Otsego) and PathFinder North (Global Methodist Church) for volunteering in November.

(pictured below), and for members Otsego Rotary who will be volunteering in December.

If you know of a group interested in helping to distribute food in 2026,

please call Amy VanPutten at (269) 685-4166 ext. 103. 

Hope Lutheran Mobile Food Drive-Thru

Royal Estates Mobile Drive-Thru

Click on the staff name above to send an email to them.

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