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. | | |
May is Hunger Awareness Month
Being hungry is something we all understand. When you haven't eaten in a while your stomach growls, your energy drops and you may feel agitated. May is Hunger Awareness Month and for many of us hunger is not an issue. We have plenty of food in our refrigerator and cupboards, we can go grocery shopping on a regular basis, we have a stove, oven, microwave, Insta-Pot, and air-fryer, but for many in our community hunger is an ever-present thought, worry, and physical feeling.
The need for food assistance in our community continues to rise. In 2025, our food pantry experienced an unprecedented 2,877 visits. Already in the first four months of 2026, we have served 276 more families than we did during the same time last year and since the tornadoes and power outages that number is rising as we help to replace significant food loss for several in our community.
Want to help? Look under the tornado update and under our Food Pantry updates.
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Jennifer Collins
Executive Director
| | Tornado Updates - We Need Your Help! | |
The recent tornadoes hit directly within our service areas in Plainwell and Otsego, impacting neighborhoods we know well and families we serve every day.
Within days, our team identified households in the hardest-hit areas, including North Street, Fair Street, Allegan Street, Court Street, River Road, 106th, and Miller Road and especially hard hit was the Gun River West Mobile Home Park. Our Case Managers have been reaching out individually to assess needs, prioritize urgent situations, and ensure no one falls through the cracks.
We are also hearing from many households who have never needed help before, families now facing significant, unexpected expenses for insurance deductibles, tree removal and clean up, roof and siding repair, mobile home trailer skirting. Several of these families are underinsured or have no insurance coverage.
The need is growing quickly:
- We’ve already provided more than 39 additional (“double”) pantry visits for families who lost food during extended power outages. In total YTD we are up 30% in visits to our pantry.
- Pantry visits overall are increasing, and we are distributing extra protein and essentials to help restock freezers
- New households are turning to us for the first time due to storm-related loss. We have identified several low-income households who need support and help with repairs.
As a trusted, 43-year community resource, we are often the first call people make, or the place they are referred to when crisis hits. In addition to food support, our Emergency Financial Assistance program is helping stabilize households by covering urgent needs like rent and utilities so families can focus their limited resources on recovery.
We are actively pursuing funds to help with covering insurance deductibles, tree removal, roof and siding repair, mobile home trailer skirting, items we normally do not, but the need is immediate and growing.
We are asking for your support to help us respond. Your gift stays local and goes directly toward helping families in our community recover and rebuild.
This is what we do.
Neighbors Caring for Neighbors.
(To make a donation towards Tornado Relief Assistance, please either scan the QR code below, or click the button below that, and it will redirect to our Tornado Relief Assistance webpage to make a donation.)
| Our community always shows up in a big way, and we could not be more thankful for the support. Stamp Out Hunger returns on May 9th, the second Saturday in May. Simply leave a bag of non-perishable food by your mailbox. Your mail carrier will pick it up, and bring it to Christian Neighbors to help neighbors in need. Christian Neighbors receives food from the Plainwell Postal Carriers only. | |
Our May 14th Reflection of Hope Dinner Auction is
SOLD OUT!
But Don't Forget About Our Online Auction!
Join us online on Friday, May 15 through Tuesday, May 19 for our ONLINE AUCTION! We have some great items, including a One Night Stay at Bay Pointe Inn, metal detector, Tom Izzo autographed basketball, mystery boxes, and MORE! All funds raised during both of our events support the programs and services to assist households in creating stability in their lives.
When you reach the landing page for the Online Auction, you will see some of our exciting items available to bid on. So......check back often as we will be adding more items, and bidding starts on Friday, May 15!
| Soup Suppers are fundraising events for Christian Neighbors hosted by our wonderful church partners to raise funds that go directly to our food pantry to help fight hunger within our community. We have two opportunities left, so come enjoy a wonderful meal to help support a great cause! We hope to see you! | | Educational Resource Center | | |
Sometimes you’re hungry for something very specific.
Nothing will satisfy your tastebuds except a perfectly cooked steak, decadent latte, a hearty plate of sausage gravy biscuit, a bowl of your favorite ice cream flavor.
Many people can jump in their car and head to a grocery store for ingredients to indulge their craving.
But what if you struggle just to put basic meals on the table? Does that mean you don’t have urges or can’t enjoy a treat?
No.
It just means you need to get creative.
Perhaps you watch for red-tagged steak at the grocery store and toss it into the freezer to enjoy later, save money to buy an espresso machine to make lattes at home, or learn ways to make a healthier, less-expensive version of gravy biscuits or ice cream at home.
Those budget strategies, cooking skills and lifestyle ideas – plus many more lessons – are being taught every week in our Education Resource Center.
Each class and program offered in our demo kitchen, computer lab, classroom and event space also fills a yearning many participants have to learn things and find a caring community as they strive to stabilize and improve their lives.
In the next few months, we’ll offer a chance for Young Chefs and Little Chefs to cook with adult partners, several classes teaching how to make vegetarian and heart-healthy recipes, and opportunities to make homemade pies and can jams.
There will be a lunch class teaching how to live with chronic pain and a “Medicare Musings” program about what changes are anticipated next year.
Maybe you’re more interested in spending time with new – or existing – friends during a Meals on Wheels pop-up lunch or a friendly bingo game.
Find details about all these programs and more in the calendar section at christianneighbors.org.
Register to attend the programs – free to anyone who can get to the ERC – by using a link in each calendar entry, dropping a message to scarper@christianneighbors.org or calling (269) 685-4166 ext. 107.
| | Food Assistance & Finance | | |
How does hunger awareness month tie in with our financial assistance department? The average family of four spends between $230-$350 a week at the grocery store according to recent reports. When someone visits our food pantry, they can take enough food to feed their family for three meals a day for five days. If they combine this with some pantry staples that they already have in their home, they can save a trip to the grocery store that week, saving hundreds of dollars.
A visit to our food pantry not only solves a hunger crisis but can also keep the lights or heat on in a home by using the money saved to pay for their utility bill. We encourage every person that comes in for financial assistance to utilize our food pantry so they can use the money that they would have spent at the grocery store for rent, utilities or other living expenses.
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Number Continue to Rise
May is Hunger Awareness Month, and our pantry continues to see increasing numbers.
Those we serve include senior citizens living on fixed incomes, individuals with disabilities, single parents, and hardworking families whose wages simply do not keep up with the cost of living. We also see many households just above the federal poverty level and several families who do not qualify for assistance but still struggle to make ends meet.
Residents of Otsego, Plainwell, and Martin school districts can shop our food pantry once per calendar month and receive enough food for three meals each day for five days. When available, diapers, wipes, personal hygiene products, some cleaning supplies, and over the counter medications can also be selected.
In June, July, and August we provide “Boost Bags” – the summer boost bags are supplemental food for school-aged children when school-based meals are not available. These bags are filled with kid-friendly, easy-to-prepare foods and snacks to help ensure consistent access to food. Every child in the family will receive a boost bag.
How can you help?
Food donations from individuals, businesses, churches, sports teams, civic groups, and other community partners are the lifeline that keeps our pantry shelves stocked and boost bags available. You will find our food donation bin under the awning of the Christian Neighbors building (on the east side). Please place non-perishable items on the shelves and lock the latch. We check this bin on a regular basis. This area is monitored 24-hours for your safety and ours. For large donations or perishable items please contact Shannon or Wendy.
Please reach out to Food Pantry Manager, Shannon or Pantry Assistant, Wendy about holding a food drive. skirtley@christianneighbors.org or wgauthier@christianneighbors.org
| | Click on the staff name above to send an email to them. | | |
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