ACCESS of West Michigan serves God in our community by providing working solutions to hunger and poverty. ACCESS works with over 300 congregations and one hundred food pantries in Kent County

Description:
The three ACCESS Initiatives are :

1. Hunger Initiative: ensure no one goes hungry. ACCESS coordinates the Food Pantry Network of Kent County, currently serving over 6,000 households every month. ACCESS coordinates the County Wide Food Drive, Food for Families, Care Week and other food drives, collecting over one-half million pounds of food annually.
2. Casework Initiative: helps congregations and our community effectively respond to human needs. ACCESS provides consultation, screening and referrals for Kent County congregations. Working with local congregations, over $100,000 in emergency assistance was provided last year.
3. Poverty Education Initiative: advocate ways to learn more about the reality of poverty and how to respond.Through our Living on the Edge Poverty Simulation workshops, hundreds of participants gain a better understanding of the challenges of living in poverty and opportunities to be part of the response.



History:
ACCESS began in 1981 as a result of federal government cutbacks and increased needs. There was a need to coordinate the response of congregations, eliminate duplication of service and provide opportunities for people to respond. ACCESS now works with 300 congregations and 100 food pantries to respond to human need in Kent County.


Contact people:


Marsha DeHollander, Program Director, (phone), (email) Nancy Reenders, Pantry Program Coordinator, (phone), (email) Betsy Thompson, Poverty Education Initiative Coordinator, (phone), (email)


Office fax number: (616) 998-8714

Address:


750 First St. NW Grand Rapids, MI 49504 (See a map)


Web Site: http://www.accessofwestmichigan.org

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