Keeping you informed of the agencies Hope Church supports through the Community Ministry
Peter Boogaart, Community Ministry Member
Lakeshore Habitat for Humanity has been affiliated with Habitat International since 1990. Almost from the start, Hope Church has been a supporting partner.
Dave DeBlock has long been our liaison to Habitat. “There is a home on 15th and Central Avenue that is the first house I can remember working on with Hope folks. That was almost twenty years ago. Mike and Steve Hopkins worked there and the downtown Inter Parish Council (IPC) churches worked together on that one,” he recalls. “Over the years, there may have been at least fifty different Hope Church folks helping out.”
The nature of that help has varied depending upon circumstances and need for on-site labor. We continue to provide financial assistance. “The amount annually has varied, depending on special events, whether there’s a unity build, that sort of thing,” says Community Ministry Chairperson, Lois Maassen.
On its website, Lakeshore Habitat describes itself as “…a partnership, house building, homeownership, Christian ministry in the greater Holland area…based on the principle that all God’s people deserve a decent place to live and that our community is a better place when that occurs.”
In recent years, Lakeshore Habitat has been expanding its strategy with a focus on the renovation of older houses, energy efficiency, and neighborhood development. There’s also an international connection with a sister affiliate in Nicaragua. The resale of construction materials through their ReStore also helps to fund the ministry.
There will always be work for anyone willing to give it on a construction project. Many jobs just require a set of willing hands; you won’t need a builder’s license. If you’re available, contact Dave DeBlock.