2023 Impact Report
Ripple Effect’s ministry programming has grown year after year since our inception, and it includes a range of impactful initiatives:
Food Pantry: Within our store, we've partnered with Life Stream Church to provide food to over 100 people monthly, including emergency food boxes for those in immediate need.
Baby Room: We operate a "baby room" where young mothers can earn points, thanks to partnerships with Lakeshore Pregnancy Center and Positive Options, and use these points as "cash" to acquire essential items for their newborns. We also offer vouchers at 50% off for other store items, helping these moms set up their homes at a low cost.
Community Care: We support local schools and collaborate with homeless and jail-based ministries to provide clothing, shoes, household items, and other necessities of daily living to those in need.
Homeless to Homes Ministry: We provide essential items such as housewares, clothing, furniture, and more to families transitioning from homelessness to homes. We also supply new mattresses to families meeting specific criteria, and have outfitted homes for dozens of families.
Blessing Bags: Our Blessing Bags ministry aims to support the homeless in West Michigan. These “meal kit” bags are distributed to local homeless shelters, jail ministries, and "street teams" encountering homelessness regularly.
Community Victory Garden: During the COVID-19 pandemic, we initiated a community garden to ensure a steady supply of fresh produce for local food pantries. For three years since, we've provided hundreds of pounds of fresh fruits and vegetables to families in need by distributing the garden harvest to local food pantries.
Mission Trip Fundraising: We've partnered with local youth groups to help students fund their mission trips by volunteering at Ripple Effect. Over the last five years, more than 2 dozen youth have financed their trips through this unique fundraising opportunity.
Restorative Programs: Our strong belief in the redemptive power of Jesus Christ has led to partnerships with organizations like Reach the Forgotten Ministries. We provide clothing and shoes for individuals recently released from jail, supporting them in rebuilding their lives. Additionally, we collaborate with the Ottawa County court system to offer meaningful community service activities for those on probation.
We have achieved remarkable milestones over the last two years (2022-2023). Highlights include:
Engaged 56 dedicated volunteers who collectively contributed nearly 10,500 volunteer hours.
Developed 32 partnerships and collaborative initiatives to expand our impact.
Provided 85 new mattresses and box springs to families in need over two years.
Gave more than 275 school supply-stuffed, new backpacks to elementary and middle schoolers facing financial challenges over the last 2 years.
Donated more than $30,000 worth of in-kind items (food, clothing, furniture, household goods, etc.) to individuals, families, and seniors in need.
Distributed more than 750 blessing bags to the homeless and hurting in West Michigan.
Donated more than 240 blankets to animal hospitals and rescues, supporting our furry friends.
Supplied local food pantries with hundreds of fresh fruits and vegetables, addressing nutritional needs in our community.
We are sustainable and environmentally friendly. We recycle paper, metal, glass and cardboard to keep as much as we can out of landfills.
