MEL TROTTER MINISTRIES. CROSSroads J U N E New Youth House opens: a look inside. Plus: M EET A YOUNG MENTOR WHO HAS BEEN THERE

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1 MEL TROTTER MINISTRIES CROSSroads J U N E New Youth House opens: a look inside Plus: M EET A YOUNG MENTOR WHO HAS BEEN THERE

2 From The President/CEO THE NEW MTM YOUTH HOUSE Building up a generation Age range defined by HUD as youth. 408 Male and female youth served at MTM in Estimated number of youth on the streets any given night. My 18-year-old son would never admit it, but he needs me. Like so many of his peers, he thinks of himself as an adult, but he still depends on his parents for support and stability. His mother and I couldn t imagine him heading out on his own without the resources or experience to take care of himself. In our community it happens every day. Young men and women are aging out of the foster care system without guidance, others identify as LGBT and are disowned by their families. Some young people leave home to escape abuse and neglect, just to find themselves sleeping on a couch in unsafe housing or selling themselves on the street. Grace and peace, Dennis Van Kampen President/CEO, Mel Trotter Ministries When you and I come alongside these hurting young folks, we help them see that they were meant for so much more. By sharing the love and compassion of Christ today when they re emerging into adulthood, we can break the cycle and help make sure that they won t be alone and homeless when they re 60. We dedicate this June issue of CROSSroads to the young men and women who have a second chance because you support this ministry. Your support will give them the tools to live independently. Please pray about what you can do to reach out to these young people and help build up the next generation.

3 FOR YOU HAVE BEEN MY HOPE, SOVEREIGN LORD, MY CONFIDENCE SINCE MY YOUTH. PSALM 71:5 restoration is the destination MTM OPENS ITS FIRST YOUTH HOUSE During the past year, and thanks to your partnership in this ministry, Mel Trotter s Youth Emergency Shelter (Y.E.S.) served young men, ages 18 to 24, who are experiencing homelessness. This really got us thinking about housing, said Dennis Van Kampen, MTM s president and CEO. We can do the rescue part, but what does restoration look like for the young people in our shelter? To reach closer toward the vision of ending homeless ness one life at a time, MTM and 3:11 Youth Housing came together to establish the MTM Youth House. This pilot effort is Mel Trotter s first supportive housing unit. 3:11 trained and provided a live-in mentor named Jack, whom you ll meet later in this issue of CROSSroads. The Grand Rapids chapter of the NAACP also partnered to offer the Youth House tenants advocacy, leadership skills, and professional development opportunities. With help from these partners, the MTM Youth House opened on April 3 in a private Grand Rapids location. The house features a community kitchen and dining area, two bathrooms, and private rooms for four tenants and the house mentor. The young men will I m very grateful for the help that I ve received here. DAMON work closely with an MTM youth advocate who will assist them with job and housing readiness, spiritual counseling and other support. Tenants pay $250 monthly rent, $50 of which is set aside in a savings account. The rent is low enough to be affordable, yet gives tenants a sense of responsibility. Damon* came up to Grand Rapids from Florida to start a landscaping business. When it folded, he lost his apartment and had nowhere to turn. Through word of mouth, Damon entered the Youth Emergency Shelter, then entered the job readiness program, secured a full-time job, and was the first tenant at the MTM Youth House. I m very grateful for the help that I ve received here, he said. It s good to have someone to talk to. It s a learning experience. While this pilot program offers supportive housing for young men at this time, MTM still offers shelter and programs for young women. Moving forward, Mel Trotter will continue forming partnerships with area agencies, local churches and community businesses to better serve the vulnerable youth population in the greater Grand Rapids area. *Damon s name is changed for his privacy and he is not pictured.

4 jack overcomes homelessness, becomes mtm youth house mentor WE RE LIKE A BIG FAMILY. As the live-in mentor for the MTM Youth House, Jack understands what his fellow roommates have been through more than many people would. He was homeless for two years in high school. Life wasn t all that easy, Jack admitted. I was couch surfing for a while, I stayed at a few friends houses, and I was on the street for a day or two at a time. Despite not having a consistent place to stay, Jack finished high school. He also attended youth group at City Life Church, where he became one of the founders of 3:11 Youth Housing in I was there every step of the way from day one, Jack said. We did all the fund raising, meet and greets, and meetings. We got our first house a couple years later. I moved in and I was a co-mentor. Taking a leadership role came naturally to Jack. From my teens, I ve been someone people have looked to for guidance. When I moved into the first house, I put all the bills in my name, started assigning chores and set everything up. One of the biggest issues about being young is you re powerless. As a mentor at the MTM Youth House, Jack s role extends far beyond taking care of bills. His faith guides him to make the Youth House a true home for the four young men who are living there. We re like a big family, he said. When guys come into the house, they re my brothers. I want to get to know them, and let them get to know each other and know me. If they leave, they ve still got my number. Jack is studying psychology at Grand Rapids Community College, with plans to major in psychology and sociology at Grand Valley State University. His life experiences have already given him valuable insight into the problem of youth homelessness. One of the biggest issues about being young is you re powerless, he said. Chances are if someone between the ages of 18 and 24 is homeless, it s not because they want to be. There are a lot of people in really messed-up situations who can t go back home without being abused in some way. YOUR SUPPORT FOR THE MTM YOUTH HOUSE WILL ENSURE TROUBLED YOUNG MEN WON T END UP BACK ON THE STREETS. DON T LET ANYONE LOOK DOWN ON YOU BECAUSE YOU ARE YOUNG, BUT SET AN EXAMPLE FOR THE BELIEVERS IN SPEECH, IN CONDUCT, IN LOVE, IN FAITH AND IN PURITY. 1 TIMOTHY 4:2

5 GARY TESTIFIED THAT SERVING IN Y.E.S. HAS CHANGED HIS HEART. a volunteer is surprised by y.e.s. IT WAS NOTHING AT ALL LIKE I EXPECTED! Where is your need? were Gary s first words on coming to volunteer at Mel Trotter Ministries. When he was assigned to check guests into the Youth Emergency Shelter (Y.E.S.), Gary said God encouraged him to stare down the stigmas of homelessness in Grand Rapids. I had nightmares that I was going to see drug deals happen, I was going to get shot, just crazy stuff. I came down here and found that it was nothing at all like that. The young men are here for a purpose and they re very respectful. I ve enjoyed sitting down and talking with them. Since it opened on February 15, 2016, the Y.E.S. has served more than 90 individual young men, ages 18 to 24, who were experiencing homelessness. During that time, 24 of those young men went directly from the shelter into Mel Trotter s job readiness program. Most of the remaining guests who used the shelter found housing. It s a lot more fulfilling to have skin in the game and be involved in people s lives. I have the best hopes and wishes for all of them, but you can see that certain ones really have the desire to get back on their feet, said Gary. When I see those guys, I think, I want to fuel that fire and help them any way that I can. Gary is taking his volunteer duties to the next level and is trying to connect guests with a construction industry training program. Gary had been going through some personal challenges before he decided to volunteer. He testified that serving in Y.E.S. has changed his heart. I m embarrassed to admit that I was scared to come down here. It was a lot easier to only give money and to say I m doing the right thing, but it s a lot more fulfilling to have skin in the game and be involved in people s lives, he said. Are you feeling called to serve? There is a place for you and your passion at MTM. Visit meltrotter.org/ volunteer to browse through opportunities.

6 summer needs list HELP THE MTM YOUTH HOUSE TENANTS GET SETTLED THIS SUMMER. Please or call if you would like to organize a drive, drop off your donation or if you have any questions. n Laundry basket n Towels (Large) n Sheets (twin or full) n Household cleaning supplies n Toilet paper n Shampoo & conditioner n Body wash n Deodorant n Hand soap n Laundry detergent n First Aid items (Band-Aids, Neosporin, etc.) n Essential medications (Advil, Tylenol, etc.) n Toothbrushes n Body lotion n Journals n Comfort snacks n Ziploc bags n Alarm clocks 225 Commerce Avenue SW Grand Rapids, MI meltrotter.org Our Mission Statement Mel Trotter Ministries exists to demonstrate the compassion of Jesus Christ toward the hungry, homeless and hurting of the greater Grand Rapids area. CONNECT WITH US MELTROTTER.ORG/SEASONOFHOPE The movie premiere of SAME KIND OF DIFFERENT AS ME was postponed from February by Paramount Pictures. The latest release date is in October. Keep an eye on your mailbox/inbox for more details. Board of Directors Janis Petrini Chair Kurt Hein Vice Chair Ron Van Houten Treasurer Tonja Moyer Secretary Brenda Moore Assistant Secretary Tom McGovern Jim Kregel Greg Heath Jim Bultema Kelly Jasperse Jonathan Moody Jim Mitchell TRUSTEES Donijo Dejonge Jeshua Lauka Chuck Damon Roger Bruins Rich Craig Bruce Bush Mary Hollebeek Gordon Oosting Adam Lipscomb Tony Johnson Rick Velting Tom Meyers