Latest from the Blog

Celebrating 40 Years

Celebrating 40 Years

Forty is a big birthday – for anyone! “The Big 4-0” is usually marked with a party, with cards proclaiming that you’re heading down the other side of the proverbial hill, and jokes about how old you are. What does it mean to be 40? As celebrated as 40 is in our...

Simply Giving Food.

Simply Giving Food.

"Flashback to a little over two years ago when our family was surviving on fast food drive-thru, ramen noodles and prepackaged snacks. Wendy's 4 for $4 made it cheaper for our family of five to eat out rather than cook at home.   We joined Love Your Neighbor's...

All Of It Working Together

All Of It Working Together

"At the start of this journey, I felt totally alone and very lost." This is a common statement made by participants as they reflect back on how life was before – our own neighbors who are part of the almost 40% of individuals in Hudsonville, Jenison and Grandville...

A Testimony of Transformation

A Testimony of Transformation

“I am standing here today a totally different person than who I was when I began the program in April 2022. When I began I was freshly out of a very toxic marriage that lasted 10 years. In that marriage, I had no say in what was coming in or going out financially and...

A Letter of Hope

A Letter of Hope

"We came to this program when we were in a hard season of life. I heard about Love your Neighbor through my good friend who was in the program and encouraged me to call. I knew this time around I needed to take steps to find different resources to help us financially...

Resilience and Renewal: A Story of Transformation

Resilience and Renewal: A Story of Transformation

"When I first walked through Love Your Neighbor’s door at the beginning of 2023, I was at the lowest point in my life.  My marriage was imploding.  My mental health was crashing.  My children were in a constant state of fight, flight or freeze.  My finances were a...

A Letter Of Thanks

A Letter Of Thanks

“The Life Skills Program was a huge blessing to our family. Having 4 very young kids and struggling with living paycheck to paycheck we were unsure what to do. The support we received was outstanding, the weekly groceries and hygiene supplies helped us save money so...

Transformation Through Faith and Community

Transformation Through Faith and Community

The name in this story is changed, but the transformation through Christ is real.  Samantha, a mom of three, came to Love through a partnership with a local public school. Unsure what the next few months were going to look like, she was hesitant to join the Life...

Using God’s Gifts To Bring Transformation.

Using God’s Gifts To Bring Transformation.

Marcy’s life as a construction worker changed suddenly when she received a substantial injury. After using her life savings to pay for three surgeries and treat a major kidney infection in a year and a half span, she was left with nothing. No longer able to work in...

A Journey to Becoming Debt Free.

A Journey to Becoming Debt Free.

Paul joined the Life Skills Program in December 2021 after falling two and half months behind on his rent. Though unsure how to pay off his debt, Paul was eager for an opportunity to learn through Love Your Neighbor's Life Skills...

Holy Saturday’s Message of Hope

Holy Saturday’s Message of Hope

Take a moment to sit and soak in a devotion for Holy Saturday written by Love's Executive Director, Jodi Cole Meyer. Holy Saturday The Christian calendar is full at the beginning of every year. We move quickly from Epiphany to the long observance of Lent, with Holy...

Receiving Help Around the Clock

Receiving Help Around the Clock

In October of 2022 Love Your Neighbor opened the Emergency Food Pantry in partnership with the Ottawa County Sheriff's Department, the Hudsonville-Jenison Community Foundation, Hoonhorst Concrete, River City Flooring, Huizens Locksmith, and Miedema Metal Building...

The Power of Community

The Power of Community

***The name in this story has been changed for privacy reasons, but the transformation from Christ is real.  A year and a half ago, Rachel moved back to Michigan after being in South Carolina for many years. She ran away from an abusive marriage to start...

Rebuilding Their Family

Rebuilding Their Family

Karla, an upper-class, 19-year-old, was struck with shock when she and Donald, her lower-class, 21-year-old husband, were showered with cash. With lack of money management skills, the couple became excitedly overwhelmed when a large influx of cash landed in their laps from Donald’s military deployment.

Changing the Legacy for Their Children

Changing the Legacy for Their Children

Pregnant and nineteen, Nicky Hamilton and her unborn baby’s father, Chris, were thrown into adulthood and forced to manage life on their own. In an attempt to relieve societal and economical pressure, they got married and moved out of their parents’ houses.  Clinging...