Dave Dowson: Building More Than Homes

When Dave Dowson retired and moved to the Lowell area in the spring of 2022, he was looking for something meaningful to do. He wanted to help people and get to know the neighbors in his new community. That search led him here, where his first assignment was working at Main Street Housing and building maintenance at FROM Headquarters.

Dave had volunteered with the Red Cross in Grand Rapids before, but FROM was closer to home, part of the community he now called his own.

Ask Dave what matters most about FROM’s values, and he doesn’t hesitate: Integrity and Dignity. “If we have Integrity, we have the trust of the community,” he says. “And Dignity is what this is all about. Giving people the opportunity to feel good about themselves, giving them some self-esteem.”

That belief came to life through his work at Main Street Housing. Dave says it’s the people, the fellow volunteers who became lasting friends, and the tenants they serve that truly make FROM’s work special.

For anyone considering volunteering at FROM, “Helping people feels good, in more ways than you’d expect, and the connections you make along the way are a huge bonus.” Dave says.