Seeing the Vision Take Shape on Main Street

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There are moments in a project when progress feels especially meaningful. Right now, Main Street Housing is in one of those moments.

Siding is going up and nearly complete at 504 E Main, bringing a finished look to a building that not long ago existed only as drawings and discussions. Sidewalks are now connecting the 504 and 524 properties, physically linking spaces that will soon function as one welcoming campus. With these connections in place, we are beginning to see the full vision come into focus, including the future parking lot that will serve residents and visitors alike.

Inside the building, the next phase is right around the corner. Drywall installation in the multifamily units will begin soon, marking another major step toward spaces that will soon feel like home.

What once lived on paper is steadily becoming a place where neighbors will live, gather, and belong. Each milestone brings us closer to creating stable housing and a stronger sense of community right in the heart of Lowell.

Thank you for following along, cheering on the progress, and believing in what this space will mean for our neighbors. We are grateful to share this journey with you and look forward to the milestones still ahead.

                             

2025 Year in Review: Thanks to You, Our Community Thrives

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As we begin 2026, we are filled with gratitude for the hundreds of volunteers and generous donors who made 2025 possible. Because of your support, Flat River Outreach Ministries reached 1,059 unique households through our programs last year, creating meaningful impact in our community.

Here’s a look at what we accomplished together:

 

Food Pantry

  • Averaged 297 shopping trips per month, a 14% increase over 2024
  • Served 413 unique households, including 54 new families

Mobile Pantry

  • Reached 88 households per month
  • Provided groceries to 282 unique households

Farm Market

  • Generated $99,407.24 in sales through 17,814 transactions
  • Sold 47,599 items, with eggs and apples as the top favorites
  • Supported 54 unique clients with extra discount purchases (391 transactions)

Connections

  • Held 317 appointments and answered 773 calls or emails
  • Provided financial assistance to 86 households

Transportation

  • Gave 414 rides to clients
  • Drove 2,211.6 miles to ensure everyone could reach their appointments, pantry visits, and more

Medical Loan Closet

  • Facilitated 540 loans for 703 pieces of medical equipment.

Backpack Distribution

  • Supported 133 households and 258 children with school supplies.

Christmas Program

  • Served 123 households with food only
  • Served 168 households with toys and food
  • Provided 410 children with gifts for a joyful holiday

Every number tells a story of neighbors helping neighbors, of children going to school prepared, of families enjoying meals, and
holidays with dignity, and of community members getting the resources they need to thrive.


Thank You.
None of this would be possible without you—our volunteers, donors, and community partners. Your time, generosity, and heart make a real difference every day.

As we step into 2026, we hope you’ll continue this journey with us, side by side, creating a stronger, kinder, and more connected community.

Treasures’ $1 Million Year: Thank you.

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As we step into 2026, we are pausing to say thank you.
In 2025, Treasures Thrift Store reached $1,000,000 in sales, a milestone that represents the people, kindness, and a community that truly cares.
It reflects every donation given with love, every purchase made with purpose, every volunteer hour shared, and every staff member who showed up day after day. Because of you, Treasures continues to support the work of Flat River Outreach Ministries and the neighbors we serve.
We begin this new year feeling deeply grateful and incredibly hopeful. Thank you for being part of this story and cheers to another year!

Faith Over Fear

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Rex has been a part of the Lowell community for over 20 years, and recently he found himself facing both financial and personal challenges that he never could’ve expected. In these difficult times, he was able to lean on his neighbors, and FROM, to help him find a path forward. After tallying up his budget every month, Rex is able to pay his bills, but doesn’t quite have enough to make all the ends meet. On top of that, he also lost his vehicle, so saving up to get his own transportation is crucial. When he began looking for help, he learned that he didn’t qualify for many senior assistance programs due to his social security being too high. One day, his neighbor told him about FROM, and he couldn’t be more appreciative of the help he’s received ever since.

Rex routinely utilizes our Rides to and FROM transportation service in order to get to the Food Pantry every two weeks. He picks up necessary food items like meat, milk, fruits, and more.

“I needed help, but I was afraid to ask. I had a friend across the street who told me about the food pantry down the road, and now I am so appreciative of everything FROM’s done to help me out. I thank God every day for everyone at FROM who has helped me.”

Rex is looking forward to the day when he has his own vehicle and can come and volunteer at FROM to give back to the place that has given him so much.

Meeting More Than Tangible Needs: Peggy.

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“I started using the food pantry on a regular basis, and that has been such a blessing,” Peggy said. “It stretches my food dollar and frees me up to pay other bills because things are really tight, especially these days.”

Peggy, an active volunteer at FROM, has served in nearly every area of the organization over the last 30 years—long before FROM was officially FROM. Although she qualified for FROM programs, she didn’t use them for a long time. It was a conversation several years ago with a fellow volunteer that changed her mind.

“She encouraged me, saying, ‘No, you qualify, so let us help you,’” Peggy said. “There was so much acceptance there.”

Today, the food programs help her do what she needs to do—like keep and maintain her home. Her house, which once belonged to her parents, has become a sanctuary, surrounded by peaceful woods and a river. She maintains a walking path she uses throughout the year and tends a flower garden filled with perennials.

Her experience volunteering and being involved at FROM over the past three decades, alongside a wide variety of people and learning new skills, has helped her grow personally as well. She has developed her communication skills and feels more confident expressing herself.

“I feel like I’ve had the opportunity to work with good people who have been accepting and willing to help me learn and grow along the way,” she said. “And that has been tremendous.”

 

Food Fight 2025: Congratulations Team South!

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That’s a wrap on Food Fight 2025!

The final results are in…
🏆 South Team takes the win with 95,894 points!
👏 North Team gave a strong fight with 64,760 points!

Congratulations, Team South!!

All together, we raised $150,961 and collected 9,693+ food items to support reliable access to nutritious food for everyone in Lowell.
A special shoutout to the Lowell Post Office for going above and beyond—collecting 6,293 items during their Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive, smashing their previous year’s record by over 1,100!

Another incredible year, with our always incredible community. THANK YOU!


Our friends from Lowell Post Office

Rookies

Red Barn Mercantile

Fish & Finn Outfitters

Ground Broken, Dreams Building!

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May 22nd, 2025, marked a monumental moment for our Lowell community. After years of dedicated planning and unwavering community support, we officially broke ground on FROM’s new affordable housing units right here in our city. This wasn’t just about construction – it was about creating hope and opportunity for families who deserve a safe, stable place to call home. We know that having secure housing changes everything: it gives children a consistent address for school, parents peace of mind, and families the foundation they need to thrive and build their futures. Every shovel of dirt turned represented countless hours of collaboration, advocacy, and belief in what’s possible when a community comes together. To every neighbor, supporter, and partner who made this vision a reality – THANK YOU.

Here’s to the families who will soon have keys in their hands and hope in their hearts. Home isn’t just four walls and a roof – it’s where dreams take root and families flourish.

The Need for Affordable Housing in Lowell

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“Unstable housing causes increased stress and anxiety, high rates of absenteeism, difficulty completing homework, and difficulty focusing when in school,” said Nate Fowler, Lowell Area Schools Superintendent. We talked to Nate as a part of our Building Foundations, Building Hope campaign to bring affordable and supportive housing to the greater Lowell community. His words highlight the need for affordable housing in our community and how the housing scarcity is affecting students.

As we head into this public campaign it’s important to know the numbers that motivated us to help tackle the housing struggles in Lowell. According to recent survey of FROM program participated conducted by Datawise, one in three respondents had difficulty paying for housing in the past year, one in six selected housing instability as a top issue for their health, and 23% reported spending at least 50% of their income on housing. Additionally, MI School Data reported that Lowell Area Schools had 102 mobile students, many of whom were mobile because of eviction filings. Nate supported these findings by saying “Recent increases in housing costs have put a strain on many families’ budgets.”

 
(3d Renderings, not real homes…yet!)

Our plan for the Building Foundations, Building Hope campaign is to build three new buildings that can be rented at an affordable cost. These buildings will be located next to our current rental house at 504 Main Street. The goal for the new buildings is to be able to house up to 40 people at any given time across 17 units. These units are a combination of 1-, 2-, and 3-bedrooms which will housing a single person up to a family of four. The project requires us to raise $3.3 million to construct the three new buildings but the investment is well worth it to take the first steps in addressing this need in our community.
Nate stressed to us the positive change that could come about for students who can get stable housing from this campaign. “By having additional options for affordable housing, students who benefit may see consistent school attendance which allows students to participate fully in their education, a quiet place to study and complete homework, better physical and mental health, boosting their ability to learn, and more opportunities to build lasting friendships and community connections.”

To learn more about the Building Foundations, Building Hope campaign, visit fromlowell.org/buildinghope. If you are interested in making a contribution, reach out to our Development Director, Arianne Hall by phone (616.897.8260) or email (arianneh@fromlowell.org), or click here.

 

Making Waves: Flat River Outreach Ministries’ 2024 Impact

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2024 was a year of significant growth and impact for Flat River Outreach Ministries. Thanks to the incredible support of our community, dedicated volunteers, and generous donors, we were able to make a real difference in the lives of families in Lowell.


We are incredibly grateful for the support of our community. Your contributions, both large and small, have made a lasting difference.

 

A Community Bright and Cheerful

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Alecia’s earliest memories of FROM were from long ago, visiting Treasures Thrift Store in its earliest days to find needs and wants.

In 2012, Alecia was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer. With all that comes with a life altering diagnosis, Alecia found herself in need of some help.

She still isn’t sure who requested help for her through the Repair & Restore (formerly Neighbor to Neighbor), a FROM program that provides weatherization and small home repairs, but help was there.

“The next thing I knew I had a whole group of people at my home, putting new floors and repairing a few doors,” Alecia shared. She felt seen and cared for. Her understanding of what FROM could do in a time of needed expanded as well.

Along with Repair & Restore, and Treasures Thrift Store, Alecia has also taken part in the FROM Christmas Food Basket & Toy Store programs. She loved that she was able to pick out special gifts for her children.

A sense of community blossomed for Alecia. Over the years, she has continued to frequent Treasures Thrift Store. So much so; she finally became a volunteer, serving as a cashier, and in the book department.

Today Alecia’s life is full and busy. With her cancer in remission, she fills her time with family, volunteering, and her favorite pastime, reading! She has seven bookshelves of books!

“I’m lucky compared to so many other people out there, I have fantastic kids and a wonderful husband,” she said. “There will always be something on the horizon that would be nice to have but what I have now is quite lovely.

Alecia complimented the people who make FROM, FROM, saying they are, “bright and cheerful.” We think she’s one of them.

Inspiring the Next Generation in Giving Back

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Now a FROM staff member, McKenzie’s first days here at FROM were as a volunteer. At an early age she and her sister would come along with her grandmother, Sylvia, to volunteer.

McKenzie (L) and Sylvia (R) pose for a photo together. Sylvia get McKenzie involved volunteering nearly 20 years ago.

Sylvia, now a committee member working diligently on our housing capital campaign, has been our Interim Director, Food Pantry manager, and a board member throughout our history. She would bring the sisters along for volunteering. From serving in the food pantry to a spring cleanup, the girls got hands-on experience of being part of a community that helps one another.

One of McKenzie’s favorite memories volunteering as a child was for a spring cleanup

“This year in particular there was a lot of flooding, and I remember being in the basement of this home pulling out rotted baseboards, broken shelving, and building materials.” She went on to say the impact that day left on her, “it was a group of people, not just myself or my family. A group. A collective. A community coming together to help their neighbors.”

While reflecting on her journey with community service and family connections, McKenzie shared, “It has truly been a full circle moment for me, to see what it was like as a young volunteer now being an adult staff member. Without my grandmother as an inspiration and mentor I would not be the woman I am today, nor would I know anything about FROM.”

Sylvia shared her heart from serving came from her family.
“I believe as a Christian and a family that has been very blessed, serving is not only a duty but also a great benefit to myself,” Sylvia shared. “Many times, I have been as blessed with the experience of service as I feel I have contributed by serving.”

FROM is certainly blessed for the heart and hands of Sylvia, her foundation of giving and her teaching of service and her granddaughter, McKenzie.

Food Fight: Kids fired up to feed our community!

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Lowell High School Students helped unload items donated at FROM.

When Shelli Otten retired as a principal at Cherry Creek Elementary School, she still wanted to be involved with the schools, and give back to the community she loved so much. She remembers her experiences with Food Fight as a school administrator as a fun event that helped the greater Lowell community!

Shelli, who serves a the Board Chair at FROM (Flat River Outreach Ministries), said It felt natural  to step in as the Food Fight school liaison. To her, seeing students want to make a difference is an inspiration.

“Principals and counselors have shared stories about students who ask for birthday gifts of food or money so they can contribute to Food Fight,” Shelli said. “That type of thing really shows that kids care and want to make a difference!”

She said it’s the student council and Early Act groups that encourage the elementary school to “get fired up” for Food Fight.

“It’s neat to see everyone working together,” Shelli said.

Shelli went on to share her appreciation for the Lowell Area School staff who make a grand effort to motivate and excite the students to participate and to understand the difference they’re truly making in our community.

Together, the Lowell Area Schools raised more than $6,700 and collect almost 10,000! They led the charge in collect food items for Food Fight. The total Food Fight campaign raised nearly $145,000 and collected more than 12,000 food items. FROM is so thankful for the contribution of food, and most of that food was distributed and utilized during June and early July already.

“We are proud of Lowell School staff and students for collecting about 90% of this year’s food items, and for setting new records for monetary donations,” Shell said, reflecting on the 2024 Food Fight. “I’m looking forward to working with Lowell Area Schools next year; we will be changing our collection drive dates so that we kick off Food Fight in April! This change will hopefully result in even greater amounts given.”

There is a growing need for the FROM Food pantry. In the last two years the number of shopping trips have more than doubled. In 2023, FROM provided more than 2,700 shopping trips in the food pantry, up from 1,300 in 2021.

Elementary students stand in front of a loading van where they loaded up food items for FROM.

Big thanks to elementary students who helped load up the van to bring donations to FROM!

“There is a need in the community and Food Fight helps!” Shelli concluded.

FROM is always in need of food donations to the Food Pantry, and all food programs. Please be sure to check for Meijer Simply Give double match days (coming up Saturday, August 17 and Saturday September 14), drop off extras from your garden, or encourage your church, business, community group, family and friends to host a food drive! For more information, reach out to Arianne Hall, our Development Director, by email (arianneh@fromlowell.org) or by phone (616-897-8260 ext. 135).