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.
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.
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.
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. Boulding 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. This left Alecia feeling seen and taken care of, expanding her expectations of what FROM could do in a time of much needed support.
Along with Repair & Restore, and Treasures Thrift Store, Alecia has also taken part in the FROM Christmas Food Basket & Toy Store. 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.
Faced with an unsafe living situation and the threat of rising rent, Mary knew she had to do something.
“I was like ‘I’ve got to do something,’” she said. “I’m not getting [anywhere]. I’m not paying any bills. I’m not helping my credit. I’m just losing money and making myself depressed.”
She was paying $700 a month to rent a small room where she couldn’t open the windows or leave the room without fear of a dog attacking her or her cat.
Mary had applied to live at FROM’s Main Street Housing in the past, but the available unit wasn’t a good fit for her. She decided to apply again, and this time, she was able to move in.
The year she’s been in her new home wasn’t easy. Shortly after moving in, with limited work hours significantly impacting her income, Mary made the decision to transition jobs. She was encouraged to change jobs by her supportive friends, and a few FROM staff members. While it was a positive change for her, the delay in paycheck meant she needed an extension to pay her rent for the next month.
Wendie, FROM Executive Director, agreed to work with her, and Mary was thankful, saying it’s not a chance you really get anywhere else.
“I just wanted to cry when I wanted to ask [Wendie] about it…” Mary said. “I don’t like asking like that.”
She’s now settled into her new job, where she enjoys running a Hi-Lo, something she’s done for more than a decade.
Moving to Main Street Housing has had a positive impact on her financially, as well as helping improve her mental health, and stay more positive.
“I’m actually watching my credit go up, I’m getting everything paid off, I’m able to help my dad,” Mary said. “If I was still in that spot, I would not be able to help my dad…I wouldn’t be able to do everything an adult should be able to help their parents’ do.”
She’s thankful for the positive impact that stable and affordable housing has had on her life, and the foundation she is building, living in the community where she has support.
“I’m doing it on my own. I’m here in Lowell, that’s all I wanted,” she said.
When asked about why affordable housing is so important to the Greater Lowell community, Mary was quick to share.
“People deserve [affordable housing]. They deserve the opportunity, that’s what they deserve.”
(Rex pictured here with one of the raised garden beds he tends to at Main Street Housing over the summer)
After living south of Lowell for almost five years, Rex needed to find a place to live. He had 30 days to find a new place, and his options were limited.
“I couldn’t afford, what, over $1,000 in rent,” he said about the available houses and apartments in Lowell.
The avid science fiction reader and gardener saw that FROM’s Main Street Housing had a unit for rent and quickly applied.
“I applied and within 2 weeks I’d been ok’d,” he said. “…It’s fitting my needs for right now.”
Previously, he rented a room in a house and shared the rest of the house and kitchen. He appreciates that he now has a place to truly call his own. Plus his shorter commute to and from his job at Meijer saves him gas money
In the summer you’ll find him working in the raised garden beds outside of the house or reading about gardening in one of the more than 1,000 books he owns.
“It’s a nice environment, the rent is reasonable, it’s fair,” Rex said about living at Main Street Housing.
Though the house historically had a negative reputation in the community prior to FROM taking ownership, Rex said that the reputation has changed for the better.
“I’ve had a couple people ask me when I moved in if it was like it was before,” he said. The folks living there are more friendly and take ownership of where they live. FROM has brought structure and safety through policies and security cameras.
“It’s equal housing, anybody can come here and apply,” he said about why he appreciates where he lives. “…the community does need it.”
When former FROM staff members Dawn, Diane B., Diane K. and Kathy transitioned out of their positions, they knew they wanted to stay involved.
“I love everything about FROM,” Dawn, former FROM Executive Director, said. “When I left as a staff member, I never thought that would mean I left as a volunteer.”
Diane, former Volunteer Coordinator, agreed saying when she retired, she assumed she would continue by volunteering.
Each of them has found a way to stay involved and continue serving the community. You will find them stocking the Farm Market, working in Treasures Thrift Store, sitting on our board, or filling in whereever they’re needed.
“I didn’t know how much need there was in the community when I started,” Diane Barnes, former Administrative Assistant, said. “It’s nice to see we can help a lot of people.”
They each shared it doesn’t matter where you get involved at FROM, it all makes a difference.
“No matter where you volunteer, it’s good.” Kathy, former Thrift Store Coordinator, said. “In your community is even better.”
Hear more of their individual stories, as well as current volunteer opportunities by visiting our website at: www.fromlowell.org.
I first came to FROM in the early 2010’s as a struggling divorced mom of two. I was working a part-time job that wasn’t meeting my financial needs, and my girls and I shopped in the Thrift Store for clothes.
In 2015, my husband Scott and I married, after meeting through our kids, and had to provide for our five kids.
FROM helped fill the gaps. Mobile Food Pantry and other food programs helped provide food. The Backpack Distribution and Christmas Toy Store and Food Basket helped fill other gaps.
We were sad that we couldn’t buy enough food and get new clothes for the kids. FROM helped us, and not just the tangible items like food and school supplies.
The people helped us too. We felt kindness here, not pity. We were not seen as broken people, hopeless or useless. We found friends and neighbors who were volunteers and program participants just like us. We received a warm greeting with smiling faces. There was hope that life would get better. It meant a lot to not feel alone or defeated for a while. We kept working and learning and, eventually, life did get better.
Even when we had nothing, we volunteered and donated what we could. Today, we continue to volunteer, as do our kids, and I joined FROM staff in 2021. Giving to others has always been a big part of who we are, as individuals and as a family. We do it to be kind, and to share a mission of hope.
A giving spirit stokes the fire of hope in others. We wish to inspire people to keep trying and moving forward. Because there is always hope for you too.
Today, I’m glad to work at FROM because I can relate to families facing struggles. I understand that sometimes it’s still not enough even when you’re doing the best you can. While FROM can’t fix everything, we can help with basic needs, fill a gap or make someone’s day a little brighter simply by listening.
The “fun” uncle. Great conversationalist. Frugal. Friend of FROM (Flat River Outreach Ministries). These all describe Phil Rice, who passed away at the end of 2020.
Through Phil, FROM was blessed to receive a generous estate gift that will be used to help families in need in our community access safe and affordable housing.
“The generous gift of Phil Rice will help Flat River Outreach Ministries continue pursuing affordable housing solutions right here in our community,” Wendie Preiss Executive Director shared.
Kathy Brady, Phil’s niece, said he was drawn to FROM because of the way FROM serves families and individuals in need. He worried about people who were in need and didn’t know where to go. He wanted to ensure they were taken care of.
Phil and his wife of sixty-four years, Donna Mae, were generous to many organizations over the years. FROM and the Humane Society were among the organizations that worked to address causes that were near and dear to them
We are so thankful for the generosity from Phil and Donna Mae and for their lasting impact on our community.
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