Dear Supporter,
These are troubled times.
I’m reaching out today because you’re a caring, compassionate member of our TrueNorth community. My sincere hope is that you are healthy and coping well during this unprecedented time in our history. COVID-19 has drastically affected so many more lives than those who are sick.
TrueNorth Community Services is dedicated to remaining open and providing critical services to those most at risk. As you know, many programs and services are temporarily halted. We are focusing our efforts in three main areas: food security, housing stability, and heat and energy assistance.
Food Security
Food Pantry
On Monday, we began distributing prepackaged boxes of food curbside to those in need. On that first day, we saw twice as many families as a normal day.
Weekend PowerPacks:
Since the fall, we have been providing supplemental food to 50 students most at risk of food insecurity every weekend in each of the following school districts: Grant, Hesperia, Newaygo, and White Cloud and another 22 homeless students of the Newaygo County Career-Tech Center. This week, we have coordinated with all of these districts and the Career-Tech and will double the number PowerPacks available to each district for weekly delivery and will supply Career-Tech students with the equivalent of four PowerPacks to help them over the next few weeks.
Housing Stability
Our committed team of case managers is doing everything they can to ensure our neighbors’ safety during this uneasy time. As businesses and industries continue to shut down, our families will start to fall behind on mortgage and rent payments dramatically increasing the risk of foreclosures and evictions.
Heat and Energy Assistance
Although winter seems to be behind us, there is still a great need to keep families and seniors safely in their homes with heat and electric service. Our team has been able to quickly adapt through innovative technology and continue this vital service with minimal affect on those needing our help.
I am so incredibly proud of Team TrueNorth. Our staff has certainly risen to the occasion and will do everything possible to continue to deliver our mission and fulfill our obligation to those we serve.
As COVID-19 continues to spread and so many are struggling with job and income disruption, TrueNorth expects to see a sharp spike in demand for services. We are working on plans to address that and will do everything possible, given available resources, to meet our community’s needs. If ever there was a time to support us, it is now.
Thanks so much for your continued support. Please take care of those you love.
With gratitude,
Bev Cassidy
President and CEO