Homeless Awareness Month
We’re on a mission to end poverty and homelessness.
activating individual and community assets, and meeting immediate needs in our community.
What We Do
Good Samaritan serves as Ottawa County’s designated Housing Assessment and Resourcing Agency (HARA). For anyone experiencing homelessness, we connect them to secure, sustainable housing and supportive programs that build stable, thriving communities.
In close partnerships with other nonprofit organizations, landlords, local courts, and many other partners, Good Samaritan provides solutions for people to exit homelessness for good and break the cycles of poverty.
Our Work
Preventing homelessness
We work with tenants, landlords, and Ottawa County courts to prevent evictions, providing short-term financial assistance through a pay-back program called Ottawa County Eviction Prevention Program (OCEPP).
Housing solutions
We provide supportive housing services and rental assistance to households in crisis, helping them navigate the paths to stable housing solutions and exiting homelessness.
Sustainable partnerships
Our full-service property management department provides professional, holistic property management services for investment property owners. GSM Property Management prioritizes owners who share a commitment to fair and affordable housing and tenant well-being.
Supportive services
Once households are ready to take the next step from surviving to thriving in their community, we offer relationally-based support services to help people establish and meet their goals, breaking the cycles of poverty.
Here are three ways you can partner with Good Samaritan this November:
Host a Welcome Home basket drive
When a person experiences homelessness, they often give up everything they own in pursuit of safe shelter—including what most people would consider “the essentials.” So, anytime a person exits homelessness, Good Samaritan provides that household with a Welcome Home basket—a laundry basket filled with household and personal items. By hosting a Welcome Home basket drive, your church members can help provide one of these baskets to brighten someone’s day as they open the door to their next phase of life.
Over the last year, Good Samaritan provided about 80 Welcome Home baskets.
Sponsor a “One Night, No Bed” campaign
One Night, No Bed is a Good Samaritan campaign to raise awareness about Ottawa County’s homelessness. Each night, more than 200 of our neighbors sleep outside, in an emergency shelter, or in their vehicle because they have no other place to sleep.
The concept around One Night, No Bed is simple: for one night, participants sleep anywhere other than their bed. Share photos on social media, talk about their experience with others, and strive to understand the issues surrounding homelessness in our community.
Consider a special gift for Good Samaritan
Good Samaritan’s work is possible because of financial support from a mix of public and private sources. Your donation could help families remain stably housed, avoid homelessness, or exit homelessness.
Contact Us About Homeless Awareness Month
We’re able to eradicate homelessness in our community because of the support of many generous people and organizations.
Donate today to help end homelessness in Ottawa County.