GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Mel Trotter Ministries hosted its ninth annual Season of Hope Gala Thursday evening to shine a light on the people who have made it out of a dark place and how the organization has helped for more than a century.
Ashley Ward was the keynote speaker of the gala. She was born and raised in Grand Rapids and has a history of trauma and adversity.
“At an early age, I suffered from depression, suicidal tendencies. I actually dropped out of high school to work full-time and ended up getting my GED,” Ward explained. “I found myself in domestic violence and so, just trying to rebuild my life from that and move forward.”
Ward said it wasn’t easy to overcome those dark times, but rather mentally challenging and exhausting.
However, she says she never gave up hope.
“That was an act of God that I escaped homelessness myself. Just through everything I’ve been through and just barely able to afford my own rent as I lived alone and worked multiple jobs,” Ward added. “If you told me a decade ago that I would be in this position, I would not believe it and I feel so blessed and honored.”
Now, Ward is the founder and CEO of W Talent Solutions— a talent and consulting firm in Grand Rapids—and got to share about her “Season of Hope” with others.
Meanwhile, Mel Trotter Ministries has been helping others through their “Seasons of Hope” by serving the community for more than 120 years— providing food, shelter, workforce readiness and more.
“Last year in 2022, we saw more people leave homelessness than ever before, any other year,” Mel Trotter President and CEO Dennis VanKampen said. “Over 400 people left for housing, almost 300 people not only got jobs, but maintained jobs. And then we had people move forward in their faith and conquer their addictions.”
Mel Trotter served more than 5,000 people last year— the most yet.
VanKampen says stories like Ward’s and others who spoke at Thursday’s gala provide the hope that’s needed to help people get out of their own dark place and may have a hard time finding the right path.
“Homelessness in Grand Rapids, in addition to, just like the rest of the country, is significantly increasing and I think there’s a lot of factors to that— housing prices, rent is so high, wages, the pandemic,” VanKampen said. “If there is a community that can rise up and actually turn the needle back on homelessness, it’s Grand Rapids…And that’s what this night is all about. It’s about help and it’s about hope.”
Mel Trotter is raising money for Grand Rapids’ first tiny home community that will provide housing for people who can’t afford to buy a home or pay rent.
Click here if you’d like to donate.
