an area long known for aid agencies and urban decay. But the Heartside neighborhood was changing. Now construc- tion cranes, apartments and new enterprises have joined the mix. So, too, has the HNCP. It
‘What does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?’
was born in 2010 amid a perceived lack of collaboration among well-regarded agencies. Funding came from the Dyer-Ives Foundation, the church in society committee of the North/West Lower Michigan Synod and other sources. Primary funding comes from Bethlehem’s 200-member congregation.
‘To do justice’ “We’re called not just to do charity better, but also to change systems so charity is less necessary,” Schrimpf said. Biblical rationale for HNCP includes Matthew 25 for
charity and the book of Amos for social justice. And Micah 6:8b: “What does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?” Key to HNCP’s acceptance in Heartside is that the
ministry is viewed as neutral, Schrimpf said, adding, “Our only bias is that everybody should have a seat at the table.” O’Keefe said, “Our approach was to ask, ‘What do you need?’ It broke down a lot of barriers.”
Kiel Hamlet is able to help people with legal and financial matters, thanks to the collaboration developed through the Heartside project.
Lunch leads to outreach court A
s a judicial clerk, Heather Pelletier routinely saw the homeless in Grand Rapids’ 61st District Court. She saw their unpaid fines for petty crimes. Jail
oſten added to their burdens and barriers. So she looked for a better way. As she studied home-
less courts in the U.S., “God was taking my heart,” Pelletier said. A few years ago a court intern heard Pelletier talking
about her ideas. “We went to lunch and talked about the possibilities,” Pelletier said. “And things started falling into place.” Tat intern, Kate O’Keefe,
introduced Pelletier to her role with Bethlehem Lutheran Church’s Heartside Neighbor- hood Collaboration Project. Pelletier said O’Keefe’s ties to social service agencies were key to the formation of Community Outreach Court, an effort launched in January 2014 involving the 61st District Court, Cooley Law School, Heartside Ministry, Degage Ministries, Mel Trotter Ministries, Community Legal Services of West Michi- gan and HNCP. Court is in session once every other month at the
The venue ‘helps to show that
we as a court ... care about their success.’
Mel Trotter shelter for homeless men, women and families. Te venue “helps to show that we as a court genuinely care about their success,” said Judge Donald Passenger. At the outreach court, homeless or the “precari-
ously housed” can learn if they have outstanding fines or warrants without fear of arrest. Participants with unresolved, nonviolent misdemeanors or civil infrac- tions can be paired with a social services advocate and an “action plan” with goals such as paying down fines or getting housing. A completed plan means dismissal of warrants and charges. Last year the court had more than 100 record checks,
18 program participants and four graduates. Passenger said HNCP and its partners “are an
integral part of the court’s ability to achieve success for people who have been teetering between success and failure.” Pelletier enjoys “working together for the greater
good.” Tis year she transitioned to a new job: house manager at Mel Trotter Ministries. “God just turned my heart,” she said.
Mike McCarty May 2015 29
ADAM BIRD ADAM BIRD
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