Bethany in Grand Rapids

Donations are needed frequently. Gift cards allow families to buy weather-appropriate clothing, highchairs, cribs, and other necessities. Some donations must be new, while others can be used. Living room and kitchen furniture, vehicles, and bicycles are a common request and we might be able to pick up! Cribs or mattresses must be new. Contact us to make a monetary donation to directly support an individual or family or donate items.

Meet with clients and their interpreter at their nearest bus stop to show them how they can best use public transportation to get to work, grocery stores, medical offices, and around the city. Provide tech training to teach clients the safety and navigation of Uber/Lyft rides.

Teach or help practice basic English or a particular area of need. You will meet one-on-one or in a group setting, typically for 4-6 hours per month. Also a great need to help students with school subjects.

Provide transportation to individuals and families to medical, government, and Bethany appointments and other necessary locations. If you are using your own vehicle, mileage is reimbursed.

Before a refugee individual or family arrives in their new community, a home needs to be readied for them. Move-in helpers assist with assembling furniture, making beds, setting up the kitchen and bathrooms, stocking the pantry, or preparing a hot meal for their arrival.

Spend time once a week with refugee teens being a positive role model.  Requires a 12-month commitment spending 4 hours per month with matched youth.

Upon arrival, Bethany is required to provide a cultural hot meal and stock the pantry with food. Items include; dairy, meats, fruits, vegetables, beans, breads, snacks or crackers, essential spices, teas, and coffee. Shoppers will be provided with a grocery list specific to country of origin. Hot meals can be purchased from a local restaurant or prepared prior to arrival. Donations are greatly appreciated, but willing to reimburse for food expenses.

Be a friend to a family as they acclimate to living in America. As a new neighbor, you will experience a cross-cultural relationship with a family as you provide transportation, help them decipher mail, assist with budgeting, and familiarize them with English. This is a 12-month commitment with an average of 4 hours per month.

Seeking students passionate about making a difference for children and families. Interns work directly under the direct supervision of a Bethany staff member, gaining valuable professional experience in a variety of programs. Accepting applications for Social and Legal Work, Criminal Justice, Public Health, Nursing, Education. Semester and year-long placements considered.

A day of service can demonstrate and celebrate the power of families, community groups, or businesses who volunteer together by supporting their community. Bethany can offer a day for your group to help with a specific event already planned or scheduled arrival. Activities may include offering a collection of household goods, grocery shopping for a family’s arrival, preparing a home, lawn or home care assistance etc.

Join a collaborative effort between your church and local volunteers to support families in times of crisis. Our mission is to provide early assistance, ensuring parents receive the help they need to stabilize their situation and keep their family together—long before foster care becomes a possibility. Make a difference by offering transportation, providing meals, caring for children, becoming a host family, or delivering essential supplies like diapers and resources. We are actively seeking host families, resource friends, and family coaches to help strengthen and uplift families in need.