Two Churches - Holy Cross Episcopal + Ascension Lutheran

Diapers are expensive, and can NOT be purchased with Bridge cards (“Food Stamps”). One in three families in Kent County struggle to provide enough diapers for their little ones. Started in October 2012 by Ascension Lutheran, The Diaper Depot supplies low-income families of children age 3 & under with two dozen diapers each month, free of charge. In 2019 we had more than 400 children registered as eligible to receive diapers, though not everyone comes every month – only when their budgets are stretched too thin. We helped an average of 173 children each month and gave out nearly 600,000 diapers! And since its inception, we have aided more than 3,000 children! The Depot is open twice each month, staffed entirely by volunteers, and operates entirely through donations & fundraising.

Many of our ministries focus on helping alleviate food insecurity. Each month we collect food and personal care items, which are then blessed and delivered to The Green Apple food pantry, located at 4307 Kalamazoo Ave SE. Each fall, we hold a Spaghetti Dinner fundraiser for the pantry – 2020 will be the 16th annual dinner! For 2019, The Green Apple estimated our food donations at a little over 4500 lbs., with an impact in excess of $10,000! We also have a monthly “noisy” loose change offering which goes to ACCESS of West Michigan, a faith-based organization working to provide solutions to the complex issues of poverty. Church members also regularly participate in ACCESS’ annual Walk for Good Food.

There are so many needs, and so many opportunities for us to be God’s hands in the community. Just a few of the things we do here at Two Churches: annual “Share-a-Christmas” and “Be a Santa to a Senior” gift/food collections; Two Churches Thankoffering donations to Lutheran Disaster Response & Episcopal Relief & Development; volunteers staff St. Mark’s Breakfast Cafe downtown feeding the homeless each “Fifth Sunday”; members participate in “Warm Up America” knitting/crocheting afghans to give to local children entering the foster care system; Kibble Konnection collections of pet food and supplies for the local Humane Society; garden space (and water) are donated for use by a group of local Bhutanese refugees.