The Lowell community will soon benefit from a local ministry’s plan to support lower income families through a new housing project next to 504 E. Main Street.
Flat River Outreach Ministries broke ground on a 17-unit housing project that will help stem the local housing crisis. About 100 people were in attendance for the event on May 22 including State Senator Thomas Albert and Kent County Commissioner Dave Hildenbrand.
FROM Executive Director Wendie Preiss said building apartments that can house families rather than only individuals will be a huge help for the community and make a difference in the lives of children.
“We know that if children have a solid home, a stable home, that this impacts them as an adult,” Preiss said. “This could change…the future of many generations to come, so we’re really excited about it.”
According to Preiss, the ministry still has about $300,000 left to raise for the project in addition to the $3.3 million they have already raised.
“We feel comfortable moving forward because we have the funding to go forward in terms of loans and things like that, but we’re still fundraising at this point,” she said.
FROM is hoping the apartments will be ready to move into during the summer of 2026.
Kicking off the ceremony, Ryan Kresge, executive pastor at Impact Church, credited God for the success of the project
“We are here today to celebrate what He has done through the obedience of FROM and so many lives that have committed themselves, their resources, their time to making this possible,” Kresge said.
Lowell Area Schools Superintendent Nate Fowler said because of FROM’s example, Lowell students have a sense of service, hope, compassion, and community.
“With this Main Street housing project, the presence and impact that FROM can have on the lives of our youth will continue to grow stronger,” Fowler said. “We know that kids have a greater opportunity to thrive in general with structure, with routine – things that are disrupted when there’s housing instability and…disruptions to that home environment.”
“(By) increasing the supply of affordable housing, there are kids who are going to have more opportunities to build social connections, have better focus in the classroom, participate in more extracurricular activities, and have positive outcomes,” he added.
Senator Albert said there is a great need for affordable housing in Michigan. He said the Michigan State Housing Development Authority estimates 140,000 units are needed statewide, and he commended FROM for connecting people with community resources in order to combat homelessness and develop needed life skills.
“FROM’s efforts demonstrate significant progress is being made one project at a time,” Albert said. “The project will help more people in the community stay close to their families and their support networks and will help them build better lives for themselves and their families.”
Preiss called the project coming to fruition a “miracle” and attributed it to God’s faithfulness and the hard work of hundreds of people within the ministry and the community.
“Today we celebrate the many miracles that brought us to this point. Today, through trust and hard work, we bring our God in Heaven glory,” she said.
The project is supported through grants and community gifts made toward FROM’s “Building Foundations, Building Hope” campaign. Individuals, organizations, churches, foundations and companies have contributed.
FROM is partnering with ICCF Community Homes, a local expert in building and managing affordable housing as its construction representative, and Eastbrook Homes, a Michigan home building company, will serve as the general contractor.
I’d like to know what Sen. Albert is doing and has voted in favor of that can help our communities increase affordable housing?It’s great he shows up for photo ops, but how is he impacting this profound need?