Flat River Outreach Ministries provided this article as part of a series highlighting the need for affordable housing in the community.
“In the hierarchy of needs, you need shelter,” John Barnett, Client Services Coordinator at Flat River Outreach Ministries, said. “If you don’t have a place where you can feel safe and also sleep every night then everything else is kind of secondary.”
Safe and affordable housing is one of the greatest challenges facing individuals and families around the nation, state and county. And Lowell is no exception.
A 2022 study conducted by Bowen National Research revealed there is a housing gap of 5,107 rental units over the next five years in Kent County, outside of Grand Rapids, with the greatest gap affecting households earning between 51% and 80% of the Area Median Household Income (AMI).
For Flat River Outreach Ministries (FROM), our project to build 17 units of affordable and supportive housing across three buildings will specifically target families earning up to 80% AMI. There will be 1-, 2- and 3-bedroom options that will house families up to four.
“This new expansion will give even more opportunities, including families, so they can feel good and proud about where they live, in a community that welcomes them,” Wendie Preiss, FROM Executive Director, said.
Stable housing has a generational impact on families. Housing instability can impact a child’s health and education, a 2021 BMC Psychiatry research article reports, and providing stable housing disrupts this cycle. The report continues, sharing children growing up in stable housing have an increased likelihood of attaining stable housing as an adult.
For families who will live in this future FROM Main Street Housing, there will be a generational impact on their family. Not only will the lives of children living there improve, but the grandchildren, and great-grandchildren of FROM tenants have a greater chance at excelling in school and living healthier lives because of the stable housing provided to generations prior to them.
Additionally, tenants will remain local to families and friends – allowing them to retain their network of support and established relationships within the community to help them succeed. This additional stability provides immeasurable impact for families. One parent of a current Main Street Housing tenant shared, “the affordable housing program gave my developmentally disabled son the chance to greatly improve his living conditions.”
In February 2025, a generous donor challenged the community to raise $125,000 by May 1. If successful, the donor will contribute an additional $50,000 to FROM for the project. To date, FROM has raised more than $95,000 towards this goal.
If you are interested in giving, please contact FROM Development Director, Arianne Hall, at 616.897.8260 ext. 135 or [email protected], or you can make a donation online.
To learn more about the project, visit the FROM website.
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