Emergency shelter to open in downtown Grand Rapids as tent encampment grows
Dustin Dwyer / Michigan Radio A new emergency shelter will soon open in downtown Grand Rapids, with up to 100 beds. The shelter will be in an old retail space in the Heartside neighborhood downtown. Two existing shelters – Mel Trotter Ministries and Guiding Light, are working together to open up the space, along with the building’s owner. Dennis Van Kampen, head of Mel Trotter Ministries, says demand for shelter has increased since the start of the pandemic, even as the shelter space has declined. He says last year, Mel Trotter had space for up to 600 people in its shelter. Now, beca...
Source: michiganradio.org
