Marquette Church helping fight the crisis of homelessness

MARQUETTE — For the past month the First Presbyterian Church has been helping the homeless by providing shelter to people without a place to sleep for a night.

Due to outside factors the church had to take a quick hiatus.

With the efforts of a group of volunteers, the First Presbyterian Church and Pastor Nick, they were able to re–open the shelter.

“We have been able to make that happen here at the First Presbyterian Church , with the support of pastor Nick and the congregation. This is a really nice facility and I think its one of the things that the church feels very strongly about,” said John Sonderegger, Volunteer Coordinator.

The volunteers noticed that people on the streets were struggling to be okay, to survive and make it on the streets every night.

After recent news, of a gentleman passing away unhoused it made a huge impact on them.

“I thought about them all the time. I thought about them when I went home, to my home to a bed and all that. Someone posted on Facebook and said “oh summer, barbecues and sitting on my back deck. That’s not the reality for so many of the people that we know,” said Kim Frost, Volunteer Coordinator.

The church houses anywhere from 10 to 17 people every night.

The church is looking for more volunteers to help those less fortunate in the community.

“I think homelessness stops being such a foreign thing or a scary thing. You end up finding out each person is just different and a little bit about their story, which is very rewarding,” said Kayla West, Volunteer.

If you are interested in volunteering or donating food items, blankets or pillows.

You can contact Kim Frost at 906-458-1382.