The month of November is designated as National Homeless Youth Awareness Month and the week before Thanksgiving is known as Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week. Locally, Greater Ottawa County United Way’s Lakeshore Housing Alliance program, The Holland Area Arts Council, Herrick District Library and Loutit District Library have teamed up to create awareness about homelessness in our community.
Throughout the month of November, the respective organizations will offer a number of programs and events for all ages around the topic, “Housing Matters.” The following events are free and open to the public:
Holland Area Arts Council:
What Does a Home Feel Like? Reception
Thursday, November 7
5-7pm
Holland Area Arts Council
150 E. 8th St. Holland, MI 49423
Learn more: www.hollandarts.org
View sculptures of real and imagined homes created by local artists, enjoy food and drinks from local vendors and have fun creating a kid-friendly craft.
Artists are invited to create a sculpture to express what a home feels like. This can be a current, past or imagined home. You may use any material such as a simple shoe box and found objects or as elaborate as a wooden or clay structure and it can be any size. Make it simple or complex but definitely expressive. There is no submission fee to participate. Open to all ages. Have questions? Contact Mary at www.mary@hollandarts.org or call 616.638.4468.
Herrick District Library:
Faces of the Housing Crisis Film & Panel Discussion
Tuesday, November 5
6:30-8pm
Main Library, 300 S. River Ave.
Holland
Housing Insecurity- How Can We Help? For Tweens & Teens
Tuesday, November 19
6:30-7:30pm
Main Library, 300 S. River Ave.
Holland
Special Homes Storytime
Wednesday, November 20
10-11am
North Side Branch, 155 Riley St.
Holland
November Books on Tap
Evicted by Matthew Desmond
Monday, November 25
7-8pm
Our Brewing Company, 76 E. 8th St
Holland
Housing Resource Fair
Tuesday, November 26
6:30-8pm
Main Library, 300 S. River Ave.
Holland
Learn more: www.herrickdl.org
Loutit District Library:
Saturday Storytime
Home Sweet Home
Saturday, November 16
10:30am
407 Columbus Ave.
Grand Haven
Faces of the Housing Crisis Film & Panel Discussion
Thursday, November 21
6 -7:30pm
407 Columbus Ave.
Grand Haven
Learn more: www.loutitlibrary.org
Thank you to the generous sponsors that have made this event possible. Roof sponsors include the Grand Haven Eagles and the West Michigan Lakeshore Association of Realtors. Elzinga and Volkers and the Human Relations Commission of Holland are brick sponsors. Thank you to Hops for proving food and beverages for the event.
The Lakeshore Housing Alliance (LHA) is a collaboration of human service agencies, community members and local businesses dedicated to identifying needs, developing a vision, encouraging coordination of responses, and advocating for safe, accessible, affordable housing and services in the Ottawa County area. The LHA is a program of Greater Ottawa County United Way.