Fill a Need

Hundreds of people who are homeless and hungry come through our doors every day. We are constantly in need of these items to care for those in need. Consider hosting a drive to stock our shelves, giving now or shopping our wish-list on Amazon.

Drop off your donations at any of our thrift stores or the downtown Mission at 225 Commerce Avenue SW. 

Please note: thanks to so many generous donors, our shelves are stocked with winter scarves and hats that will last us through Winter 2017 - 2018. If you would like to fill a need, we ask that use the list below as a guide. 

Immediate Needs for Youth House

Order these from Amazon, call 616-454-8249 to donate, or drop them off at the downtown Mission at 225 Commerce Avenue SW, Grand Rapids, MI 49503.

  • Pots and pans
  • Cooking utensils
  • Oven mitts
  • Dish towels
  • Can opener
  • Bathroom trash can
  • Men's full-size hygiene items
  • Toilet paper
  • Paper towel
  • Toilet bowl cleaner
  • Laundry detergent

Food Items

Please review our food accepting policy. 

  • Low-sodium, low-fat, etc. preferred. Please no expired items.
  • Canned fruits in 100% juice
  • Canned vegetables
  • Canned meat (beef stew, chicken, tuna)
  • Canned beans
  • Dry beans (all varieties)
  • Rice
  • Whole grain pastas
  • Cereal
  • Pasta sauce
  • Tomato sauce
  • Pasta and rice side dishes
  • Complete meals (hamburger or tuna helper)
  • Low sodium soups
  • Cooking oil

 

Hygiene Items

  • Diapers (sizes 4-6)
  • Diaper cream
  • Baby wash, lotion, and diaper cream
  • Men's disposable razors: 2-3 blades
  • Travel-size soap bars
  • Men's full-size body wash, shampoo, conditioner  
  • Men's full-size lotion

Clothing Items

  • Men’s jeans, size 30 and above
  • Men’s underwear (boxers & briefs), small – medium
  • Men's t-shirts (sizes M-XL)
  • Children’s sweatshirts, hoodies, light jackets (all sizes)
  • Children’s closed-toe shoes (all ages)
  • Children’s pajamas (sizes 8-16)
  • Women’s plus size clothes
  • Women’s plus size undergarments
  • Slippers

 

Clinic Items

Please contact Nancy Bonin at nancybonin@meltrotter.org or 616-588-8711 if you would like to donate the following items:

  • Reading glasses (all strengths)
  • Hard cases for glasses
  • Infant Tylenol (liquid)
  • Adult Tylenol (tablets)
  • Adult Benadryl (tablets)
  • Adult Dayquil (liquid)
  • Miralax powder
  • Anti-diarrheal (tablets)
  • Hydrocortisone cream

 

Mission items

  • 1 ton box truck (Contact Doreen Sturgis for details at doreensturgis@meltrotter.org)
  • New or gently used bath towels
  • New standard-sized pillows
  • Blankets, woven
  • Twin-size sheets
  • Commercial carpet cleaner
  • Snow shovels
  • Toilet brushes
  • Laundry soap
  • Toilet paper
  • Industrial washer & dryer
  • NIV Bibles
  • Umbrellas
  • Large plastic totes
  • Pillows

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Volunteer Agreement

Mel Trotter Ministries serves disadvantaged people in the Grand Rapids area through a Christ-centered, holistic program. Our primary goal is to restore these people to right relationships with God, their families, and society. We do this through crisis intervention and Biblical counseling, with the strategic support of concerned churches, organizations, individuals, and businesses.

The Mission requires volunteers to support the work, mission and Statement of Faith of Mel Trotter Ministries while they are donating their time. (Statement of Faith is available upon request.)

The Mission’s staff and volunteers are responsible for protecting the privacy of Mel Trotter clientele. No information about Mission clients is to be given verbally or in writing to agencies or people outside the Mission and no pictures are to be taken of clientele or guests without a signed release from the Mission and client/guest involved.

Volunteers are not to exchange personal information with the clients/guests of Mel Trotter Ministries (i.e. phone number, mailing address, e-mail addresses or any other contact information). It is also agreed that volunteers will not give gifts of any kind to clients/guests including money (dollars or loose change), clothing, personal care products, cigarettes, or any other items.

Mel Trotter Ministries maintains a zero-tolerance policy regarding alcohol and/or drug use at any of the mission facilities for staff, clients and volunteers. Anyone determined to be in possession of or under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs will be terminated from the volunteer program immediately.

It is also agreed that volunteers will not receive any goods for the services they provide. It shall also be understood that volunteers are not to take any items (food, clothing, household items, etc.) from Mel Trotter Ministries without the written authorization from the director of the department in which they are volunteering. If volunteers are caught taking any items from any department within the ministry without proper authorization, this will be constituted as stealing and your volunteer service will be terminated effective immediately.

Mel Trotter Ministries staff will occasionally photograph volunteers for the purpose of promoting the ministry. These photos could be used for promoting the ministry on the internet or in a publication.

As a non-profit agency, Mel Trotter Ministries does not provide liability insurance for volunteers.

I have read the above statement and am in agreement and understand that these policies are in place for the safety of the volunteers, clients and guests of Mel Trotter Ministries. By submitting this agreement, I certify that I am 18 years or older and authorize Mel Trotter Ministries to conduct a criminal background check.

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