January 19th, 2026
By: WZZM
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — The brutal cold across West Michigan can be particularly dangerous for those who are unhoused.
That’s why shelters like Mel Trotter Ministries are working overtime to provide shelter, warm meals and other necessities.
The organization declared a Code Blue on Friday — when the temperature drops below 10 degrees, including wind chill.
But those efforts aren’t just limited to its facility on Commerce Avenue. It also extends to the streets of downtown Grand Rapids.
The non-profit has an outreach van that patrols a two-to-three mile radius outside of the shelter throughout the year, an effort that is particularly important in the winter.
“When you’re going out at night and you’re seeing where they are hunkering down to sleep, it kind of sets reality in a little more,” said Michael Maher, an outreach case manager who drives the van.
Maher knows what life is like for those who live outside.
“It’s closer than we think,” he said. “There’s people who have been business owners, lawyers, doctors. Something comes up and they end up on the streets.”
On Sunday night, Maher rode with a Mel Trotter colleague and two volunteers from his church.
On board, the van was stocked with plenty of winter essentials he passes out to those in need: Blankets, hats, gloves, socks, pants, coats, sleeping bags, hand warmers.
He also carries a jug of water and a carafe of warm coffee.
“Sometimes, I joke that when we go around during the day that I’m more of a barista than an outreach worker,” he joked.
On busy nights, he’ll interact with as many as 15 people.
“We get mixed reactions,” said Maher. “Whether people that are happy to see us and willing to talk, to people that don’t want help. So, we get anything and everything in between.”
He offers a ride back to the shelter, but most decide to stay outside. According to Maher, just two people have opted to hop in the van and head back to Mel Trotter this winter.
“There’s a good population of people experiencing homelessness that want to do things on their own, and we just want to meet them with dignity,” he said. “A lot of people are living through trauma and crisis, and so we just meet them right where they’re at.”
For many, an extra blanket or a change out of wet clothes can make all the difference.
“I pretty confidently can say at least one person this year likely would have had a very horrible night and maybe ended up in the emergency room if it wasn’t for our stop,” said Maher. “The statistics are that emergency units have been deployed less on these Code Blue nights since we’ve gone out.”
Maher has worked in the role since last December. It’s a job he never expected to have.
“I came from a sales background, working in the alcohol industry, and now I say I’m working on the other end of it,” he said.
In September 2024, he was laid off from his job after eight years.
Not long after, he heard a sermon about serving “through your storm” at City Life Church, near the shelter.
“That was the confirmation I needed to go start serving at the shower ministry,” he said. “The outreach team was there. They had an opening come up.
“My initial reaction was no way not going to do that. It was a major pay cut for what I was used to. It was different, completely, completely different, but I knew I wasn’t happy where I was, so it took one other person recommending this job to me to finally apply.”
Driven by his faith, Maher feels that serving his community is a calling.
“We’re here for more than just one night,” he said. “We’re here for every day of the year.”
For ways to volunteer and donate to Mel Trotter Ministries, you can visit its website here.
