Wayland, Michigan (April 6, 2023) The Wayland Area Chamber of Commerce have proudly announced that New Life Essentials Store of Wayland have been selected as the recipient of this year’s Charity of Choice.
The chamber is honored to select annually a charity to raise awareness and funds for at various events throughout the year including, but not limited to, the Annual Chamber Business Expo and the Annual Chamber Golf Outing.
The New Life Essential Store, located at 160 Pine Street in downtown Wayland, exists to affirm the inherent dignity of every person in our community. The ability to care for your own body and the home in which you live is essential to one’s dignity. This is why we provide new, unopened hygiene and housekeeping goods for those who may need them. We serve our members through three primary lenses: building relationships of mutual trust and respect, cultivating an inviting shopping atmosphere for members to select the products they need each month, and connecting out members with additional resources to meet physical, spiritual, and emotional needs.
New Life Essentials Store Director, Molly Holmes stated, “We are so grateful and blessed that we can support the people within our community and surrounding areas during times of struggle. It is through funding such as this that we can assist these families in a loving atmosphere.”
The Essential Store serves 282 members household every month (representing 794 people). All of our members meet certain qualifications (proof of need and photo identification). While it’s not a membership requirement, we know that many of our members have endured abuse, are under-resourced, or are foster families caring for victims of abuse and neglect. New Life Church covers the full overhead cost of the Essential Store, but we rely on local businesses, community members, and grants to supply products. Volunteer interaction with our members is key to fulfilling their individual needs and provide a friendly face to help put members at ease.
In order to be included for selection as the charity recipient, interested organizations must complete an application process that includes describing their mission, goals, and objectives. The Chamber Board of Directors reviews the applications and takes a vote to determine which charity to adopt for the year.
For additional information on the New Life Essentials Store, please view their website at https://www.newlifewayland.org/essentials, or email them at essentials@newlifewayland.org. For additional information on chamber or chamber benefits, please contact Denise Behm, Chamber Executive Director, at denise@waylandchamber.org or 269.792.9246.