10th winter of care: Abundant Life Mission Emergency Homeless Shelter

MENOMINEE, MICH. – As winter approaches and the temperature begins to plummet, images of cozying up in front of the fireplace are evoked for lots of families. However, for many the harsh reality of the season brings forward the dire need for a warm and safe shelter. The Abundant Life Mission Emergency Homeless Shelter is opening their doors this winter to continue accepting families and individuals into their facility for not only a place to stay, but a new way forward.

Originally a part of the relocated Abundant Life Church, the Mission opened their doors as a shelter within a former school building. While the founding church is no longer around, Executive Director Teresa Boscarino shared that the Mission has been working closely with other local churches and non-profit organizations.

“We have lots of support within the churches around the area. I have gone and spoken to a lot, probably 20 churches in the surrounding area. They are very supportive of us,” Boscarino said. Having this wide support net of the Mission allows them to better serve those in need.

As the largest shelter north of Milwaukee and Madison, Wis., that houses single adult men and women as well as families, and currently the only emergency shelter in the Mich. Upper Peninsula that houses families, the Abundant Life Mission seeks to support as many community members as possible.

The Mission has a large capacity of 88 patrons, including 16 beds for individual women, 22 for men and multiple rooms for family. Boscarino added that the shelter is usually hosting near-capacity numbers of 60-70 people, including “well over 20 children.”

In addition to housing dozens of people, the Mission provides a variety of impactful services.

“We also provide three meals a day and we connect to resources. So, we have several non-profit partners in the area who we work with. Some of the things we try to provide, for example, are having people from health insurance companies come in and help our people. We have housing specialists come in and assist individuals,” Boscarino shared.

Supporting children and their well-being is also a specific goal of the Abundant Life Mission Shelter.

“Youth groups come in and do meals, sometimes they do crafts and activities for the children,” Boscarino said. “We try to connect our younger kiddos into the Head Start program and Early Head Start. We work closely with the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act, which is a federal grant program that supports homeless children, so we can get them connected into schooling right away. We actually have that application within our intake packet right now,” she added.

As such a large shelter serving so many people, the Mission relies heavily on donations. All of the meals served are made from donated goods. Currently, the Mission is seeking milk, frozen chicken breasts, hamburger meat and gift cards to purchase food. Needed donations are advertised on the front marquee sign outside of the building, located at 1406 10th Ave., Menominee, Mich.

In order to run a 24 hour shelter, Boscarino said volunteers play a vital role. “We absolutely need volunteers. We… are a 24 hour facility, so we have to have our front desk staffed 24/7 and that presents challenges in itself. It’s a wonderful position, there’s really not a ton to do. You are at the desk, greeting people, you’re receiving the donations that come into the mission… and you get to talk to people. It’s a really great way to get a handle on who we are and what we do.”

Community members who are interested in helping the Mission in other ways can visit Second Chances Thrift Shoppe every week from Tuesday-Thursday and on Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Boscarino said all proceeds go directly back to benefit the mission.

Some of the staff members providing care include Case Manager Aaron Sovey, Kitchen Manager Ashley Struble and Arikka Kubiak in the office. The Board of Directors, made up of Teresa Boscarino, Jim Lloyd, Kari Bunting and Nathaniel A. Johnson Esq., keeps the doors open, facilitates daily business, gives volunteers assignments and sorts through the variety of donated goods and funds. One of the ways the team is bringing in needed funds is through their upcoming second annual Fall Gala on behalf of the Mission’s 10th anniversary.

The gala, sponsored by local supporters Advanced Blending Solutions, ChemDesign, Component Solutions, Johnson and Wilson Law as well as Rize, served to raise funds to support daily operations and educate the public regarding the services they provide.

“It is so important for people to understand that there is a huge need in our area to help support people in the services we provide,” Boscarino said. “Having a place to rest your head is critical. Having meals provided for you and your family is critical. And as the colder temperatures approach, we have to do our best to support people in the community that need help the most.”

The Abundant Life Mission Emergency Homeless Shelter is located at 1406 10th Ave., Menominee, Mich., with the shop on the property. Those interested in volunteering with or donating to the Mission can learn more by visiting their website www.alcmission.org or their Facebook page Abundant Life Mission.