Our Mission
Access strengthens and develops holistic solutions to poverty by cultivating equitable systems through education and collaboration.
Our History
Access of West Michigan began in 1981 by bringing local congregations together to respond to basic needs in Kent County. That spirit of community partnership still shapes our work today.
What has changed is how we respond.
Today, Access focuses on coordinating support so individuals and families don’t have to navigate complex systems alone. We work at the intersection of immediate need and long-term stability.
Our work centers on three connected areas:
1. Congregation Connections (Casework)
This program is pause until further notice.
2. Good Food Systems
We help initiatives like the Fresh Markets across Kent County, increasing access to affordable, locally sourced, and culturally relevant food. These markets also support local farmers and strengthen the regional food system.
3. Poverty Education
We facilitate workshops that help people understand the realities of poverty and the systems that shape it. This builds awareness, shifts perspectives, and leads to more informed and compassionate decision-making.
These areas are designed to work together.
A family might come to us for help with utilities. Through that connection, they can access affordable food, and the broader community gains a deeper understanding of the systems that created that need in the first place.
Our role is not to replace what already exists, but to connect, coordinate, and strengthen it.
We are guided by a commitment to equity, shared responsibility, and practical solutions that work in real life.
Our vision is a community rooted in equitable systems—where support is accessible, coordinated, and built to last.
Our Work in Kent County
Each dot on the map below represents one of our partners, they are spread throughout Kent County in rural, suburban, and urban communities. When you give to Access you are supporting a network of over 100 partners in Kent County that are working to cultivate solutions to poverty that will have a long-term impact.
Map Guide:
Good Food Systems
Poverty Education
