Holland Sentinel Editors, September 1, 2012
HIT: Teen Homeless Shelter for Holland
“Congratulations to Barnabas Ministries, which recently began site work for the first shelter for homeless teens in the Holland area. A teen shelter has been the goal of many churches and social service agencies in the area for decades, and a lot of caring people are excited to see it becoming a reality. Further, the fact that the shelter will be run by an experienced and professional agency like Barnabas gives us confidence that it will be well run and won’t create problems for its Holland Township neighbors. The need is real. The nature of homelessness in our community – you’re not likely to see anyone sleeping in a park or an alleyway in Holland – can mask the reality of the problem here. Many teens are dealing with broken families and have been forced into a transient life, shuttling form one friend’s couch to the next;even if they have a roof over their heads, they are truly homeless, and in need of the stability and positive direction that an agency like Barnabas can provide. “
“The services Barnabas provides are of tremendous value to Ottawa County. The Barnabas House will help many stay out of the legal system, while providing safe
shelter at a critical time in their lives.”
Paul Lindemuth, Ottawa County Juvenile Court
“For too long we have not had a safe place for unaccompanied teenagers in our community. The Mission is not legally allowed to take them in. We need to move forward with the Barnabas House, to create a safe place for our vulnerable teens.”
Todd Krygsheld, Holland Rescue Mission
“Ask any law enforcement officer in Ottawa County if this facility is necessary, and they will tell you it is. This has been a gap in our community for far too long.”
Captain Jack Dykstra, Holland Police Department
