A Summer Update & How Your Generosity Can Make a Difference
To our valued community partners,
We wanted to take a moment to share a few updates from The Salvation Army in Kalamazoo and offer some meaningful ways to stay connected with our mission this season.
First some important updates. In June, we said a heartfelt goodbye to Majors Ronnie and Bridgette Amick, who have been relocated to Salvation Army Central Territory headquarters in Illinois. We are incredibly grateful for their leadership and the love they poured into this community. We are thrilled to welcome Lieutenants Simon and Sarah Micula to Kalamazoo. Their passion for outreach and community programming aligns beautifully with our goals, and we are excited for all that’s to come.
In other exciting news, our Summer Spark youth program is off to a fantastic start! We have more children registered this year than ever before, and they are absolutely loving every moment. From new friendships to high-energy games, it is clear these kids are making lasting memories. One thing that has become abundantly clear, is they LOVE sports! Sadly, our current equipment is worn and outdated. We’re currently in urgent need of basketballs and volleyballs (women’s and youth sizes preferred). If you or your business is able to, or help connect us with someone who can, we would be so grateful.
Our food pantry is also seeing record numbers this summer. With school out, many families who rely on school breakfasts and lunches are feeling the pinch. We provide bread and produce daily (as available), meat and sweet goods weekly, pantry staples every other month, and personal care items twice a year. Our ability to serve is limited only by the donations and funds we receive. If you’re interested in helping restock our shelves or sponsoring a pantry initiative, we’d love to connect.
A few more highlights:
- For National Donut Day in June, our Donut Eating Contest, was a sweet success! Thank you to everyone who supported the event. It brought joy and helped fund critical pantry services.
- We are now gearing up for our Teacher Tailgate on July 17th, where we’ll show some love to our local educators.
- And Christmas in July at the Kalamazoo Growlers game on July 24th. It will be a fun, family-friendly night that also supports our programs.
Here are a few ways you or your business can make an impact this month:
- Donate new basketballs or volleyballs to keep our youth program thriving.
- Support pantry efforts: Sponsor a food or hygiene item drive at your office or church, or fund a supply drop to keep families fed and cared for.
- Join us at the Growlers game on July 24th. Your presence alone helps support our local efforts. For more information click here.
- Engage with us online: Follow, like, and share our posts to help spread the word about how we are serving our community, and how others can, too. You can find us on Facebook at sakalamazoo, LinkedIn at The Salvation Army of Kalamazoo County, Instagram at sarmykzoo and X at TSA_Kalamazoo.
We are incredibly grateful for the generosity of donors like you. Whether you give financially, donate goods, sponsor events, or simply help spread the word, you are part of every life touched through our work. Please don’t hesitate to reach out with ideas, questions, or if you would like to learn more about how your support is making a difference right here in Kalamazoo.
With heartfelt thanks,
Kelli Dykstra