By Todd Buchta, October 4, 2024
Have you come down yet to Heartside Park with Grand Rapids Neighbors For Neighbors (N4N)? I’m a relative newcomer to the group of volunteers who make N4N possible, and maybe you’re wondering what it’s like. I started because I feel an obligation to help the poor (yeah, but Jesus was a snowflake too). To help even in a small way, even if I’m not tackling systemic injustice like my son would prefer me to do. (He’s not wrong.)
Here’s a little of my thought journey and learnings as I’ve volunteered. Hopefully it will encourage you to take your first step and take part -- either coming to Heartside Park on the second Saturday of every month, or helping with the prep work that goes into the N4N “supply chain,” or both.

What are homeless people like? From my comfortable suburban sensibilities living and worshiping outside of inner city Grand Rapids, I certainly had my stereotypes of what homeless people were like. I was generally afraid of them. They might accost me on the street, asking for money or judging me because I didn’t look “homeless” and I looked like I could spare the change or gas money (or bus ticket) they were asking for.
Well, that’s not what the Heartside folks I’ve met are like. I meet them across our N4N folding tables as they wait in line, going through our buffet of core provisions, everything from toothbrushes to socks, underwear, shirts, pants, shoes, and more. I usually help with men’s clothes, trying to be like a sales associate helping people find their size and style. Often, they need an extra bag to carry their new supplies. They appreciate your kindness when you run and get them one.
Our Heartside neighbors range from timid and shy, not making eye contact and saying little, to gregarious fun-lovers and joke-tellers. Some ask if they can have two shirts instead of one, but they’re fine when we explain you can come through the line for seconds. It’s a diverse crowd. Many are African American, which I always notice unfortunately because I live in a very white bubble. Others appear to come from different cultures, perhaps south of the border; some are First Nation people. Some struggle with English (and yet they communicate). Some look like they are strong survivors; some look like they’ve had hard lives. I gradually realized that some of them are a little afraid of me as a stranger from a different background, so my own early fears about these neighbors have gone away. Some of our longer-time N4N regular volunteers have made friends with returning neighbors and greet them warmly by name, sharing a recognition of common humanity.
One thing that stands out again and again is the importance of dignity to our Heartside neighbors. While they are accepting “handouts” from us, items given freely with no strings attached, I quickly learned that they won’t take just anything. It’s not enough that it’s a warm shirt, it needs to look reasonably okay, not be worn out, and look okay on them. Dignity and self-respect is important to them, even though our neighbors can’t always support themselves without help. N4N’s leaders have told us and those who donate clothes and used items, “Don’t give something that you wouldn’t give to a friend.” The distress of our neighbors should not erase their right to human dignity.
Even with all the transience that comes with homelessness, it seems to me that N4N has found a niche to help Heartside neighbors, along with the many other local organizations that each help this community in many ways. Every month, there are new faces as well as familiar faces, and the line of folks waiting for us to finish our table setup by noon materializes like clockwork every month, almost on its own. Every moment we are helpful in Heartside, our neighbors are grateful and tell us so. Only a few are too wounded to say it.

Originally I felt guilty about my ability (another word for privilege?) to unlock my parked car and drive back home after a Heartside Saturday, back to my comfortable neighborhood. I now feel that serving folks in Heartside is a responsibility, we all have many options to serve but it’s the one I choose today. Responsibility to do something about my neighbor’s suffering, even if I’m not transforming their lives overnight or if I don’t make it to every N4N Saturday. In the words of Matthew quoting Jesus some two thousand years ago, “whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.” Feels much better than two hours on my phone.
Come join us on the next second Saturday of the month. Please consider helping us by checking out the volunteer or donate tabs on our website.
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