WMT, Inc. Recovery and Housing Center, Inc.

A few days later, we are getting into our new flow.  Still have many boxes to unpack, books to place on shelves, and things to hang on the wall.  Our Internet connection is working, but some of the phones are not.  We are functioning well, and our outpatient clients are being served.  All in all, it's been a smooth move.  The Housing Navigation Center staff will be the next to move to the new building, probalby

It started yesterday, but today was the REAL moving day.  So much activity!  Desks, chairs, filing cabinets, shelving, boxes, boxes, and more boxes!  They were packed up at Apple, and brought over to Commerce Street.  Staff was busy serving clients at Apple AND getting settled at Commerce.  Desks were taken away from staff at Apple and replaced with weak tables for the afternoon to support computers.  Then, ComCast several hours ahead of schedul, disconnected the phones and computers in the early afternoon, obviously hampering business activity!

We'll all spend some time over the weekend getting settled in our spaces.  We've already got one room ready for Group Sessions next Monday.  We'll be ready to serve our outpatient clients Monday morning.  And we are so excited to be able to serve our clients in this comfortable, spacious facility.

Call us at the same phone number, 231-728-2138, if you have questions or need directions.
 

Our work session on August 20 went great - we power washed the building, removed lots of old dry wall screws in preparation for hanging new dry wall, pulled out old, overgrown shrubs, and removed film from windows.  United Way has already recruited about 300 volunteers for the Day of Caring!  They'll be arriving at 9 a.m. on Friday, September 9 to paint the building's exterior, rip up old carpeting, paint many of the interior rooms, demolish some really bad walls and replace those as well as some others that have already been removed, landscaping, weeding and cleanup around the building and parking lot, and lots of cleaning inside.  All of this will get us closer to our goal of moving at least some of our operation by Thanksgiving.

Anyone interested in helping can contact Lynn Keech at United Way of the Lakeshore at 231-722-3134 to volunteer for the morning, the afternoon, or all day, 9 am - 4 pm.  Plumb's will be providing lunch.  There's also a pancake breakfast at Mullally Park at 8 am for early birds.

United Way of the Lakeshore has selected West Michigan Therapy's new building at 1823 Commerce St. for one of its 2011 Day of Caring sites (the other is Mullally Park) .  The clean-up event will be held Friday, September 9 from 8 a.m. until 4 p.m.  Just about anyone can volunteer to help -- contact Lynn at United Way at 722-3134.  Projects that day will include lots of painting, some demolition of walls, hanging drywall, weeding, some repair work, etc. 

We're very pleased United Way's DoC committee selected WMT as one of its two sites tihs year.  This will really speed up our moving in.

The Commerce St. building will soon house WMT's Transitional Living Center for Women (currently on Jarman St. in Muskegon Heights) and housing program, substance abuse outpatient treatment services, and administrative offices. 

Join the Day of Caring - you'll do lots of good work, make new friends, hang out with people you know, make a great contribution to the community -- and have lots of fun!

What a blessing Plumb's has been to us.  In the last several months, we've had coupons at the registers in all 5 Muskegon County Plumb's stores.  Customers, when checking out, could make a contribution to West Michigan Therapy's Housing programs -- to help people who have lost their home or who are in jeopardy of losing their home.  During this time, customers have donated $1,831.96.  Donations have ranged from change -- going along with our Million Quarters Drive theme -- to $500.00 -- cash!  I'm still bowled over by that story that came from the Sherman store.  If the unknown donor is reading this blog...thank you! 

We'll be wrapping up the project at Plumb's pretty soon.  In the meantime, if you are shopping sometime this week or next, you'll still probably have the opportunity to donate your change to the Million Quarters Drive at any Plumb's store in the county...and we'd thank you!

14 volunteers and staff of West Michigan Therapy - WMt Recovery and Housing Center, standing at 3 busy intersections on a drizzly Saturday morning, June 11, collected 5,563 quarters from drivers passing by.  The donations, totalling $1,390, will be used to support WMT's housing programs. 

State and federal budget cuts led the agency to launch a fund-raising campaign, the Million Quarters Drive, to maintain these critical housing programs.  There were 2,413 homeless persons in Muskegon County in 2010.  WMT served 1,339 of those who were homeless and an additional 662 who were about to lose their homes, providing prevention services to help keep those individuals and families in their homes.   

WMT's board and staff appreciate the volunteers and staff members who volunteered their time.  We also appreciate the cities of North Muskegon and Norton Shores for allowing this event to take place at busy intersections in their communities.  Most importantly, we appreciate the hundreds of citizens who showed their concern for their "neighbors" by giving.  

Anyone interested in giving to this campaign can go to area Plumb's stores and contribute when checking out, or can send a check to West Michigan Therapy. 

Watch for announcements on the next opportunity to help us reach our goal of One Million Quarters.  To get involved as a volunteer for this campaign to end homelessness in Muskegon County contact Jackie Fisher at jfisher@wmttlc.com.