Degage Ministries

Dégagé Ministries has operated in the Heartside neighborhood in Grand Rapids since 1967. Originally conceived as a coffeehouse by Calvin College students, the organization has grown into a well-known local nonprofit that serves between 400 and 500 individuals on a daily basis. Services offered include a kitchen and food pantry; a drop-in women's shelter open at all hours of the night; assistance with obtaining housing and legal identification documents; hygiene services; and the opportunity to rent a locker and to receive mail at the facility, among others. Dégagé focuses on empowering its patrons by charging a small price for its services, which patrons may have waived by earning credits through work opportunities around the building. Volunteers are offered a wide variety of opportunities to interact with patrons and help the run the facility's programs.