Finding Shalom
SPRING 2025
THE BEN’S HOPE WAY
COMMITTED TO LOVING GOD AND OTHERS, WE FIERCELY RESPECT THE DIGNITY, INTELLIGENCE AND VALUE OF ALL HUMANS. WE ARE CREATIVE, COURAGEOUS AND COMMITTED TO EXCELLENCE. THROUGH THE LOVE OF CHRIST, WE LIVE THE ABUNDANT LIFE TOGETHER.
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Built for Belonging
Benjamin’s Hope is a vibrant, faith-based farmstead community where adults with autism and intellectual and developmental disabilities experience purpose, dignity, and belonging Rooted in our “live, learn, play, worship” model, Benjamin’s Hope offers a wide array of opportunities not only for the men and women who call this home, but also for the broader West Michigan community
Nationally recognized as an innovative model of care, Benjamin’s Hope shines with the warm, caring spirit of West Michigan More than just a place to live, Benjamin’s Hope is a thriving, intentional community where people experience true belonging
The Benjamin’s Hope Model of Care offers:
Safe and supportive housing with 24/7 care
The all-abilities Church of Ben’s Hope offering vibrant worship for the West Michigan community
A scenic 52-acre farmstead with nature trails, gardens, and farm animals that is a family destination for the whole community
Rapid Prompting Method (RPM) Center: teaching nonspeakers to communicate through spelling
A variety of clubs, programs and learning opportunities enjoyed by hundreds of people each week
A Growing Community
Today, 32 men and women call Benjamin’s Hope home in our six Specialized Residential Adult Foster Care (AFC) homes This summer, we are opening two additional homes to welcome 12 new people and 30+ new SideKicks!
Sustainability & Impact
Benjamin’s Hope is a debt-free nonprofit, made possible through a unique public-private partnership Our services are partially funded through Medicaid and sustained by the generous support of our community
Together, we are building a future where the dignity, intelligence, and value of every person is fiercely respected, and where abundant life happens!
LEARNING FROM LIZZIE
SUE KUYVENHOVEN, DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT AND MOM OF LIZZIE
Sometimes I still get caught off guard
Lizzie is 25 now, and for much of her life, words felt out of reach We knew her thought life was fuller than she could express but how to unlock it? Then came the keyboard, and with it, Lizzie's voice
The other day I asked her to share something she was proud of about herself With deliberation and honesty, she typed, "Beginning like learning to thank the Lord that He gave me my like life even though it is not like the easiest thing to have disability People want like like independence but also need help to have a meaningful connection with like others " (This is unedited Lizzie often adds “likes” as she spells )
RPM @ Ben’s H
Empowering students with the means to express thoughts and learning
To learn more visit LEARN at www.benjaminshope.net
Lizzie put into words a tension she lives with - how hard it is to want independence and still need help What awes and humbles me is that she doesn’t stop at naming what’s hard Lizzie moves toward gratitude The beauty of this stirs something deep in me My daughter shows me what it looks like to not “stay stuck” in the hard places of life She shows me what it looks like to choose a posture of gratitude Thank you, Lizzie!
AND A FEW THOUGHTS FROM TOM
A spiritual mentor of mine, Henri Nouwen, once said, “For those who gaze upon the beauty of the Lord, what is opaque becomes transparent; nature, time, and people are transformed; and we ourselves are transfigured ” When we see God in the face of other people, suddenly we see in them an inherent value, a greater dignity, an inviolable humanity
To the neuro-typical world, the men and women of Benjamin’s Hope are sometimes regarded as “different " Yet each personyou and I included - are created in the image of God We bear God’s likeness We hold an inherent dignity and value In The Weight of Glory, CS Lewis once said, “There are no ordinary people You have never talked to a mere mortal ”
MeetTomElenbaas,theguyon theleft.TomjoinedBen’sHopeas ChiefOperatingOfficeralittleovera yearago.Theothertwohandsome fellowsareSteveandBryor.They’ve beenaroundagoodlongtimenow!
Belongingmatters
I know a lot of Christians who spend a lot of time reading the Book of Scriptures intently to hear God’s voice While this is good, I do wonder… what would happen if we spent a little more time gazing deeply into the eyes and lives of other human beings, intently listening for revelation through God’s crowning work of art - his children?
ANOTHER BITE OUT OF THE APPLE
AN OPINION PIECE
KRISTA MASON, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND C0-FOUNDER
By necessity, I have begun a new journey
It’s a journey of advocacy one I didn’t ask for, but one that can no longer be avoided I want to introduce you to it and invite you along
Recently, I received a letter from a father in his ninth decade of life His words were trembling but clear a heartfelt plea for a home for his profoundly disabled daughter. "If my Jane cannot live at Benjamin’s Hope," he asked, "where can she go?" Where, indeed?
Two beautiful new homes entirely funded by the generosity of our community are nearly complete They’re ready to welcome twelve individuals, each in urgent need of care and belonging Yet, the public system required to cover the cost of care through careful use of taxpayer dollars, is not This chart demonstrates the stark reality of how labor costs have climbed compared to Medicaid reimbursements
We’ve increased direct care staff wages by 80% over seven years This has been necessary to ensure that we attract and retain staff, and our staff deserve a livable wage Yet, the Medicaid reimbursement rates we rely on to pay staff wages have not kept pace with inflation
Our Michigan behavioral health system is weighted by costly layers of redundant bureaucracy. Dollars intended for care are increasingly absorbed by administration not people Imagine an apple with each layer of government federal, state, region and local taking a bite until there’s barely anything left for the people it was meant to nourish
Bite Out of the Apple (cont )
We live in a remarkable country one that has long believed in the promise of dignity and support for people with disabilities Yet, the very safety net our country has built is collapsing under its own weight Accountability is essential
As believers, we are called to love one another, especially the most vulnerable among us This is a call that shapes everything we do at Benjamin’s Hope But this work is not ours alone Our public system was designed to be a partner We believe it can be, still
A better way is possible Toward this goal we are supporting system reform designed to ensure that funding reaches the people for whom it is intended We are advocating for a streamlined, person-focused system one that places individuals first and ensures dollars flow to the frontlines of care
There are three reasons I share this with you today
I want you to know the reality that Benjamin’s Hope and providers like us face It is important that you know that the services and supports that thousands of people with Intellectual and Development Disabilities rely upon are at risk if the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) does not identify a more effective approach
I invite you to help sustain essential funding, whether this is support with purchasing an accessible van, or a gift toward general operations
I need you to pray We are trusting God for what is needed and believing that, together, we can uphold the promise of a life filled with purpose, dignity, and support for Jane, Ben, and so many others in our community
MAKING LIFE BIG
TWO VANS. COUNTLESS ADVENTURES. ONE INCREDIBLE JOURNEY
We believe in making life BIG and that means we have to be able to go places
With two new homes opening this summer, our community is growing and so is our need to get out into the world
Whether it’s heading to work, church, volunteer opportunities, or simply a favorite coffee shop, our vans are essential to making life happen beyond our campus With two new homes we need two new vans!
Transportation is not a luxury it’s a bridge to belonging
Every trip is a step toward inclusion, independence, and abundant life At Benjamin’s Hope, we believe life should be a daring adventure rich with purpose, joy, connection, and discovery
We have a marvelous friend who has offered a dollar for dollar match, up to $50,000 This match is open through September, 2025 Your gift will go twice as far to help us keep the adventure going.
Let’s make life BIG together.
LIFE IS EITHER A DARING ADVENTURE OR NOTHING AT ALL
Helen Keller
Helen Keller
Hello
Summer
OUTDOOR CONCERT SERIES
MAY 29, DYING WILL BE EASY
JUNE 19, FRIENDS OF FRIENDS
JULY 10, DUNEGRASS
JULY 31, SUNDAY SCARIES
AUGUST 21, KHAKIS
Pack a picnic basket, grab your lawn chair and come on out from 6 - 7:30pm on Thursday nights! Follow our Facebook page for more details
THE CHURCH OF BEN'S HOPE
EVERY SUNDAY AT 6PM
Everyone is welcome!
HARVEST FESTIVAL
SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 20, 3-6PM
Family friendly fun!