2023 Pulse - Spring

PULSE 20 23

We exist to extend God’s love and foster a community of care for adults with developmental disabilities. Our ministry is excited for what the rest of 2023 brings. Check out our Spring issue of the Pulse to see what we have been up to and learn more about our future goals.

spring

September 9, 2023 | 10 a.m. | Wyoming MI

Stay tuned for more information!

Gifts IN HONOR OF:

Austin Bok

Bill and Carol Burke

Sarah B

Jonathan B

David C

Fred C

Jim and Kathy Collins

Don Denyes

Kim D

Mary and Nels Devries

Ed and Mary Geskus

House 3's Amazing Staff

Casey Kuperus

Ed and Donna Kleibusch

Jimmy K Bekki L

Greg N

Ellen Olefsky

Crystal R

Merle Schaap

Samuel

Ellen Sinnott

Andy S

DHMIN Staff

Paula Treviso

Todd V

Daniel W

Matt W

Scott, Steve, and Mark Wierenga

Mike and Amanda Worst

The Worst Family

Gifts IN Memory OF:

Paul Buursma

Jean DeJong

Stuart DeJong

Jim Devries

Marion Devries

Robert Dewey

Gordon Groenink

Table of Contents

PAGE 2: Gifts In Honor and In Memory of

Page 3: Letter from President Casey Kuperus

Page 4: Spring Gala Recap

Page 5: Resident and Staff Spotlight

Page 6: LEAP update

Page 7: Remembering our friends

Glenn Heys

Kevin Heys

John Monk

Greta Nesseth

Jessie Platschore

Vicki Ploeg

Reverend Howard Longcore

Don Reidsma

Kerry Robleske

James Tamminga

Warren Tamminga

Mary Van Slyke

Ray Wilcox

Ashley Wilde

David’s House Updates| President Casey Kuperus

A message from our president…

As I write this, it was just one week ago that David’s House was celebrating with nearly 550 people the great work that has gone on in the past year. Singer and songwriter, Josh Wilson joined us for a fantastic evening of worship and praise.

Josh shared with us the story of his neighbor Jay, who has cerebral palsy and autism. Josh and his wife, along with several neighbors, have been able to surround Jay and help care for him after his mother, whom he lived with, passed away last year. Josh mentioned to me several times, how he wishes there were a “David’s House” in Nashville where they live.

West Michigan is blessed to have not only a David’s House, but many other wonderful care providers providing homes for those with developmental disabilities. And yet, there are still not enough homes to meet the growing need within West Michigan. At times it can be daunting, to think about how we will meet the needs of these families.

I want to thank all of you for the many ways you have supported David’s House over the past year. Many times, I hear from you that you wish you could give more, that you wish you could volunteer more, or you wish we could figure out how to grow faster. Please know that every single gift, volunteer hour, and prayer will always make a difference at David’s House. This is how David’s House has grown from one home to 8 homes serving more than 70 individuals today.

In Josh Wilson’s song, “Dream Small” I believe he makes this point well.

Find little ways where only you can help

With His great love (His great love)

A tiny rock can make a giant fall

Yeah, five loaves and two fish can feed them all

So dream small, dream small

What a great reminder of how we can continue to impact our world. Thank you for the impact you have made on David’s House Ministries!

Casey Kuperus, President

dhmin.org/donate/

• If you are interested in becoming a donor, please contact Casey or Greg. They will be more than happy to discuss the needs and goals of our ministry with you.

• Want to donate from the comfort of your home? You can! Visit our website, click donate, and complete our online donation form.

• Contact us to set up a time to meet with our partners at the Barnabas Foundation. Together, we will help you set up planned gifts to increase your impact, often while benefiting your family.

Follow us on social media @davidshouseministries to stay updated on all things DHMIN!

House Ministries Spring Gala

Thank you to everyone who sponsored and attended the 2023 David’s House Ministries Spring Gala. Your unwavering commitment to providing quality Christian care to individuals with developmental disabilities keeps our mission alive. This year we had over 550 people in attendance, 47 event sponsors, and raised over $175,000.

The night was filled with conversations about the importance of having a home like David’s House that not only provides direct care but meets the whole person’s needs. Taking care of the entire person means going above and beyond to ensure individuals can make friends, go out into the community, maintain jobs, and live a fulfilled life!

Speakers included President Casey Kuperus, family Member Nate Koetje, and Vice President Greg Vander Goot. Board Member Carl Dufendach and family member Don Denyes helped us open and close in prayer.

Everyone in attendance also had the opportunity to enjoy an outstanding performance from recording Christian musician Josh Wilson. Wilson also visited our Wyoming Community earlier on March 20 to give a personal concert and sign autographs for the individuals we serve.

Though our mission is to provide love and care to those who call David’s House their home, we also impact their family members. We are proud that this event was able to showcase the peace of mind we provide to not only individuals with disabilities but their families as well.

Thank you to everyone who came to this year’s Spring Gala. We hope to see you again next year!

The Dejong Family

In Memory of Kevin Heys

“THESE SIMPLE MOMENTS CHANGE THE WORLD.”

JOSH WILSON

Resident Spotlight | Daniel

Meet Daniel! Daniel has lived in the Grandville Friendship Homes since February 2002 and joined David’s House Ministries in May 2022.

One thing everyone should know about Daniel is that he loves sports, and he enjoys watching Basketball, and frequently attends Calvin University Men’s Basketball games. He is also part of a bowling league that plays on Mondays at Hudsonville Lanes and plays softball through the Grandville Little League in the Challenger Bracket. Five out of his six roommates participate in that!

He works one day a week at Calvin University, doing janitorial work at some dining halls.

Reading the Bible is one of his favorite pastimes. He attends Sovereign Grace United Reformed Church every Sunday.

Living at DHMIN, he enjoys his roommates, especially his best friend, Robert. Farkle is their favorite game, and they play it every Saturday.

Since the Grandville Homes joined DHMIN, Daniel has enjoyed the Walk/Ride/Run, the Summer Concert Series, and the DHMIN Summer Camp. His favorite band from the Summer Concert Series was Lamplight.

He enjoys spending time with his family, especially his brother John. Daniel visits them every Sunday.

His favorite memories from living at Ivanrest are Christmas parties with the All Pine ladies and celebrating people’s birthdays. This Christmas, they went to Russ’ for dinner.

John 3:16 is his favorite Bible verse. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

Staff Spotlight | Emilie Azkoul

Meet Emilie Azkoul, our Director of Human Resources! Emilie discovered David’s House Ministries in the early ‘90s through her church, and she visited back then with her family because the home manager was in her Adult Bible Fellowship.

“We loved the heart of the ministry,” Emilie said.

Emilie started on December 1st of 2022.

“I had been thinking about changing my work but hoped to stay within the HR profession. When I saw the posting for David’s House, I knew this would be a great place based on my past interactions and the wonderful reputation of DHMIN,” Emilie said.

Her experience in Human Resources is an excellent addition to our administrative team. Most recently, she worked in the Human Resources Department at Cornerstone University, and prior to that, she worked at Saint Mary’s Hospital.

Already Emilie has begun building strong connections with residents and staff. The people are her favorite part of the job so far.

“The residents and staff are so amazing! I also appreciate the emphasis of people being put first in decisions and planning for the future. That makes DHMIN a wonderful place to have an HR role,” Emilie said.

One of Emilie’s highlights of joining this community was that as we addressed the staffing shortages, she could do more recruitment and hiring than she did in her previous HR positions. It has been so rewarding for her because she has gotten to know the new employees as they come in.

Outside of work, Emilie and her husband are the parents of three adult daughters and grandparents of 10 incredibly fun grandchildren.

Her favorite quote is by Max DePree: “We cannot become what we need to be by remaining what we are.”

Life Enrichment Programs | WHat are we up to?

LEAP stands for Life-Enriching Activities and Programs. However, it is much more for our David’s House Ministries Community. LEAP is a chance for the individuals that call us home to have opportunities to showcase their skills, create, and be the most fulfilled and independent versions of themselves. This program was founded to give the residents of DHMIN a chance to gather together and participate in outings within the community.

Every week Life Enrichment Coordinators Lisa and Sarah aim to facilitate morning and afternoon activities for every person at David’s House to participate in, such as Friendship, Coffee Social, Bible Study, Exercise Group, Cooking Group, and Fun Friday Socials.

Many residents work and volunteer within the community. Beer City Dog Biscuits, Carelinc, Calvin University, Cracker Barrel, and Calvary Church are all places where residents lend a helping hand and build careers.

One organization we are starting to partner more with is Hand2Hand. We pack snack bags and meals for kids and families in need. Hand2Hand delivers food to students to take home for the weekend.

“I like that it goes to a good cause and that our community can help another community,” Sarah said.

In addition to these activities, DHMIN strives to get people out in the community as much as possible. Each month or two, we choose an outing to focus on, and it usually takes around eight trips to transport everyone. For example, in March, we bring everyone to Fredrick Meijer Gardens to see the butterfly exhibit!

“The Holiday season is always busy here at David’s House, but I think Summer is the best time to be here,” Lisa said.

Residents often go outside on bikes or stroll around the pond in the summer. Almost all activities occur under our large tent, where we set up tables and chairs to play games and enjoy the warm weather. We also have many youth groups out to help put on a “Summer Camp” that we host annually on our DHMIN campus.

“My favorite activity is our Summer Concert Series. We invite local bands and musicians to perform for residents, staff, families, and friends. Typically the concerts are at 6:30 on Tuesday nights. Last year everyone enjoyed the music so much that we continued through October,” Lisa said.

Want to learn more about how to volunteer at DHMIN or have an opportunity you would like us to check out? If so, email volunteer@dhmin.org or fill out our online volunteer form.

Did you know SiX of the Ten Original Residents still live at DHMIN?

If you drove down Banner Drive to the end of the cul-de-sac in 1987, you would have seen one beautiful home tucked into a wooded area. This home is now one of eight, and it is also where the first ten residents of David’s House Ministries lived. Out of those ten residents, six still live in our Wyoming community. Their names are David, Terry, Dale, Fred, Joel, and Jay.

There were just four employees when the home opened, and many volunteers came alongside our founders, Jay and Lois DeBoer, to make this dream a reality. When you drive down Banner now, you will see that the last 36 years have been filled with many remarkable changes and growth. We went from serving ten residents to serving more than 70 individuals with developmental disabilities.

The six individuals from the first family of ten symbolize our ministry’s dedication to providing quality care to the whole person, body, soul, and spirit. Our resident’s personhood is valued by the individuals being served and their families, and we are committed to meeting their changing needs to the best of our abilities.

Thank you to everyone that has helped us build this amazing community.

Remembering our Friends

“If we live, we live for the Lord; and if we die, we die for the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord.” Romans 14:8

Although filled with many blessings, this year has also come with loss. At the end of 2022 and into 2023, we had to say goodbye to our dear friends Kerry, Vicki, and Warren. Our community will miss all of these amazing individuals.

“Warren was such a kind-hearted, soft soul. He was the person that everyone wanted to be around. It was easy to feel calm and at peace in his presence; he never failed to make others smile. Warren loved to do puzzles and learn new things! He enjoyed playing card games and watching tv shows. He will be missed because he made every day better and brighter,” Said Home Supervisor Madison Sova-Dombrowski.

“Kerry had the most beautiful and contagious smile! She lit up the room and could always make us laugh. Kerry loved to paint birdhouses and make cards for others. We often hear Kerry laughing while watching Full House or Everybody loves Raymond. Kerry had a way of touching others and impacting people’s lives. She will be deeply missed,” Said Home Supervisor Nicole Salas.

“Vicki may have been small in stature, but she had the biggest heart! She was caring, compassionate, dedicated, friendly, and helpful. She enjoyed a good cup of coffee, watching the Food Channel, and walking in the community. We are thankful for the many years we shared at the All Pine Home. Vicki, you were a blessing to many, and you are missed,” Janis Reamsma, Direct Care Staff, said.

New Faces

“Walking in a home and seeing a resident that has been living at David’s House for 36 years, seeing their smiling faces, getting a hug, it’s like seeing family.”

- Board Member, Ann Braford

Andy S.

Tim B.

Vicki P.

Kerry R.

Warren T.