Public commenters applaud Ben's Hope collaboration; Momentum Center launches Friendship Bench pilot and warns SNAP pause will increase need

At the start of the Oct. 24 meeting, members of the public spoke during the board's public comment period about local service continuity and community programs.

Krista Mason, who identified herself as representing Benjamin's Hope in Holland, thanked CMH staff and directors for months of collaborative work to evaluate provider challenges and to stabilize services for the men and women who live at Benjamin's Hope. "Half of those people are Ottawa individuals, and soon we'll be at 46 people," Mason said, and she said recent discussions had produced what she described as an "appropriate rate approach" that made the organization's financial gap manageable.

Barbara Lee, representing the Momentum Center and the City of Grand Haven, announced a Friendship Bench pilot launching in the Tri Cities area with grants from the Michigan Health Endowment Fund and Tri Cities Women Who Care. She said Kate Mavor has been hired as friendship bench coordinator and that the pilot aims to identify public sites where trained volunteers, called "bench buddies," will offer face‑to‑face listening and referral to services. Lee said the pilot will initially serve the Tri Cities community with an aim to expand across Ottawa County after evaluation, and she noted that the pilot will make the Tri Cities the fourth Friendship Bench location in the United States.

Lee also warned that SNAP benefits will be paused in Michigan beginning Nov. 1, saying that pause will increase hardship for people already experiencing food insecurity; she encouraged community members to help keep micro pantries stocked and highlighted regular member lunches, cooking classes and a free dinner and movie night held by the Momentum Center.

Provenance: Public comment begins at meeting transcript block for Krista Mason at 970.65 and Barbara Lee's remarks span transcript blocks 1091.97–1263.85.