When health suffers, everything else follows. It becomes harder to work. Harder to learn. Harder to care for others or show up in your own life. That’s why access to physical, mental, and emotional wellbeing is at the heart of a thriving community.

Here along the Lakeshore—across Muskegon, Newaygo, and Oceana Counties—families are navigating a growing mental health crisis, food insecurity, and the lasting effects of trauma. Too many of our neighbors are slipping through the cracks. Not because they don’t need support, but because the systems designed to help them are overburdened, under-connected, or out of reach.

At United Way of the Lakeshore, we believe health is not just the absence of illness. It’s the presence of support, dignity, and the ability to move forward. Together with partners and volunteers, we’re building stronger systems of care—so every child, adult, and family has the opportunity to live well and thrive.