Loving and serving Charlevoix since 2012
Games & Grub
When the final school bell rings and summer begins, many children who depend on free or reduced-price breakfasts and lunches suddenly lose a reliable source of nourishment. This reality weighed heavily on our hearts, and in the summer of 2016, Games & Grub was born out of a simple desire to ensure kids were fed, supported, and reminded that their community cares.
For seven Wednesdays each summer, the big red Games & Grub trailer makes its way to Lighthouse Apartments and Charlevoix Estates. What follows is much laughter, connection, and joy. Volunteers shoot hoops, jump rope, paint nails, blow bubbles (and then blow even more bubbles), draw with sidewalk chalk, and share music and smiles. At the center of it all is food — freshly grilled hot dogs made with love by dedicated volunteers — and bags of groceries handed out to help families make it through the week.
But Games & Grub is about more than food or games. It is about presence. It is about relationships. It is about showing up, week after week, to remind children and families that they are seen, valued, and deeply loved — by their community and by God. Even in the brief time we share together, bonds are formed and faith is lived out in action.
Grocery bags are also delivered to children at Lake Harbor Apartments, ensuring that this care reaches even further.
Grocery support is made possible through our partnership with the Manna Project.
A big thank you to the Traverse City Costco for donating a $100 Costco Shop Card to purchase groceries for students during the 2026 summer!
Safe Haven Ministries is thrilled to announce that we are the recipients of a grant from the Charlevoix County Community Foundation! This grant will support the 2026 Games and Grub program as well as the Free School Supply Distribution. Thank you SO MUCH to all of the donors who support this amazing ministry. We are incredibly blessed and grateful for your generosity.
The Charlevoix County Community Foundation is a grassroots charitable organization made up of various funds – all of them established by local donors. Some funds are earmarked for specific causes, and others are open-ended to meet changing needs. The funds are held in permanent endowment, so they can continue to grow and generate income to enhance the quality of life in Charlevoix County. The Community Foundation has made grants totaling more than $30 million to local nonprofits, schools, and municipalities since it began in 1992.
