60 Pallets of Cleaning Kits Bring Relief to Michigan

April 24th, 2026 Newsletter

For those who reside in the Midwest, it’s easy to form a love-hate relationship with spring. 

With Spring comes warmer weather, budding flowers, green grass, and beautiful, new beginnings. However, with the changing of the seasons, we have also learned to expect the dark clouds that herald the coming stormy season.

Whether it’s tornadoes, hailstorms, heavy rainfall, or some other kind of cataclysm, Midwesterners hunker down come April.

At Midwest Mission, we also prepare, but in a different way. We get ready to bring relief where it’s needed so that when the storms pass and communities face the aftermath, we can step in and bring hope.

This week, we were able to do just that.

After heavy rainfall in the Great Lakes region, many towns and even entire counties in Michigan experienced dangerous flooding. Between snowmelt and heavy rainfall, roads and homes have been submerged in feet of water. On top of that, tornadoes swept through the region, adding another layer of danger and damage.

But because of you, we were ready to act! When a request came in on Friday the 17th from the Michigan United Methodist Conference for Cleaning Kits, we responded swiftly, ensuring those affected had the right supplies at the right time.

Just days later on Wednesday the 22nd, the 2,160 Cleaning Kits left our warehouse. They arrived at a staging warehouse in Grayling, Michigan the very next day. From there, the kits were immediately distributed, reaching recipients by the end of Thursday.

In just six days, these supplies went from a request to being placed directly into the hands of those who needed them.

These Cleaning Kits will not only help families and communities clean up the damage left in the wake of the floods, but will also bring hope, dignity, healing, and empowerment. When everything feels overwhelming and it’s hard to know where to begin, these Kits offer a first step toward restoring their homes and lives.

We are so grateful for your support as we show God’s love in a practical way by transforming resources into humanitarian relief. It is truly a blessing to respond so quickly when needs arise, and it’s possible because of the willing hearts of volunteers, the generosity of donors, and the community that surrounds Midwest Mission.

Every contribution, whether financial, time, or supplies, goes directly into the hands of those who need it most. Thank you!

Breaking Barriers: The Opportunity of a Simple Bike

For many of us, when we think of bicycles, we picture a childhood toy, something that carried us to friends’ houses or a quick trip to the store for a treat. It was recreational, something to use when we were bored. But for others, a bicycle can mean so much more.

Transportation is one of the biggest challenges people face when living in poverty or trying to get back on their feet. This is true globally and here in the United States. When someone can’t access a job, education, healthcare, or even basic necessities because they lack transportation, a significant barrier is created.

Midwest Mission recognizes this need and works to break down that barrier by collecting and distributing new and refurbished bicycles.

Recently, Jeremiah Miller, the Reservations Coordinator, helped coordinate the distribution of a couple of bikes to men in nearby Springfield, Illinois. One of the recipients, Kyle, is starting a new job, which is exciting! However, it previously took him two hours to walk from where he lived to his job. Now, with a bike, it takes just thirty minutes.

Kyle is one of several men in a recovery home, working hard to rebuild their lives. That’s determination. That’s perseverance. That’s empowerment in action.

Something as simple as a bike can hold incredible power because opportunity fuels empowerment.

Let’s be in prayer for them as they take steps toward a new life.

Churches Needed as Drop-Off Sites for School Supply Drive

It’s not too late to sign your church up to be a Drop-Off Site for school supplies! The end of the school year is drawing near, and we want to spread the word to schools around the Midwest that they can turn their leftover school supplies into lasting impact!

As a Drop-Off Site, your church would:

• Register as an official collection location

• Share ready-made promotional materials with nearby schools

• Receive collected supplies at the end of the school year

• Deliver donations to a Midwest Mission location, Permanent Collection Site, or Annual Conference Collection

Learn more, and register your church at midwestmission.org/churchdropoff.