Partner Organizations

Portage Chapel Hill’s Partner Organizations:

Kalamazoo Wesley Foundation and Wesley Intentional Living Center

More Than Housing—A Home With Purpose

In a world where we are always on the go and many feel invisible, we offer something more than just a place to eat, sleep, and study. We offer a home—a place where you can truly be seen, heard, and accepted for who you are because we believe when that is achieved, lives are changed.

We at the Wesley Intentional Living Center are an inclusive, faith-centered community for students who want to live with purpose.
At the WILC, we are always striving for:

Faith in Action – Although you don’t have to be a Christian, that is the base on which this community is founded, where spirituality and real-world impact go hand in hand.

Belonging – A supportive community where you can be your authentic self and build lifelong friendships.

Growth – Opportunities to explore your faith or spirituality, leadership, and personal development. Leading into transformation through shared experiences and genuine connections from regular meetings, retreats, and fun activities.

To know more click the image.

OutFront Kalamazoo

Portage Chapel Hill is a proud member of Faith Alliance, the faith related LGBTQIA+ advocacy group from OutFront. As such we regularly give financially, respond to mutual aid requests, promote OutFront activities, participate at Pride365, and our pastors and congregants participate in interfaith dialogue and resourcing with our queer siblings.

Romence Road Food Pantry

Supported by Loaves and Fishes Food Pantry

Since the early 1980s, Kalamazoo Loaves and Fishes has provided food to those living with food insecurity in the Kalamazoo County area. Today, Loaves and Fishes helps an average of 700 people with groceries every day. Portage Chapel Hill hosts Loaves and Fishes’ Mobile Food Initiative on the 2^nd and 4^th Tuesday of every month.

ISAAC

ISAAC (Interfaith Strategy for Advocacy and Action in the Community) is a group of over 20 religious organizations and groups in Southwest Michigan working in pursuit of a more just society, identifying the root causes of injustice and working with elected officials to advocate for solutions. Portage Chapel Hill has been a member congregation of ISAAC since 2017.

YWCA

YWCA Kalamazoo is dedicated to eliminating racism, empowering women, and promoting peace, justice, freedom, and dignity for all. Portage Chapel Hill regularly provides diapers and hand-made quilts to the YWCA.

Meals on Wheels

Meals on Wheels is for anyone age 60+ in the Kalamazoo County area who live with food insecurity. Members of the Portage Chapel Hill congregation volunteer their time to deliver meals to homebound seniors in our area. Nan Janeke leads this group and does the scheduling. If you would like to volunteer with this very rewarding team, contact Nan Janecke at
[email protected].

American Red Cross

Portage Chapel Hill partners with the Red Cross to host four blood drives each year – January, April, June, and October. For more information about our next blood drive, please Click Here.

Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance

DBSA provides hope, help, support, and education to improve the lives of people who have mood disorders. Portage Chapel Hill hosts DBSA meetings, every Monday at 7 pm.

Kalamazoo Children’s Chorus

Kalamazoo Children’s Chorus is for kids age 8-18 who wish to explore and develop choral music in an atmosphere of artistic excellence, enriching the artistic life of this community. Portage Chapel Hill provides administrative, rehearsal, and performance space for Kalamazoo Children’s Chorus.

Reconciling Ministries Network

Reconciling Ministries Network equips and mobilizes United Methodists of all sexual orientations and gender identities to resist evil, injustice, and oppression in whatever forms they present themselves.

Portage Chapel Hill Church has been a member of the Reconciling Ministries Network since 2001.

Urban Alliance Kalamazoo

Urban Alliance of Kalamazoo works to give voice to marginalized people, empowering everyone to life a safe, healthy, productive, and fulfilling life. Portage Chapel Hill helps resource the work of Urban Alliance, particularly regarding those facing housing insecurity.

Kalamazoo Coalition for the Unhoused

Beginning in 2020 as a grassroots movement among tent camps in the area, Kalamazoo Coalition for the Unhoused collaborates with local organizations to work toward solving the housing crisis in Kalamazoo. Portage Chapel Hill is a collection site for clothing, blankets, tents, pet supplies, and more, all going to the unhoused population locally.

Kalamazoo Landing Place

The Landing Place Open House was held on Thursday April 30, 2026. The Landing Place is a transitional family shelter designed to serve families with children who are experiencing homelessness. It will provide short-term housing and supportive services to help families move toward stable, permanent housing. This shelter is being built with a focus on safety, dignity, and the needs of children and parents. The Landing Place Family Shelter is a program led by the Kalamazoo Housing Department.

Location: 1912 E. Kilgore Service Road, Portage, MI (located within the city of Kalamazoo)

Facility Type: Former Country Inn & Suites hotel

Number of Units: Up to 80 Proximity to Services

Convenient access to I-94, Metro bus routes, schools, and community resources.

Deacon Sandra will be reaching out to the other congregations that make up Branch 5 of the Greater Southwest UMC to ask for a commitment of those who desire to prepare to serve as volunteers once the shelter opens.

The Landing Place will be operated by Family Promise of Southwest Michigan, a local affiliate of the national nonprofit organization Family Promise, with decades of experience supporting families experiencing homelessness. Family Promise will operate the 24/7 family shelter using a low-barrier, trauma-informed, and housing-focused approach, creating more than 20 local jobs, further strengthening the community impact of this investment.Andrea Tramel, a member of Portage: Chapel Hill UMC has been hired as the Executive Director of The Landing Place Family Shelter