Starting Over

A meaningful new start—about $400 per household.

Starting Over helps households moving into housing after homelessness, displacement, or another hardship get the basics they need to settle in.

Pantry foundations: oil, flour, sugar, seasonings, condiments, and cooking staples—the items most of us replace a little at a time.

Home essentials: cleaning and laundry supplies, toilet paper, soap, and personal-care basics.

We use a standard checklist to fill what is missing, with choices suited to household needs, allergies, preferences, and storage. Our planned pilot uses coordinated Walmart pickup at the Sherman Boulevard store in Muskegon.

We are raising support for the pilot. Approximately $400 is our household setup budget, not a cash payment or guaranteed award. Assistance depends on funding and capacity.

The Giving Closet

The Giving Closet provides needs-based clothing assistance to West Michigan children and families through vouchers redeemable with approved participating clothing vendors. Assistance may be used for necessary items such as shirts, pants, pajamas, coats, shoes, socks, underwear, and other seasonally appropriate clothing.

Families may apply directly or through a referral partner. Clothing assistance is awarded based on demonstrated need, available funding, and program guidelines. The Giving Closet is designed to help families obtain appropriate clothing without requiring them to be customers of Jammies 2 Jeanz or purchase anything from the retail business.

Emergency Relief

The Giving Tree

Help make the holidays brighter for a local family. Our 2026 goal is to serve 15–20 West Michigan families experiencing financial hardship, depending on donations and available resources.

Families seeking assistance

Apply October 1–31. No referral is required. Share your children’s interests, sizes, and several gift ideas. Our goal is two gifts per approved child. Wishes are options; every requested item is not guaranteed. Clothing, essentials, and a reasonable shared household need may be considered as extras when resources allow.

Families helping families

Choose one ornament, sponsor a child, or shop for a family. Each ornament represents one gift, usually $15–$25. Two ornaments support one child; several donors can share a family.

To volunteer to shop, email jeanz2jammies@gmail.com with “Giving Tree Sponsor” in the subject. Prefer to give money? Use “Donate to the Giving Tree” above and our team will shop for unclaimed wishes and missing gifts.

Donors receive anonymous wish information. Return new, unwrapped gifts with ornament codes attached. Return dates and pickup instructions will be provided during coordination.

Family identities and personal circumstances stay private. Other holiday assistance does not automatically disqualify a family. Applications are subject to review and available resources; no retail purchase is required.

Backpack Drive