On Wednesday, October 2, Hope Haven held a ceremony to celebrate the start of construction of a new facility to be completed in March 2025 that will serve multiple purposes. This facility will accommodate the Hope Haven International Ministries volunteer workshop and the My Day program, located on Frankfort Place SE and 16th St in Orange City, IA.    

Since 2020, a team of volunteers in Orange City has worked exclusively on creating the seating parts needed to complete these chairs. Each seat is custom-sewn. “Sewing is a hard skill, but we are willing to help train. Linda Feikema and Sharon Moss were recently in Kenya along with Jerry Dykstra. They taught women who had never sewn or used a sewing machine this valuable skill while Jerry worked to help set up the shop and acquire materials,” said Luke Russell, Hope Haven International Ministries Director.

When the team began in 2020, the output was about 20 seats per month; today, they average 50 seats a week. They began in the back of an old auto parts store located off Highway 10 and recently moved to an industrial garage space at 14th and Frankfort Place SE. 

Jerry Dykstra shares, “The new space will double our workshop space and give us much-needed storage space as we receive products and prepare them for shipment.” He adds, “Our current sewing room is very cramped, and this will allow for more space for sewing and also space to add more machines and volunteers. We are always looking for more volunteers. Volunteers can work one to 15 hours a week.” Volunteers will continue at 14th and Frankfort Place until the new space is complete. For more information or to become a volunteer, email dutchmadeoc@gmail.com or call Jerry Dykstra at 712-441-5967.

THE CURRENT CHALLENGES:

•  Lack of a permanent space: HHIM – moved 3 times in 5 years and My Day – moved 4 times in 5 years
• Need extra area for growth: HHIM – 30 volunteers and My Day – 8 residents
•  Disadvantage of layout and navigation
• Issue with parking
• No kitchen area

THE NEW MULTIPURPOSE FACILITY WILL PROVIDE:

•  Future of consistent space
• Create an intentional work area
• Solve layout inefficiencies
• Advantage of ministry growth
• Partner together in the workshop with the volunteers and My Day residents

• Expand capacity of kidchairs
• Develop more volunteer opportunities
• Increase community involvement

MY DAY

• New life skill activities
• Better access to the community