Over the past year, the leadership at Calvary Bible Church has been looking for unique ways for the congregation to serve the greater Kalamazoo community. Kalamazoo City Commissioner Mary Balkema approached the church with an idea for replacing windows in the owner occupied homes of lower income families on Kalamazoo’s Northside.

Why windows? Windows are a strategic investment for these families. It helps lower their monthly heating bills, so that tight budgets can stretch a little farther. The church works with the Northside Association for Community Development to identify potential recipients. Volunteer teams then install new replacement windows at no cost to the homeowners.

Funding for the project comes from Calvary’s church members and other generous donors. The church started off this summer by replacing windows in six homes with plans to tackle more homes in 2007.