Our Story

Early in 2018, Pastor Mark Van Drunen and several Calvary Church members began having conversations about the housing needs in our community. The lack of affordable housing in the area was known. The greatest concern was for single mothers becoming involved at Calvary who were in the difficult position of trying to start a new life after escaping an abusive relationship.

In April of 2018, an informal task force was assembled and began to have regular meetings. Over the following months, the group researched the needs and the opportunities through meetings/contacts with the City of Wyoming, Inner City Christian Federation, Safe Haven Ministries, Good Samaritan Ministries, the YWCA, the Coalition to End Homelessness, and others. Additionally, a time of sharing and listening was held with a number of women with personal experience facing the challenges of trying to get a fresh start after leaving an abusive relationship.

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In August of 2018 it was decided that it would be best to form a non-profit entity separate from Calvary Church. Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws were drafted and eventually finalized in January of 2019 and the Board of Directors was formed.

The first assistance was provided by Daffodil in the fall of 2019 to several women referred by Safe Haven. While we did not have apartments to place them in, we were able to provide some financial assistance with security deposits, help with setting up a household, and emotional and spiritual support.

Each of the following years, the number of families assisted by Daffodil grew, as numerous other organizations learned of this resource. Amazingly, the financial support needed for this growth grew at a similar rate such that no one has been turned away due to Daffodil not having the resources.

The Daffodil board saw benefits to owning our own property. In 2022 a friend offered to purchase a duplex in Wyoming, which we could renovate and use for ministry, and pay him off within two years. With tremendous support for the renovation from volunteers, and materials and services donated by local businesses, the duplex took in its first families in 2023. And in 2024, several months before the deadline, all the funds were raised to pay off the duplex and own it free and clear. It currently is being used for Transitional Housing through a special partnership with Safe Haven Ministries.

In 2025, when the demand for our services had grown beyond the capacity of our volunteer board, our first part-time employee was hired. Serving as our Client Services Coordinator, this social worker is engaged in all aspects of client services and building strong relationships in the community. As the number of clients continues to grow, the board is considering the hiring of additional staff.

Eventually, Daffodil may wish to impact the lack of affordable housing by building new units or considering the purchase of additional buildings.

We know that we could not have done any of what we have done thus far without the incredible support of so many individuals, churches, businesses, and foundations that have enabled us to do far more than we anticipated when we had our first conversations in 2018. We continue to seek God’s guidance regarding what the future holds for Daffodil Ministries.