Munson Healthcare Invests in Safe Harbor Manistee Skills, Stability Programs

Munson Healthcare announced March 12 that it is investing in expanded services at Safe Harbor Manistee, the seasonal winter shelter operated by ECHO His Love, targeting a set of practical supports designed to help guests build independence rather than simply survive the cold season.

The investment will fund access to laundry facilities, financial literacy education, life skills coaching, and GED preparation at the Manistee shelter. Jeff Carter, director of Safe Harbor Shelter, framed the expansion in direct terms. "Warmth and safety matter, but so do the building blocks of independence," Carter said. "Munson's support strengthens the resources and guidance we can offer guests as they work toward long-term stability."

Kristi Johnson, chief nursing officer for Munson Healthcare's South Region, which includes Manistee Hospital, tied the investment explicitly to health outcomes. "Housing is health, and stability is built, often one achievable step at a time," Johnson said. "Access to clean clothing, help with budgeting, or support while pursuing education can remove critical barriers and create pathways forward. We're honored to invest in these social determinants of health alongside Safe Harbor Manistee."

ECHO His Love, the Manistee-based nonprofit that operates the shelter, has deep roots in the region. The organization began in 1992 as Love for Children, supporting Manistee County families with young children, expanded into Love INC of Manistee in 2005, and extended its reach into Benzie County in 2006.

The Manistee commitment is part of a broader regional push by Munson on housing and homelessness. In the past year, the health system directed $150,000 to street medicine programs in Traverse City, Cadillac, Benzonia, and Kalkaska; $75,000 to Goodwill Northern Michigan for regional homelessness solutions; and $10,000 to River House in Grayling to help survivors of domestic violence build long-term security. Separately, Munson committed $100,000 over two years to Safe Harbor of Grand Traverse, the Traverse City shelter, structured as $50,000 in 2025 and $50,000 in 2026, to support that shelter's move toward year-round operations following unanimous backing from Traverse City Commissioners for a two-year pilot. Safe Harbor of Grand Traverse currently operates from October 14 to April 14, serving nearly 300 people and generating 15,000 overnight stays each season.

The street medicine program, a partnership with Traverse Health Clinic, deploys a mobile unit on Tuesdays and Fridays to bring health care services to people experiencing homelessness wherever they are across the community.

Munson President and CEO Ed Ness said the investments stem directly from the health system's own assessment of community needs. "One of the priorities identified in our most recent Community Health Needs Assessment is the availability of safe and affordable housing," Ness said. "Secure housing is a significant social determinant of health and as the largest health system in Northern Michigan, we feel strongly about supporting overall public health and Safe Harbor in this important work."

Across the two-year span covered by that portfolio of commitments, Munson has stated it has directed $400,000 to organizations and programs supporting the unhoused throughout Northern Michigan.