Genesis Garden is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit based in Macomb, Illinois, USA. Genesis Garden was founded as a grassroots organization dedicated to addressing and eliminating the effects of poverty through a proactive, preventative, and compassionate approach. Our inception was inspired by the rapid eviction of Shade Tree Mobile Park residents in 2010. This event exposed the lack of emergency and rapid re-housing in Macomb and McDonough County for families who suddenly find themselves without a place to live.
Genesis Garden’s focus is on addressing housing crises in western Illinois. Ranging from emergency shelter to rapid-rehousing, eviction prevention to scattered-site permanent supportive housing, we work to meet people where they are, hold awareness of their lived experience, and assist with achieving stable housing. Efforts are individualized and may include getting a new state ID, arranging for child care, signing up for food and medical benefits, securing a job, enrolling in school, or transportation to safe, secure housing with friends or family out of state.
We’re looking forward to Summer Meals 2025. Like Summer Meals 2024, we are planning a once a week pickup of breakfasts and lunches for late June to mid-August. Summer Meals for Kids began in 2016 as a fixed-site meal service. Summer Meals went on the road during the COVID-19 pandemic, taking advantage of USDA waivers, to deliver breakfast and lunch for each day of the week.
Between summers, our food focus turns to the Family Dinner Project, and relationship-building while sharing meals. Whether it’s sharing a rose and a thorn about your day, talking about what animal you’d like to be, or how to get everyone to set their phone aside during the meal, we believe shared meals at a table increase resilience.
In partnership with the West Central Illinois Open Table project, we support volunteer community members who walk alongside individuals or families (“friends”) who would like support achieving their life goals. Friends and Volunteers meet weekly for a year, developing relationships, as the friends tackle and achieve the milestones on the way to their goal. If you’ve volunteered at a food pantry or a soup kitchen and thought “there must be more than this” transactional exchange, the Open Table may be a great opportunity for you. Plan to join one of our exploration sessions!
Our Mission: Cultivating hope, empowering dreams.
Our Vision:
A resilient and hopeful community.
Our Core Values:
Empowerment, Community, Compassion, Strengths-focused,
Asset-based
In 2021, Genesis Garden’s directors participated in a series of trainings to focus efforts more on transformational change and development using a lens of asset-based and holistic community development.
Staff
Jeanetta Thorpe, Genesis Housing Director
Shawntae Howard, Employment Specialist
Josie Calvert, Intern
Chaka Donald, Property Manager
Geneva Hicks, Community Facilitator & Housing Counselor-in-training
Crystal Brothe, Office Professional
Amanda Dean, Office Professional
Jessica Starbuck, Care Coordinator
Jaylin Smith, Care & Housing Coordinator
Directors
Melissa Calhoun, President
David Monninger, Vice President
Mark Merrill, Treasurer
Kathy Stoner-Lasala
Marie Blome
Founding President: Brooks Olds
2023-2024 AmeriCorps VISTA Volunteer through Housing Action Illinois
Mariam Antoine
2020-21 Interns, Peace Corps Fellows, and AmeriCorps VISTA Volunteers
Miranda Lambert (2020-21), Sydney Dewees (2020-21), Alexander Benishek (2021), Cortnie Schierman, (2020-21), Zac Green (2021),
Cindy Guzman, Intern, WIU Social Work Department (Spring 2021)
Summer 2020 Volunteers/Staff
AmeriCorps Summer VISTA: Adrienne Graham, Grace Merrett, Lily Mansfield, Ethan La Prad, Ethan Fogg, Gibby Blankenship, Devon Simpson, Jessica Moncrieff, Iliyana Olds, Marco Narvaez, Desi Blanken
Peace Corps Fellows/AmeriCorps: Camden Arnold, Brianne Nichols, Meghan Elgee, Miranda Lambert, Gaothajying Her, Cortnie Schierman, Katie Colon
Summer Meals Assistants: Annie Powell, Noah La Prad, Aiden Necak