HOLLAND, Mich. — As the weather cools off for a bit, ice cream might not be at the top of your mind. But, maybe it should be.
The Holland Momentum Center recently opened an ice cream shop inside its building with the goal of promoting integration and community interaction.
Fittingly, it's called the MOO-mentum Ice Cream Parlor. It's similar to the coffee shop set up at the Grand Haven Momentum Center, where the nonprofit got its start.
"We work with people with mental illness, addictions and disabilities," said Barbara Lee VanHorssen, the Momentum Center's Experi-Mentor (Executive Director). "It costs $1 a year to be a member. Then we fill the need between the individual and clinical care."
She continued, "In Grand Haven, we have a cafe which offers a place for public integration with our members, instead of more isolation. That's the piece we were missing in Holland when we opened the momentum center."
Right now, the Momentum Center has more than 215 members. You don't need a clinical diagnosis or a referral. The space is open to anyone. That's kind of the whole idea.
"What can happen otherwise is we inadvertently create more isolation," VanHorssen explained. "We start talking about 'that place' being for 'those people,' as opposed to recognizing that all of us are dealing with something at some point.”
The ice cream shop sells a variety of flavors, from Butter Crunch Pecan and Grandpa's Vanilla to Simply Strawberry and Chili Chocolate. They even sell Italian Ice as a dairy-free option for customers.
You can get the ice cream served in a cup or a cone. Each scoop is just $1. As of now, they are only open two days a week — Mondays from 3-7 p.m. and Fridays from 11 a.m.-2 p.m.
They are hoping to expand those hours in the future.
"It's just a matter of getting volunteers who are willing to help us serve ice cream," VanHorssen said. "Then we'll be open more and more."
The cherry on top — "You get a free ice cream cone when you volunteer as well." she mentioned.
The Momentum Center is also hosting an event called 'Prom with a Purpose' on May 20th. It's the organization's biggest fundraiser of the year.
For more details about the MOO-mentum Ice Cream Parlor, you can click on this link.