It’s very difficult being homeless anywhere, especially in Alpena Michigan, along the shores of Lake Huron. Last February alone, the town saw nearly 32 inches of snowfall. Average low temperatures in the dead of winter hover around 13 degrees, sometimes plunging much lower. It’s not an easy place to be without a roof over one’s head or a place to call home.
Christina Kihn knows their struggles intimately. She was once homeless herself.
Today, as the director of the Center of Charity, a ministry of All Saints Parish, she runs a large-scale operation that provides food, shelter, as well as acute, chronic and preventative healthcare services to low-income and homeless members of the community.
Serving this population has become her mission. Through life’s trials and transitions, she has always pressed forward with faith and perseverance. Today, her determination and compassion helps her transform lives.
God shines through darkness
A military veteran rooted in faith from a young age, Kihn has always carried a spiritual foundation through unforeseen challenges. She became estranged from her military veteran husband, who was struggling with PTSD. In 2019, she lost her job of six years as a field auditor.
The mother of two boys under the age of 5 wound up homeless.
At one point, the three lived in a friend’s unheated attic, huddled together on a single mattress to stay warm.
During this time, she found physical and spiritual nourishment through the Friendship Room, a community soup kitchen at the Center of Charity hosted by All Saints—a parish Catholic Extension Society proudly supports.
Christina Kihn is a finalist for our Lumen Christi Award, our highest honor given to people who radiate and reveal the light of Christ present in the communities where they serve. Click here to read the stories of our eight finalists this year.
After connecting with the Northwest Michigan Community Action Agency (NMCAA), Kihn secured housing and eventually employment. This launched her path into working with the homeless. In an interview with Catholic Extension Society, she says God eventually helped her land her “dream job” back at the place that once brought her warmth and a fresh meal. He wanted her to “work His mission.”
Faith-filled service
Today, Kihn oversees this full-fledged ministry’s work to uplift the lives of those struggling in the local community and offer them a safe and dignified space. Her team consists of 153 volunteers who serve thousands annually. They offer temporary lodging, meals, essential resources, case management and connections to social, mental health and substance abuse services. Its comprehensive services are rooted in the parish’s mission to not only provide critical support but also to nurture the spiritual growth of the entire community.
Alpena is a tranquil city of 10,000 overlooking Lake Huron. In recent years, homelessness has quietly intensified because of a lack of affordable housing. Last year’s homeless population in Alpena was 700, a 15 percent increase since 2022. Kihn says many of them seek shelter in the city’s three main encampments or at the Alpena County Fairgrounds during its summer camping season. Once temperatures dip, they often come to the Center of Charity’s overnight warming shelter.
Her bishop, Jeffrey J. Walsh, sees the Gospel lived out through Kihn’s compassionate empowerment of those whose struggles she understands firsthand.
“Rather than allowing suffering to close her off from the world, she has used it as a bridge to better understand the burdens of others, offering them not only material support but the deep and abiding compassion of Christ,” Bishop Walsh said.
Kihn knows from experience that the homeless don’t need pity, but empowerment:
I try to motivate people through empathy and kindness and with a can-do attitude. … Make sure that we’re a team, we’re there for them and that they know that God’s there for them.”
One homeless man’s story beautifully illustrates this. He had been homeless for seven years, struggling with strokes and seizures, and came to the center after repeatedly being denied housing. Kihn and her team collaborated with the NMCAA, St. Vincent de Paul Society and Salvation Army. Together, they secured him an apartment and essential household items and continued providing support.
The center’s efforts have not only alleviated immediate suffering but have also strengthened the social fabric of the community by fostering a culture of empathy and solidarity. Kihn’s example inspires others, parishioners and volunteers alike, to live out their faith with compassion and commitment.
Click here to read the stories behind all eight of our Lumen Christi Award finalists.
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