5 Ways The Salvation Army Great Lakes Region Helps Fight Homelessness
Although homelessness is a problem every day of the year, World Homeless Day, observed October 10th, seeks to bring renewed awareness to this issue internationally. According to the WHD website:
“The purpose of World Homeless Day is to draw attention to the needs of people who experience homelessness locally and provide opportunities for the community to get involved in responding to homelessness.”
The Salvation Army Great Lakes region is especially dedicated to fighting this problem. The following is a list of five ways it is helping to fight homelessness:
1. Homeless Shelters
The Salvation Army Great Lakes region has eight homeless shelters and two Adult Rehabilitation Centers:
- MATTS Shelter – located in Warren, provides emergency 90-day shelter for men, women, and children of all ages.
- Staples Family Center – located in Ann Arbor, an emergency shelter for families in need of housing assistance.
- Haven of Hope – located in Ann Arbor, helps veterans find sustainable income, continue their education, and find a home of their own.
- Booth Services – located in Detroit, provides temporary residence to women and children facing homelessness.
- Monroe Family Manor Shelter – located in Monroe, houses families, single men with children and single women for up to 90 days.
- Harbor Light – Three shelters are part of the Harbor Light System, which provides detox, residential and outpatient substance abuse treatment. The shelters are Acres of Hope Detroit, Harbor Light Macomb Campus (Clinton Township) and Harbor Light Monroe Campus.
- Adult Rehabilitation Centers – The two centers are the Detroit Campus and Women’s Campus (Romulus).
More information about these shelters can be found here.
2. Bed & Bread Club
Operating at the Detroit Harbor Light campus, the Bed & Bread Club truck makes its way through Detroit, traveling multiple routes and making 47 stops to feed the hungry, including homeless and low-income individuals. The truck even goes out on holidays and in dangerous weather conditions when the postal service will not even deliver mail.
Learn more about the Bed & Bread Club and donate here.
3. Red Kettle Christmas Campaign
Every Christmas The Salvation Army’s iconic red kettles appear all across Michigan in a variety of locations, mainly grocery stores. Table-top kettles can also be seen in locations supporting the mission of The Salvation Army, for example this year Buddy’s Pizza is the Official Pizza Partner and will feature table-top kettles at all its Michigan locations.
Last year the Red Kettle Christmas Campaign in metro Detroit raised $7,876,854 that went toward fighting homelessness and poverty. The Red Kettle Campaign launches November 18 this year with “The World’s Tallest Red Kettle,” a 54-foot LED-lit red kettle, in Campus Maritus in Detroit.
More information on the Red Kettle Kickoff can be found here.
4. Utility Assistance
The Salvation Army helps to prevent homelessness by assisting individuals who may be having trouble paying rent or utilities. Energy Assistance Services (EAS) offers applicants bill payment assistance, energy company subsidy program enrollment, and case management services. Funding for EAS is provided by a grant from the State of Michigan, partnership with Consumers Energy, DTE Energy, and Michigan Gas Utilities as well as donations from individuals and other corporations.
More information on Utility Assistance can be found here.
5. Pathway of Hope
The Salvation Army Pathway of Hope program helps low-income and impoverished families that struggle to make ends meet. The goal is to help families break the cycle of generational poverty and equip them with the resources they need to reach their goals. Some examples of this may be unstable housing and occasional homelessness, as well as lack of education and unemployment. Each individual is paired with a caseworker who maps out a personalized plan tailored to their needs.
More information the Pathway of Hope program can be found here.
Interested in helping The Salvation Army fight homelessness and hunger in Detroit? Donations can be made here.