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Welcome to Friends In Deed
FID Sandbox
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Our Mission Statement
Helping People in Need; Building Community to End Poverty
Our Programs and Services
More About Us
Friends In Deed has been around for a while. For over 35 years, we’ve worked to help our neighbors in need by filling in the cracks of assistance offered by other organizations and nonprofits in the community. In recent years, we expanded our focus. While we still have two program areas that help stabilize families in crisis, we now have a third program that focuses on building community to end poverty:
- Our Direct Assistance Program helps families prevent utility shut off, repair a car to get to work or medical appointments, obtain a prescription or other one-time medical need and more.
- Our Furniture Program helps families obtain basic-needs furniture, including beds, kitchen tables and chairs, couches, etc.
- Our Circles Program focuses on helping families to lift themselves out of poverty.
Friends In Deed History
Friends In Deed evolved from the efforts of Polly Helmke and Libby Hillegonds, who brought together a group of people to study the Love Inc. model back in 1982. With the support of several local congregations, the group eventually pooled their ideas about the services needed by the Washtenaw County community and created Friends In Deed.module Advanced settings.
Humble Beginnings
The doors opened on June 5th, 1983, with a volunteer staff in donated office space: 64 N. Huron Street in Ypsilanti. While requests for assistance started pouring in almost immediately, the organization didn’t have its first paid position until 1985, when Barbara Beesley accepted a part-time position as Program Director. As the organization grew over the next few years to serve more people, the staff grew as well. In 1988, Helena Prince was hired as a part-time casework manager.
Adaptive Service Programs
Friends In Deed’s mandate has always been to fill in the cracks of service offered by the other organizations and nonprofits in the community, which means Friends In Deed’s services have changed and evolved over the years. For instance, at times during the organization’s history, Friends In Deed offered an appliance repair program and eviction-prevention program. It also offered parenting workshops, new mom’s support groups, financial management training and a car-care clinic.
The late 1990s was the time period during which several services and programs were initiated that continue to this day, including the Car Repair program, Furniture program, How-to-Help Seminar, and Resource Guides publications.
Congregational Support
While the Direct Assistance and Furniture programs continued to grow over the years, so, too, did Friends In Deed’s congregational support. By the early 2000s, Friends In Deed had a network of 47 congregations that supported us financially and with volunteers.
Office and Warehouse Facilities
This growth eventually resulted in the need to consolidate Friends In Deed’s operations and warehouse. A Capital Campaign was created in 2007 with the goal of raising $300,000 to purchase, renovate and equip a building: 1196 Ecorse Road in Ypsilanti. Friends In Deed moved into the facility in December of 2008. Through the generous donations and pledges from the Board of Directors, the Capital Campaign was completed and the mortgage retired in early 2011.
Moving Forward
Helena Prince retired in 2011, and Sarah Thornburg was hired as the new Executive Director. The mission at Friends In Deed continues to adapt to the needs of the community. We look forward to the next 30 years of serving Washtenaw County
Non-Discrimination Policy
It is the policy of Friends In Deed to provide employment, membership and service opportunities to all eligible person without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, age, gender, marital status, sexual orientation or disability. It is the policy of Friends In Deed to comply with all federal, state and local laws and regulations regarding equal opportunity. Additionally, it is the policy of Friends In Deed not to discriminate against any person on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, age, gender, marital status, sexual orientation or disability in participation in its programs, services and activities. For further information about this policy, contact the Executive Director.
Congregational Partners
Ann Arbor Christian Reformed Church
Bethlehem United Church of Christ
Calvary Presbyterian Church
First Baptist Church – Ann Arbor
First Baptist Church – Ypsilanti
First Congregational Church of Chelsea
First Congregational Church of Ypsilanti
First Presbyterian Church of Ann Arbor
First Presbyterian Church of Ypsilanti
First Unitarian Universalist Church
First United Methodist Church of Ann Arbor
First United Methodist Church of Ypsilanti
Holy Faith Church
Immanuel Baptist Church
Immanuel Baptist ABW Ministries
King of Kings Lutheran Church
Knox Presbyterian
Mt. Olive Baptist Church
Presbyterian Women of Ann Arbor
Second Baptist Church – Ypsilanti
St. Andrew Catholic Church – Saline
St. Clare of Assisi Episcopal Church
St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church
St. Luke Lutheran Church
St. Paul Lutheran Church
St. Paul Missionary Baptist Church
St. Thomas Catholic Church
Shalom Community Outreach
Westminster Presbyterian Church
Zion Lutheran Church
Major Funders
