Our Services

Apply for Assistance

While we will consider requests on a case-by-case basis, our main programs are each outlined below. The information below should help you determine if you qualify for assistance and what will be required from you if you choose to apply. If your request does not fall into one of the categories, please call our Help Line (734-848-4357) between 9:30 AM to 2:00 PM, Monday through Friday.

No matter what type of assistance you are seeking, you must be a resident of Washtenaw County and you must provide some documentation for our files.

See our main services below!

Furniture Services

Friends In Deed accepts donations of used furniture and passes it on, for free, to our community’s many families in need. Through the use of our truck and the help and generosity of our many volunteers, we are able to pick up furniture from donors and deliver furniture to those of our clients without transportation.

Beds & Cribs

The need for beds is a particularly crucial need in our community. Not only do we have many families with children who come to us for help after coming out of a shelter or experiencing fires, floods or bedbug infestations, we also have clients who were victims of domestic abuse and have to relocate with their children. When a family is recovering from a disaster and/or living paycheck to paycheck, there is no extra money for the purchase of beds or cribs; and Friends In Deed is the only agency in Washtenaw County that provides them for free. Unfortunately, the number of beds donated each year consistently fails to meet the need in the community for a healthy sleep environment. That’s why we created our annual Holiday Bed & Crib Drive that allows donors to give monetary donations for the purchase of new beds. Since the bed drive’s inception, we have helped over 1800 individuals and children get up off the floor, get into a bed or crib and get a good nights sleep.

How to Apply

For more information and to apply for assistance (if you are looking to obtain beds, cribs, couches, kitchen tables, etc.) call our Furniture Line at 734-484-7607.
It’s open Tuesday through Friday, from 9:30 AM until 12:30 PM.

Transportation Services

One of the biggest problems faced by low-income families is an unexpected car repair. We recognize, at Friends In Deed, that a car is often a basic necessity, especially in Washtenaw County. In a county where the mean travel to work is 23.7 miles, losing access to a reliable car can result in catastrophe. After all, if you can’t get to work, you may lose your job. If you lose your job, you may lose your home. Avoiding this domino effect is why Friends In Deed offers car repair assistance to families who need a car to get to work and/or to obtain medical treatment for a severe condition.

We Give Used Cars for Free

We also accept car donations so that we can give reliable transportation to an individual or family in need. Again, the car must be used to get to work or medical treatment.

How to Apply

For more information and to apply for assistance, call our Help Line at 734-484-4357.
It’s open Monday through Friday, from 9:30 AM until 2:00 PM. Document drop offs must be arranged by appointment.

Direct Assistance

Friends In Deed has provided utility assistance to residents of Washtenaw County for over three decades. The need has only increased since we first started the program, especially since Michigan’s Department of Human Services changed its policy in 2013: DHS now provides utility assistance only during the crisis season, defined as November 1st to May 31st.

We Help Prevent Utility Shut Off

Friends In Deed works with other social service agencies in the community to prevent utility shut off. Not only are families able to keep their water running, lights on and rooms warmed (or cooled), they are often ale to qualify for a payment plan that allows them to retain a bigger part of their budget for other necessities: food, medical care, clothing, etc.

How to Apply

For more information and to apply for assistance, call our Help Line at 734-484-4357.
It’s open Monday through Friday, from 9:30 AM until 2:00 PM. If you are calling for help with a utility bill, you will need to send us several documents. Document drop offs must be arranged by appointment.

Other Resources & Referrals

We try to fill in the gaps of assistance offered by other agencies and organizations in Washtenaw County, which means we may answer a request for assistance by providing information about or making a referral to another organization that has a program of services that better fits a client’s needs. We also work to keep track of resources available in the community and pass on the information through: