Faith In Action provides a variety of programs and services, from a food pantry to a free medical loan closet. Many of our services are open to everyone regardless of income or residency. Several of our services are only open to registered clients who qualify based on income and residency.
IF YOU NEED HELP Call 734-475-3305 in Chelsea and 734-426-7002 in Dexter during business hours.
FIA Services Available for Qualified Clients
Several of our services are only open to registered clients who qualify based on income and residency.
Income Eligibility
Families must first qualify based on income. To see if you qualify based on your family's income, click the link below.
Residency Requirements
- Chelsea or Dexter School District: Households who live in the Chelsea or Dexter school districts are eligible for all our client programs.
- Scio Farms Estates or Grass Lake: Households who live in Scio Farms Estates or within the Grass Lake zip code have access to our food pantries and limited access to financial help. Talk to a social worker for more information.
FIA Services Open to Registered Clients:
- Food pantry: We are proud to be a choice pantry, where you choose your groceries from our shelves. Households can shop as often as once a week. Food shopping is usually done by appointment and can be in-person or by placing a phone order for curbside pickup. We routinely provide food for over 100 different households each month. Our pantries are located in both the Chelsea and Dexter office. Clients can shop at either pantry. FIA is a partner with Food Gatherers.
- Financial help with heat, electric, water, and rent: Families are eligible to receive help when they have received a shut-off notice or notice to quit/eviction. Staff will work with utilities and landlords to ensure a clear understanding of expectations.
- Back to School Sponsorship Program: Individuals and groups sponsor school children from client families (privacy protected) and supply them with a new backpack and school supplies to help them make a good start to the new school year.
- Seasonal Family Sponsorship: Individuals and groups sponsor registered client families (privacy protected) and shop for Winter Holiday gift items. Items are wrapped and delivered to FIA for distribution.
- Thanksgiving Food Baskets: A holiday meal is supplied to qualifying families.
- Counseling: FIA Social Workers can help clients find local counselors and with a cost subsidy to get needed assistance.
FIA Services Open to Everyone
- Clothing and Household Goods: Donated from community members, the clothing room is available to anyone free of charge. Whether you’re starting up a new household or simply stretching limited resources, you may shop at the FIA Clothing Room every two weeks up to 12 times each year. Each household can fill 3 paper grocery bags (provided) and take one large item per visit. The clothing room is in our Chelsea office.
- Benefits Access: Our Benefits Navigator can help you file an application for SNAP, Medicaid, and other publicly funded programs, help you set up an online MIBridges account, or check the status of your application. This service is available to anyone in our service area during regular business hours. Please call to make an appointment.
- Financial Literacy: In partnership with the Financial Empowerment Center, FIA offers counseling to assist with setting up bank accounts, increasing credit and tools for saving money. Counseling sessions are held in Dexter. This program is open to anyone who lives in Washtenaw County.
- Advocacy: Professional social work staff can advocate and help people connect with resources needed.
- Free Medical Equipment Closet: Donated durable medical equipment is made available to anyone who needs it. The equipment closet is at the Chelsea office.
- Furniture: FIA staff can provide escorted referral to the Kiwanis sale room for needed furniture items. Talk with a social worker for information.
- Homeless Services and Prevention: FIA has a free onsite shower and free washer/dryer available in the Chelsea office. Staff can also help people negotiate Housing Access and connect with the wider service community as needed/eligible. Emergency food is also available.
- Emergency Food Boxes: With our partnership with Food Gatherers, we are able to provide emergency food boxes to any household in need. We will work to connect each household with their local food pantry if you live outside our service area.
- Pet Pantry: Dexter Girls Scouts created a community pet pantry located at our Dexter site. Area residents can drop off pet related items to share with the community. The pet pantry is open during regular office hours.
