Programs and Services
Faith in Action provides the following services:
- Clothing and Household Goods: Donated from local sources and shared with area families, 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, 3 grocery bags of items/visit. In 2007 we had 2202 visits to our clothing room, an average of 10/day.
- MI! Works Job Access Point: Volunteer experts in resume construction and job skills assessment help people in their search for employment, available by appointment two days each week.
- Emergency food pantry: Based on household income, food to last 3-5 days will be provided for people who need it, along with household and other supplies not purchasable with food stamps.FIA is happy to accept frozen and perishable items as space permits. In 2008 we provided 618 food orders to area families.
- Advocacy: Professional social work staff can advocate and help people connect with resources needed to stabilize their family situations. FIA provides information and appropriate referrals to clients for services provided by other agencies, and to congregations seeking help with requests that are coming into their church offices.
- Financial help with heat, electric, water, and rent: Income qualified families are eligible to receive help when they have received a shut-off notice or notice to quit/eviction. Social work staff will negotiate with utility companies and landlords to make sure there is clear understanding of expectations. In 2007, FIA helped in 106 situations to maintain housing, utilities and transportation.
- Free Medical Equipment Closet: Donated durable medical equipment is made available to anyone who needs it on an as-needed basis. In 2007 the medical room supplied nearly 200 items to area residents.
- Furniture: Items needed and items that are up for donation are listed in a notebook at FIA.
- Preschool Scholarship Program: FIA has limited funds available to help at risk children access early childhood education in an area preschool programs. FIA helps an average of 6-10 children access this essential education each year.
- Back to School Sponsorship Program: Individuals and groups “adopt” a low income school child (privacy protected) and supply them with a new backpack, school supplies, and a new outfit to help them make a good start to the new school year. In 2008, 110 school children received backpacks.
- Christmas Family Sponsorship: Individuals and groups “adopt” a low income family (privacy protected) and shop for Christmas items. Items are wrapped and delivered to FIA for distribution.
- Thanksgiving Food Baskets: A full holiday meal is supplied to needy families.
- Christmas Day Meal: A community meal is coordinated with local volunteers so no one eats alone on Christmas.
- Counseling: Counseling for children is available on site through Huron Valley Child Guidance, and made available on an emergency basis through local providers with FIA subsidy.
Home Meals for special dietary needs: Homebound individuals
below age 60 with special dietary needs are provided with home delivered
meals in conjunction with the Senior Nutrition Program.
Additional Programs
We co-sponsor or house these programs
- Chelsea Grace Clinic: FIA partners with Grace to provide medical visits to the uninsured. FIA staff schedule appointments for the clinics, which are held at FIA House on the first Saturday morning of each month.
- Huron Valley Child Guidance: see Counseling (above)
- Washtenaw County Senior Nutrition Program: FIA partners with Washtenaw County Senior Nutrition Program (contact 734-475-0160) to provide home delivered meals to homebound seniors.
- Community Support and Treatment Services of Washtenaw County: Developmentally disabled persons stationed at FIA House help with our clothing donation program and help deliver meals to homebound seniors.