Mission Opportunities
ABUNDANT CARE TRAINING SERVICES – Abundant Care Training Services is guided by faith-based principles, dedicated to helping at-risk Detroit youth rise above their environment and make life affirming choices by engaging them and their families in positive programming centered around Leadership Development, Literacy Support, and Life Management Coaching. Contact Michael Wilson, 248-352-2543.
BABY BASICS OF TROY – An all-volunteer organization that provides and distributes diapers to children of the working/near poor in the Troy community while also offering a supportive atmosphere for these families. Contact Mary Moore (248) 269-9379.
BALDWIN CENTER – A human services agency whose mission is to feed, clothe, educate and empower all disadvantaged men, women and children in the community of Pontiac. Contact Lisa Machesky (248) 332-6101.
BARNABAS YOUTH OPPORTUNITIES CENTER – Barnabas started as a Detroit Presbytery program to assist individuals in southeastern Michigan find meaningful work, and expanded its focus to reclaim and redirect Detroit’s youth who have been “disenfranchised”. Barnabas provides a program of life skills training combining personal attention and positive role models. Contact Stanley Edwards (313) 831-4488.
CENTRO MULTICULTURAL LA FAMILIA – This agency provides mental health and substance abuse services. They offer domestic violence programs, prenatal screening and care through St. Joseph’s Hospital in Pontiac, MI. Other offerings are Medicaid application assistance, ESL classes, Spanish classes, and translation help. Many clients are sent by probation officers, Protective Services, and court referrals. Contact: Sonia Acosta; Tel: 1.248.858.7800.
CHILD’S HOPE – Child’s Hope is an agency which focuses on education, intervention, and advocacy programs to help prevent child abuse. These programs involve talking to schools, parents, teachers, social workers, and daycare providers about ways to address prevention of child abuse. Contact: Annemarie Valdez; Tel: 1.313.583.6401.
CHILDREN’S CENTER – A diverse and comprehensive child-service agency addressing the needs and problems of some of the most troubled children, helping these children and their families shape their own futures. Contact Bobby Wade (313) 831-5535.
CHURCH WORLD SERVICE (CWS) – CWS is a cooperative ministry of Protestant, Orthodox, and Anglican denominations providing sustainable self-help and development, disaster relief and refugee assistance. They provide educational resources and offer opportunities to join a people to people network of local and global caring. Contact Bob Barnhart (517) 484-7144.
COMMON GROUND SANCTUARY – Common Ground Sanctuary is a 24 Hour Crisis Intervention Mental Health Agency for youth, adults, and families. This agency does access and eligibility screening for all the Community Mental Health for Oakland County. These services are provided to all victims of crimes such as runaways, domestic violence, home invasion, and other kinds of abuse. Contact: Jim Perlaki; Tel: 1.248.456.8150.
CORNERSTONE SCHOOLS – Independent Detroit schools offering, in close partnership with parents, an excellent education preparing children for life and leadership. Cornerstone is the first Detroit school to meet the rigorous accreditation standards of ISACS, the Independent Schools Association of the Central States. Contact Ernestine Sanders (313) 892-1860.
ECUMENICAL CENTER & INTERNATIONAL RESIDENCE – Located in the university community of Ann Arbor, ECIR, offers a multi-cultural and multi-faith community residence for students. International students with diverse cultural and faith backgrounds learn to live and work together in an environment that promotes ethical and religious bases for enduring friendships. Contact Esperanza Barcelona (734) 662-5529.
FAITH COMMUNITIES COALITION ON FOSTER CARE – Seeks to enlist faith based community support and work with congregations of all faiths throughout our metropolitan Detroit area in order to raise awareness of the critical needs and to help support foster families and children. Contact Kate Thoresen (248) 643-8373.
FORGOTTEN HARVEST – Relieving hunger in the Detroit metropolitan community by rescuing prepared and perishable food and donating it to emergency food providers. Contact Anna Wallbillich (248) 967-1500 Ext. 104.
FORT STREET OPEN DOOR – Serving the homeless and poor through facilities at Fort Street Presbyterian Church in Detroit, it has since expanded its reach to the down river and Highland Park areas. Open Door serves over 21,000 meals annually and also provides vital services such as clothing, medical services, haircuts and showering facilities. Contact Ben Ogden (313) 961-4533 or visit their website.
FURNITURE BANK OF SOUTHEASTERN MICHIGAN – The Furniture Bank of Southeastern Michigan provides gently used furniture, appliances and beds at no charged to low income families who have been referred by human service agencies and live in Oakland and Macomb Counties. Contact Collette Kelly, 248-332-1300.
GLEANER’S COMMUNITY FOOD BANK – With broad community backing and support, Gleaner’s provides surplus donated and low-cost food and personal care products to people in need in southeastern Michigan. Contact DeWayne Wells (313) 932-3535.
HAVEN – Haven is the Oakland County center for the prevention and treatment of domestic violence and assault. Contact Beth Morrison, 248-334-1284.
HISPANIC OUTREACH PROGRAM / DIVISION OF CATHOLIC SOCIAL SERVICES – Located in Pontiac, MI, this agency provides many services to mainly Spanish speaking people. Some of the offerings are ESL classes, computer classes, parenting classes, mentoring programs, financial classes, basic education classes(GED), after school tutoring, legal and immigration help, and translation and interpretation assistance. They also are involved with help with Summer Camps, working with local schools, and food and clothing distribution. Contact: Jaimie Tamez; Tel: 1.248.338.4250.
LIGHTHOUSE OF OAKLAND COUNTY – Lighthouse of Oakland County provides a wide range of services to low-income families to help them move from crisis and instability to self-sufficiency and independence. Lighthouse provides emergency food, housing, medical, utility and other services to people who need immediate help; transitional housing to homeless women and children; and financial education and affordable housing counseling. Contact Charlotte Jones, 248-920-6060
LOOKING FOR MY SISTER – Looking For My Sisters’ vision is to work in the direction of a society where women are protected, life is esteemed, home is sacred, fear is unknown and domestic violence is unthinkable. Looking for my Sister offers education, outreach and intervention by providing short and long-term solutions to victims and survivors in the Detroit area. Contact Laurie Moore, 313-861-3221.
MANY VOICES…ONE SONG – Many Voices…One Song is dedicated to sharing music to build community and using music to bring people together to create a harmony greater than musical harmony. They offer eight concerts and three summer sings each year – all free. They also welcome everyone interested to join in their annual music workshop that features outstanding national music clinicians. Contact Hal Bay (248) 540-9124.
PONTIAC SCHOOL PARTNERSHIPS – First Presbyterian Church provides literacy tutors at the Louisa May Alcott Elementary School for all grades and for 7th graders at Abraham Lincoln Middle School. The Filmer Foundation, along with FPC, has provided funds for resources, enrichment programming and special projects to meet basic needs of the children and their families. Contact Kathy Nyberg (248) 644-2906.
PRESBYTERIAN VILLAGES OF MICHIGAN – Presbyterian Villages of Michigan (PVM) is a faith-based, nonprofit organization which has served seniors of all faiths since 1945. PVM currently has 21 senior living communities including independent apartments, assisted living, skilled nursing care, and subsidized and market rate senior housing. Contact: Paul Miller: Tel: 1.248.281.2040
PREVAILING COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION – Prevailing Community Development Corporation’s mission is to advantage the disadvantaged through social, economic and educational empowerment services, thereby creating a viable and productive community. Prevailing’s faith based services are located in Southwest Detroit. Contact Chaunci Wyche-Cline, 313-896-4070.
SAMARITAN COUNSELING CENTER OF SOUTHEASTERN MICHIGAN – The Samaritan Counseling Center of Southeastern Michigan provides professional therapeutic counseling and educational services to all God’s people seeking wholeness through emotional and spiritual growth. Where insurance and income do not permit our standard fee, an adjusted fee scale is used, supported by many local churches including our own FPC of Birmingham. Contact: Paul J. Melrose, D. Min., LFMT; Tel: 1.248.474.4701
SECOND MILE CENTER – Second Mile Center provides a variety of services for folks in need in east Detroit by offering a free after school program, clothing, food, baby pantry, and a Monday community dinner. Dedicated to helping youth become responsible, successful citizens and lifelong learners, they also teach computer literacy classes, choir, sign mime drama classes, and arts and crafts. Contact Ruth Azar (313) 245-5252
SERENITY SERVICES – Serenity Services provides supportive services in Wayne County to individuals and their children who have experienced domestic violence and empowers survivors by providing case management services, individual and group counseling, court advocacy services, support groups, counseling and support for prisoner reentry, community training and education and referrals. Contact Larmender Davis, 313-267-1911.
SKYLINE CAMP AND RETREAT CENTER – Welcoming and serving all, especially those in need, by creating sanctuary where God’s creation, spirit and unconditional love can be experienced in a way that nurtures and transforms lives. Contact Christine Gannon (810) 798-8240.
SOUTH OAKLAND SHELTER – South Oakland Shelter(SOS) is a short-term shelter program for single adults and families from any county(not just Oakland). This shelter is run as a “rotating mobile shelter” where the clients stay with various church congregations who host them for 1 week at a time. Clients also receive case management services such as help in job search, locating affordable housing, advocacy, budgeting skills, and referral to outside community resources. Contact: Kevin Roach; Tel: 1.248.546.6566.
VARIETY FAR CONSERVATORY OF THERAPEUTIC AND PERFORMING ARTS – Variety FAR Conservatory of Therapeutic and Performing Arts offers therapeutic fine arts, recreation and enrichment classes. All of FAR’s programs are designed to help individuals with special needs identify their strengths and overcome weaknesses. Some of FAR’s offerings: art, bowling, cooking, dance, drama, gardening, ice hockey, ice skating, music speed skating, swimming, teen clubs, tutoring and young adult clubs. Contact Arlene Kass, 248-646-3347.
YUCATAN PENINSULA MISSION (YPM) – YPM grew out of a partnership between Presbyterian churches in Mexico and the U.S. It brings together people of all ages, all denominations and all walks of life to serve hand in hand on mission projects that include construction, education and health care. Contact Cindy Merten (248) 644-2040.
