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Take Action

“The harder form of caring is action.” - Richard Weissbourd.

Homelessness is a solvable issue. If there’s anything that Justina, Kristian, and Gracie teach us from their stories it’s that whatever the circumstance, we can still make an impact and move forward. From learning more about the causes and effects of homelessness to volunteering to getting engaged in advocacy, learn more on ways you can personally take action on homelessness in Washtenaw County.

 

This is not meant to be an all-inclusive list of ways to take action on homelessness, but a good starting point of some resources I’ve found personally helpful. 
 

Ways to Take Action

Click the below icons to skip down to view a list of ways you can take action in each category

Learn

To hear more stories of people experiencing homelessness:

 

To learn more about homelessness in Washtenaw County/Ann Arbor

 

To learn more about homelessness in America: 

Volunteer

All volunteer opportunities are Washtenaw County/Ann Arbor specific. Click hyperlinks to access specific volunteer opportunities. 

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  • Daytime Warming Shelter (Ypsilanti and Ann Arbor): volunteer to bring food, do laundry, or staff volunteer shifts (M-Fr, 9AM - 5PM). Note: Daytime warming shelter runs from November - early March and rotates every month to a new location.

  • Groundcover News: GroundCover News is a street newspaper that employs homeless individuals and empowers low-income people

  • Ozone House (Ypsilanti): Ozone House provides shelter and support to homeless youth 

  • Mercy House: Volunteer for their Saturday breakfast from 9AM - 2PM or their Monday and Wednesday dinners, 5:30PM - 8:30pm (don’t need to stay the whole shift). Note: Mercy House is within walking distance of U-M campus.

  • Avalon Housing (Ann Arbor): Avalon Housing constructs permanent affordable housing across Washtenaw County

  • SOS Community Services (Ypsilanti): SOS Community Services helps find families housing and provides other supportive services

  • Shelter Association of Washtenaw County - Delonis Center: The Delonis Center is Washtenaw County’s homeless shelter located within walking distance of U-M’s campus.

  • Community Action Network: Community Action Network provides supportive services (school programs, food pantries, etc.) for low-income families

Advocate

  • Sign up for Washtenaw Housing Alliance’s email newsletter for news and advocacy updates

  • Attend Ann Arbor Housing Commission’s (AAHC) community participation meetings to give feedback on affordable housing developments and advocate for homeless individuals. Follow AAHC’s Facebook and Twitter to get updates on when community participation meetings are held. 

  • Attend Ann Arbor city council meetings and express your support for affordable housing. Ann Arbor city council meetings typically take place @7PM on the first and third Monday of each month.

  • Signup for National Alliance to End Homelessness’ advocacy alerts

  • Support Coalition for Re-envisioning Our Safety (CROS). CROS recognizes the link between housing insecurity and criminal justice and understand that homeless individuals are more likely to interact with the criminal justice system.

  • Vote for candidates committed to ending homelessness and who agree with a Housing First approach. Also see a Voter Engagement Guide on how to mobilize support for affordable housing at the election level. 

Give

  • Give to local organizations combating homelessness (including any of the organizations listed in the “Volunteer” section)

  • In Ann Arbor, buy a newspaper from a licensed Groundcover News vendor to support them

  • Donate needed items and services including food, clothing, and care kits

  • Give directly to people experiencing homelessness you may encounter on the street (this is a personal choice that varies from situation). See the article Panhandling, a Little Understanding for more 

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