Friends in Deed brings rent assistance to Washentaw County

Friends In Deed, located in Ypsilanti, Michigan, not to be confused with the much larger Friends In Deed organization in New York, is a network of local religious congregations that lend critical assistance to Washentaw County. Founded in 1983, Friends In Deed brings together over 70 volunteers from 47 congregations to galvanize the community to help those in need. They can be contacted by telephone at 734-484-4357 or you can check out their website www.friendsindeed.info.

Friends In Deed provides financial assistance, furniture, congregational services, and agency referrals to the homeless. Friends In Deed places a heavy emphasis on volunteering, as most of its support comes through volunteers. The financial services that Friends In Deed offers are utility services and rent and mortgage assistance. Friends In Deed also provides cars and transportation to those who do not have transportation. Also, they provide furniture for those who need furniture. For example, Friends In Deed recently had a crib and bed drive, in which they were able to raise over $18,000 for new cribs and beds and 16 mattresses and cribs were donated. Due to their strong links with local congregations, Friends In Deed is able to set up food drives, clothing drives, and shelter drives at the local churches.

What is most unique about Friends In Deed is that it almost wholly run on volunteering. There are five publications each year, which inform members about upcoming opportunities to donate, help, or volunteer. They also teach members how to lend assistance to those in need. Also, Friends In Deed has strong links within the community through different religious congregations. These roots help Friends In Deed to spread the word about those in need. Friends In Deed is able to send information about opportunities to donate or help those in need and then the message is dispersed through local churches, temples, mosques, and synagogues. This is an effective device from reaching a large audience of people. Furthermore, all of the congregations are located in the Washentaw County area and those that they help are Washentaw County residents. So, in effect, Friends In Deed becomes an agency to help community residents help each other.

Friends In Deed is a wholly volunteer-based organization that assists those in need with transportation, rental and mortgage assistance, and furniture. They encourage those in the community to help those in need through a dedication to serving God’s purpose. For 30 years, they have performed this service and appear to be growing stronger.