First Pres has had a long and close relationship with Friends In Deed, providing both funding and key volunteers across several different programs.
For over 30 years, Friends In Deed has helped families in Washtenaw County weather the emergency crises that would otherwise lead to financial disaster. Not only does Friends in Deed help people with basic-needs furniture, they also help when an unexpected car repair threatens employment, when a utility is about to be turned off, when a family member has a medical or dental need they cannot afford, and with much, much more.
In 2019, Friends In Deed provided emergency funds for 345 households, passed along eight donated cars, and distributed furniture to 308 families. With First Pres’s help, we hope to be able to assist our neighbors even more the future.
Volunteer Opportunities
From answering the phones on the Helpline, to delivering furniture, from cooking a meal for Circles with your small group, to becoming a Circles Ally and accompanying a family in their journey out of poverty, Friends In Deed has meaningful volunteer opportunities for everyone.
Circles - Washtenaw County
While Friends in Deed programs historically have been aimed at helping low-income families survive poverty, Circles Washtenaw County was added in 2017. Circles is designed to break the cycle of poverty, helping families move into economic security permanently. Friends In Deed operates as the Washtenaw County chapter of Circles USA, a model that has over 70 chapters across the nation.
The program’s unique strategy utilizes education, goal setting, training and above all--relationships to help families develop the resources and social capital they need to rise out of poverty and achieve economic independence.
To learn more about Circles, click here or contact the program coordinator at: 734-340-9042. You may also contact Helena Prince at thprince@comcast.net or Ginny Rezmierski at ver@umich.edu