Outside Our Walls - Local in Michigan

Serving lunch, tutoring students, and community gardening are just a few of the many ways you can make a difference in our local communities—right here in Michigan. 
Baldwin Center - Pontiac
Pontiac, Michigan
Born from the outreach ministry of the former Baldwin Avenue UMC, the Baldwin Center is dedicated to feeding, clothing, educating, and empowering the underserved in Pontiac, MI. Serving over 30,000 nutritious meals annually through its community kitchen, the center also provides 25+ critical programs and services, offering hope and support to those in need.
Cass Community Social Services
Detroit, Michigan
A vital mission serving Detroit, Cass Community Social Services is dedicated to supporting the homeless by providing shelter, food, healthcare, and education. Through compassionate care and community-driven initiatives, Cass works to restore dignity and stability to those in need.
Focus Hope
Pontiac, Michigan
This mission provides much-needed food boxes to elderly individuals in Pontiac every other month, ensuring those living below the poverty level receive essential nutrition. Beyond meeting physical needs, these visits offer companionship and care, feeding both body and soul through heartfelt connection and support.
Hands on Mission
Metro Detroit, Michigan
The goal of Hands On Mission is to provide periodic, local volunteer opportunities for all ages and stages. Come help as you are able. Locations of opportunities include Hope Shelters to Micah 6, NOAH Project, MCHS (Methodist Children’s Home), and Redford Brightmoor Initiative, we roll up our sleeves to serve right here in our own Michigan communities, making a real difference for our neighbors in need.
Hope Shelters
Pontiac, Michigan
As Oakland County’s only low-barrier homeless shelter, HOPE Shelters serves over 500 guests annually, providing safety, support, and pathways to permanent housing—helping 250 individuals find a place to call home each year. HOPE also operates a Recuperative Shelter, offering care and housing for those discharged from hospitals with no home to return to.
Micah 6
Pontiac, Michigan
Dedicated to feeding, clothing, and educating the Pontiac community, this mission also maintains gardens and greenhouses and offers a Sunday night church service. Our goal is to support, empower, provide hope, uplift spirits, and extend a helping hand to those in need.
NOAH Project
Detroit, Michigan
The NOAH Project extends radical hospitality to low-income and homeless Detroiters, advocating for their well-being and connecting them with essential resources. With a focus on empowerment and self-sufficiency, NOAH supports the work of social workers, case managers, counselors, nurses, and other professionals, helping individuals navigate their unique paths toward stability and independence.
Redford Brightmoor Initiative
Detroit, Michigan
RBI is creating a welcoming community space in the Brightmoor neighborhood while providing families there with essential goods and services. We do this through our free stores, community breakfasts, food pantries, free car repair, laundry, furniture program, mobile medical and dental teams, and more.
Samaritas New Americans
Southeast, Michigan
Samaritas New Americans, a refugee resettlement agency, meets the critical needs of legally-arrived refugee families by providing employment and education support for self-sufficiency. We offer online English instruction and equip Birmingham/Berkley First volunteers with curriculum and Zoom accounts with translated captions, so they can teach without knowing another language. Volunteers also help with transportation and food delivery.
StreeThreads
Detroit, Michigan
For over 13 years, Birmingham and Berkley First has been committed to feeding the hungry and less fortunate in Detroit through the Bag Lunch Program, part of the NOAH Project. Along with nutritious bagged and hot lunches, we provide toiletries, OTC medications, underwear, socks, hats, gloves, and hand warmers during our quarterly visits, offering both sustenance and essential care.