MISSION FOR MAY 2023

Cass Community Social Services

The SUMC May monthly mission is to help support a Michigan based non-profit, Cass Community Social Services (CCSS). It is a Detroit-based agency with a person-centered philosophy, dedicated to providing food, housing, health services, and job programs.

CCSS food program prepares and serves 700,000 meals a year and the food comes from their community garden, food rescuers like friends at Gleaners and Forgotten Harvest, churches, schools, sororities, and hunters from Northern Michigan. With all of these options you can be sure that everyone at Cass has a healthy, balanced meal.

Cass began creating jobs for people with significant barriers to employment during the recession of 2007. The agency created Green Industries as a means to link employment with sustainability and to use sales to pay for the new positions. Currently 80 adults have jobs with Green Industries.

CCSS provides long and short term shelters. They create emergency shelters during the hot summer months and warming centers during the winter. Additionally, they provide low income residents who were formerly homeless, incarcerated, aged out of the foster care system or equivalent, and/or are senior citizens an opportunity to become homeowners in their Tiny Home Program, providing a sense of pride, community, and accomplishment.

Lastly, the Cass Free Medical Clinic is open at the Cass Community United Methodist Church to help provide services to those needing medical attention. During the week, it provides adults with developmental disabilities the independence to decide on personal goals–social, educational, vocational, and recreational. Many people at the activity center own their own businesses, while others work in the community or are employed in the document shredding program.

In June, SUMC members will experience an incredible week of service, learning, and spiritual growth serving at Cass Community Social Services. This intergenerational experience will provide us a glimpse into a variety of ministries fighting poverty and creating opportunity; from building tiny homes to create affordable housing, to cooking and serving meals in Cass’ kitchen, to helping out at Cass’ Green Industries, where illegally discarded tires are being made into mud mats and creating jobs.

MISSION TEAM MEMBERS
Mindi Logan, Wanda Barclay, Co-Chairs
Barb Clark, Kathleen Deforest, Wayne Koebel, Judy Kuhlman, Dick Lukey, Sally Mcwhirter, Kellie Meyer,
Leanne Nitz, Nancy Poelker, Barb Pries, Melissa Rescoe, Kathy Sankey, Myra Thompson,
Lona Vogie, Paul Westmaas, Rachel Wade, Robin Weingart, Elise Low Edwardson