Mission & Ministry Projects

Six projects have been selected for support. Loose change offering, in addition to designated monies, are directed to each project. The projects are:

• January/February: Mission Intern Program - The Mission Intern Program encourages young, college age adults to explore servant ministry for a summer. These interns work to provide summer programming for children and youth in poor rural and urban areas.

• March/April: Justice For Our Neighbors SE Michigan (JFON-SEMI) - Justice for Our Neighbors Southeastern Michigan (JFON- SEMI) is a faith driven ministry welcoming immigrants into our communities by providing free, high quality immigration legal services, education, and advocacy. JFON-SEMI is a ministry of the United Methodist Church and is part of the National Justice for Our Neighbors Network. Monthly intake clinics, staffed by JFON-SEMI’s regional attorney and volunteers primarily occur at United Methodist churches and community centers in Dearborn, Ypsilanti and Detroit.

• May/June: Joy-Southfield Community Health Ministry- Among 82 Michigan counties, Wayne ranks dead last in health outcomes and factors. Consequently, Detroit residents are sicker and die younger than other Michigan residents - a clear betrayal of God’s will. Joy-Southfield has been providing free, high-quality healthcare to the uninsured since 2005. However, improved access to healthcare, alone, will not eliminate health disparities. Joy-Southfield addresses clinical care, community & economic development, while bringing healthy choices into the community.(Newburg's Rodney Gasaway is Director of Community Development)

• July/August: Samaritan Counseling Center of Southeast Michigan - Samaritan Counseling Center of Southeastern Michigan is an interfaith pastoral counseling center with the stated mission of providing professional therapeutic counseling and educational services to all God’s people seeking wholeness through emotional and spiritual growth. We minister to the whole person - mind, body and spirit.

• Sept./October: Methodist Children's Home Society - Methodist Children’s Home Society was founded in 1917 and is a private non-profit, childcare agency. MCHS responds to the needs of abused and neglected children by providing an array of housing, educational, clinical and therapeutic services

• Nov./December.: N.O.A.H. - Networking, Organizing, and Advocating for the Homeless (N.O.A.H.) grew from Central UMC of Detroit offering lunch twice a week to people experiencing homelessness in Detroit. Realizing that more needed to be done in order to assist people suffering from mental illnesses, substance abuse, lack of affordable housing , etc., the Bag Lunch program was expanded into the N.O.A.H. Project in 1999 through a collaborative effort between Central and Family Service, Inc., a long- standing counseling agency. While still providing lunch twice a week, the N.O.A.H. Project now offers clients a comprehensive array of services such as mental health, domestic violence and substance abuse counseling, physical health assessments, transportation assistance, clothing, prescriptions, phone calls, hygiene items, etc. including referrals to other area service providers. With the help of over 70 Detroit area churches and civic groups, the N.O.A.H. Project, in 2011, served 19,859 meals to our brothers and sisters, but more importantly, we were able to assist thousands of people with addressing the root causes of their struggles by support and empowerment.