ABOUT ANDREW FELDER:
Andrew Felder was named executive director of Aid in Milan in December 2024.
Andrew is a lifelong resident of Monroe. He has been married to his wife, Jessica. He has two wonderful children Teddy and Emmy. Andrew is motivated by both his commitment to Monroe County and his desire to give back.
RESOURCES:
TRANSCRIPTION:
David Fair: When we talk about poverty and economic hardship in Washtenaw County, we often divide it into east and west sides of U.S. 23. That is an oversimplification. I'm David Fair, and I welcome you to Washtenaw United. It is our weekly exploration of equity and opportunity in our community. There are people in poverty throughout the county, including further south along U.S. 23 in the Milan area. The organization Aid in Milan is helping meet a variety of needs for over 100 families a week with things like housing, transportation, employment, childcare and cost of living expenses. We wanted to further explore the need in that area and the prospects for a brighter future. And that's why Andrew Felder is with us today. Andrew is executive director of Aid in Milan. And thank you for the time! We appreciate it!
Andrew Felder: No problem at all, Dave! We're so happy to be here to join you!
David Fair: Has there been a rise in the income gap and level of need when it comes to necessity services in the greater Milan area?
Andrew Felder: You know, prices have been coming up for families all across our region, and it just strains the pocketbooks of working families across the board. And we've not been immune to that. We've certainly seen an increase in need that we're facing in the community. And the demand for services that are provided by organizations like ours is as important as it ever has been. And so, we're doing our best to try and meet those increasing needs as we are able.
David Fair: Are there racial and/or gender disparities among those who are seeking assistance from Aid in Milan?
Andrew Felder: So, we try and help everyone where they are. We we like to think of the people we serve as families, because, generally, that's who makes up our clients, so more than individuals. We are serving entire families. There might be someone who comes in and picks up the food, but they're taking it back to home of a household of eight. And so, we just want to make sure that we're meeting people wherever they are. Of course, there is, unfortunately, a long standing gap in the opportunity that has been made available to people in groups that have been historically disadvantaged. And we try and accommodate that as any nonprofit in our position would. And there needs to be a realization of the hardships that people face wherever they are. And that's what we're trying to strive to do is meeting people where they are.
David Fair: I don't know if those who have never been in real need understand exactly how hard it is to ask for help, whether it's pride, whether it's ego, whether it's shame. There is stigma to reaching out and asking for help. How do you help those you are serving kind of overcome that part of the equation?
Andrew Felder: Yeah, part of it is a knowledge gap, in terms of people accessing our services and just knowing that we're here and knowing about the services that we provide. And we try and publicize those at every opportunity. But you're very correct in that stigma also tends to be a major obstacle to people who are otherwise eligible seeking the services that they're eligible for. In many cases, they come to us through a family member or a recommendation of someone who they know is struggling. And that person might think, "Oh, those services are meant for someone worse off than me. I might feel a little bit of guilt or a little bit of shame about that." And really, we just want to help people where they are. If you need help, come ask for help. That's why we're here. That is the work that we're doing. So, we do have to fight against that a little bit and have sensitive conversations with people about the situation that they're facing. It's not unusual. We try and normalize this whenever possible. Financial hardships are getting very difficult for all sorts of families that may be were not in a difficult position before, but maybe who have had the same job that they've had before the pandemic. And their wages have not gone up substantially. And now, the prices have. And they might have been scraping by before, and they might be experiencing more financial stress now. And we just want to illustrate to them that we are here for them if they need it. And even if it's just picking up groceries every week, you don't even have to be a client for it. There's no income check to come pick up groceries. And that helps remove financial stress from you in other ways, so that you can take care of the things that your family needs. And so, we try and do that in a warm and compassionate way without any judgment. And hopefully, people are responsive to that and freely ask for the help that their families so desperately need.
David Fair: We're talking with Aid in Milan executive director Andrew Felder on 89 one WEMU's Washtenaw United. I'm going to go a little further down the path that you've led us. The new chair of the Washtenaw County Board of Commissioners, Katie Scott, has identified dealing with the affordability crisis as a priority in 2025. Are you on board with that assessment as an affordability crisis?
Andrew Felder: Absolutely! I mean, that is one of the key factors that is putting stress on many of the clients and families that we're serving. They might be in the same financial position with their family finances, but the world around them is changing. And that's not their fault. So, we try and provide a facilitation between the community and the community because that's where we get our support, and that's where our services go to help.
David Fair: It's not just individuals and members of the community who are dealing with this affordability crisis. Nonprofits are having a tough time as well. And how do you go about funding the services you provide at Aid in Milan?
Andrew Felder: Oh, we are very fortunate in that we have a very supportive community here who is very generous with their services and with what they are giving to be able to provide us with the resources that we need to do the work that we're doing. But we have conversations all the time about making sure that what we are able to provide is financially responsible for us, so that we can continue doing that work and it's sustainable long-term. And there's always things that we would like to help more with, either with individual clients or in the scope of the work that we do that we feel like there is a need within the community that sometimes we are not able to fully meet because of limited resources. We hope to explore those more, in terms of tackling those new obstacles, like accessibility to transportation, like difficulty in finding affordable and accessible housing, like preparing people for employment readiness and career advancement. So, there is a number of services that we would like to to help our clients more with and be a more comprehensive wraparound support service for them. But, of course, we are certainly constrained by the budgets that we have and the support that we receive. But I can say firsthand that I'm very impressed with the amount of support that we have from our community. But there's a growing need. And so, we need to evolve and work harder to try and meet those needs in new and innovative ways.
David Fair: Once again, Washtenaw United and our conversation with Andrew Felder continues on 89 one WEMU. Andrew is executive director of Aid in Milan. A week from today, President-elect Donald Trump will be sworn into office. And there's a great deal of uncertainty about how social programs will be funded moving forward. As a service-based nonprofit, have you been planning for the potential that more people will need more?
Andrew Felder: Certainly, there's some uncertainty at what happens at the state and federal level, which we at our very local level really have no control over. We try and provide the services that we can at a very local level. And really, that's where community support comes into play. That is where we're going to have the most amount of consistency, in terms of the services that we're able to provide to the people who are in need here. We have carved out our little piece of the world that we're trying to do our little bit of good in. And there are other people in other places that are trying to do good in their communities as well. And that is wonderful! And I think it's...you know, I've been serving in local government for the past eight years—
David Fair: As a Monroe City Councilman. Yeah.
Andrew Felder: On Monroe City Council. That's correct. And I think that whenever you're able to make things local, it becomes more responsive. It becomes more direct. It most closely addresses the needs of that particular community that you're trying to serve. I really can't comment on what the federal government may do in the future, but I can tell you that we're going to do everything that we can to help our people right here in the greater Milan area.
David Fair: Aid in Milan has been around since 1976, coming up on 50 years now. Ultimately, the goal, I would imagine, is to actually eliminate the need for the organization. Can you foresee a time when the need for Aid in Milan renders itself obsolete?
Andrew Felder: Oh, gee, I hope so! I don't know that I foresee a scenario like that happening in the future. I know that we are constantly trying to combat sources of generational poverty. But you don't necessarily need to be in poverty to be struggling to get by or to be experiencing stress. And so, I don't know that I ever foresee a position in which organizations like ours become unnecessary. Unfortunately, I mean, I hope at some point there is no more need within this community and that everyone has their needs met and that no one is experiencing stress. And wouldn't that be a wonderful world that we could all live in? And we'll close up shop here very happily. But until that day, we're going to keep working hard, keep our noses to the grindstones and work to provide the critical services that our community needs.
David Fair: Well, I'd like to thank you for the time and the insights, Andrew! I'm most grateful!
Andrew Felder: Dave, thank you so much for the invitation!
David Fair: That is Aid in Milan executive director Andrew Felder. He's been our guest on Washtenaw United. For more information on the organization, the work it's doing and how to reach out if you are in need of assistance, please visit our website at wemu.org. And we'll connect you everywhere you need to go. Washtenaw United is produced in partnership with the United Way for Southeastern Michigan, and you hear it every Monday. I'm David Fair, and this is your community NPR station, 89 one, WEMU FM, Ypsilanti. Celebrating 60 years of broadcasting from the campus of Eastern Michigan University!
WEMU has partnered with the United Way for Southeastern Michigan to explore the people, organizations, and institutions creating opportunity and equity in our area. And, as part of this ongoing series, you’ll also hear from the people benefiting and growing from the investments being made in the areas of our community where there are gaps in available services. It is a community voice. It is 'Washtenaw United.'
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