community outreach

There are times when help is desperately needed, and it feels like there is nowhere to turn. Providing that resource is the mission of the 2-1-1 program. Dial 2-1-1, and you can be connected to assistance for critical services like housing, food, utility assistance and more. This is a nationwide program, and, in our area, the help center is administered by the United Way for Southeastern Michigan. WEMU's David Fair was joined by 2-1-1 operations director Tasha Ball to learn more about the program and how it can serve as the connection needed to start the journey forward.

As part of WEMU’s recognition of Black History Month, we will be having conversations with distinguished members of our community. That includes community financial executive and Eastern Michigan University alumnus, Michael Pugh. He hails from a family of health care workers and grew up with a single mother. That experience led him to the personal realization that financial health is just as important as physical health. WEMU’s Caroline MacGregor discussed with Michael his passion to help underserved communities find opportunities to build generational wealth.

Creating inclusive spaces for those with sensory needs is at the heart of "Feed the Need Sensory Zone." It’s a Washtenaw County nonprofit fostering a more inclusive community. Organization founder, Tiana Haygood, joined Rylee Barnsdale for this week's “On the Ground Ypsi.”

Finding affordable housing can be difficult enough, particularly if you are coming out of a period of being unhoused. Then, there is the costly process of furnishings to make it livable. That's where the Ann Arbor-based "House N2 Home" organization comes in. They take a newly acquired living space, or house, and help turn it into a truly personalized home. WEMU's David Fair spoke with House N2 Home co-founder and co-director Ruth Ann Logue to get a better picture of the work and the impact it makes.

The Ann Arbor Police Department is instilling a program to create better relationships between law enforcement and young people. WEMU’s Kevin Meerschaert reports.

The father/son-led nonprofit, Odindi Youth Action Village (OYA), has been actively working in and alongside the West Willow neighborhood community since 2022. And as their numerous successful initiatives and programs continue to evolve and grow, the support from the community members and local partners grows as well. Concentrate Media's Rylee Barnsdale speaks with OYA co-founder Akin Oluwadare about his and his father's organization and their unwavering commitment to the community that they serve for this week's "On the Ground Ypsi."

When we talk about poverty in Washtenaw County, we often divide the county into east and west. Ann Arbor is the haves on the west side of US-23, and Ypsilanti is the have-nots on the east side of the county. But that is an oversimplification. There are people in poverty throughout the county, include further south along US-23 in the Milan area. The organization Aid in Milan is helping meet the needs of over 100 families a week with needs like housing, transportation, employment, childcare and cost of living. WEMU's David Fair talked with its executive director, Andrew Felder, about Aid in Milan’s work and the prospects for a better future.

District 9 Democrat Katie Scott has been named as the new Chair of the Washtenaw County Board of Commissioners. WEMU’s Kevin Meerschaert has this report.

With daytime high temperatures in the 20’s, all too many residents are seeking a way to get out of the cold and find some basic necessities. WEMU’s John Stockwell made time to visit the daytime warming shelter at the Ypsilanti Freighthouse in Depot Town.

The start of 2025 is being “Built for Zero.” A 100-day local challenge to end homelessness among veterans will conclude at the end of January. The goal is to transform systems to reach a functional end to veteran homelessness. We look at how that transformation is being put together and implemented in the effort to get the homeless veterans’ numbers down to zero. WEMU’s David Fair checked in with Washtenaw Housing Alliance executive director Amanda Carlisle to find out how much progress is being made.