House by the Side of the Road

Mission: To provide clothing and small household items at no charge to children and adults in Washtenaw County

House by the Side of the Road is a 501(c)(3) organization that opened in Washtenaw County in 1970 as a partnership between the Washtenaw County Board of Commissioners and churches in the area. The House first opened on Hogback between Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti, but has moved several times over the years. We are currently located at 2051 S. State Street in Ann Arbor, Michigan. The House was first funded by Washtenaw County. When the county was unable to continue our funding the volunteers at the House took charge of procuring our own funds. Washtenaw County residents have been most generous.

We serve clients who have limited funds for clothing, bedding, and other household essentials. People come in after family breakup, job loss, fire, or prolonged illness. We also serve those who are homeless, those who are reentering society from prison, people with mental health issues, recent immigrants, migrant workers and more!