SOS Community Services

Mission: To promote housing stability and family self-sufficiency through collaboration, care, and respect.

SOS Community Services is a community-based nonprofit. We are dedicated to preventing and ending family homelessness in Washtenaw County through partnerships with caring individuals, local businesses and organizations, social service agencies and professionals.

SOS Community Services was created in 1970 by a group of Eastern Michigan University students and faculty members. SOS originally provided peer-counseling and supportive services through a 24-hour crisis line to address drug-related issues. In 1973, SOS founders relocated the organization to 114 N. River Street in Ypsilanti, where the majority of our services are still housed today. Since the 1980s, SOS has provided services and resources related to housing and the prevention of homelessness. Currently, SOS Community Services offers shelter and rapid rehousing, children’s programs, a food pantry and other resources to prevent homelessness throughout Washtenaw County.

SOS Community Services empowers families to begin their path to stable housing. We help families with children through programs that prevent and end homelessness in Washtenaw County.

We provide integrated services to homeless families, children and youth and we directly serve over 7,000 people annually, including families, individuals, and children, with comprehensive services that move them from homelessness to self-sufficiency and permanent, stable housing.

We help homeless families find permanent homes through shelter and Rapid Re-Housing. For families living paycheck to paycheck, we offer emergency food, groceries, personal care items, utility assistance, bus tokens, and other resources to overcome financial emergencies without becoming homeless. We help families avoid eviction and homelessness. And for children, who are the most vulnerable and least visible victims of homelessness, SOS offers parenting support and early childhood intervention through a nationally recognized home visiting program.

**Please NOTE: To apply for any volunteer opportunity please complete an application first. We also require a background check, Zoom interview, and some online training. If you need assistance or accommodations in completing the application, please contact our Volunteer Coordinator, Joanna Connelly at (734) 485-8730 or volunteer@soscs.org.