Take my money, Baby!

July 8, 2016 10:45 AM

Someone dear to me just gave birth in Detroit. In addition to the usual gifts for parents and tiny human, is there a cool local organization I can donate to in honor of this social justice oriented family?

I would love to make a small donation to an organization in Detroit that supports mothers, children, parents, families, etc. in some important capacity. Religious organizations are okay as long as they tend toward the progressive side of the spectrum (no anti-choice pregnancy centers for example). I am not in Detroit so I cannot make the donation in person and would like to do it over the internet. What are some good options?

posted by Otis the Lion to Human Relations (12 answers total)

This was on CBS Sunday Morning this week. Seemed like a wonderful cause to me.
posted by cecic at 10:50 AM on July 8, 2016

As a childhood abuse and domestic violence survivor, I'd like to suggest the YWCA Interim House of metropolitan Detroit. They provide domestic violence services, housing, childcare and more for battered women and their children. And you can donate online.
posted by strelitzia at 11:16 AM on July 8, 2016 [1 favorite]

Alternatives For Girls helps homeless and high-risk girls and young women avoid violence, teen pregnancy and exploitation, and helps them to explore and access the support, resources and opportunities necessary to be safe, to grow strong and to make positive choices in their lives. AFG accomplishes this mission through three key services: AFG Prevention, the AFG Shelter/Transition to Independent Living Program (TIL) and AFG Outreach.
posted by wikipedia brown boy detective at 11:30 AM on July 8, 2016

Best answer: Mother Waddles. I've donated a car to them, and that's what's highlighted on the website, but they take cash too. You can read about the amazing Detroit woman who started this organization here.
posted by FencingGal at 12:34 PM on July 8, 2016

Focus: Hope does many good things through its food, education, job training, and community development programs.
posted by Mr.Know-it-some at 1:02 PM on July 8, 2016

Forgotten Harvest and Gleaners Food Bank are both Detroit based.
posted by still_wears_a_hat at 1:09 PM on July 8, 2016

Remember when the City of Detroit started turning off people's water bills if they were behind, and you could go online and help pay somebody's bill to get their water turned back on? That group is still around, they just call themselves The Human Utility now.
posted by selfmedicating at 1:47 PM on July 8, 2016

Response by poster: These are all amazing suggestions! I am feeling some inspiration in the midst of what feels like a tragic week. Thank you and keep the ideas coming!
posted by Otis the Lion at 4:16 PM on July 8, 2016

Cass Community Social Services started at a downtown church during the Depression and now does all sorts of outreach/employment/homeless advocacy/etc. Their current thing is Tiny Houses -- long term housing!

For something a little less essential but still important, Crescendo Detroit works with school kids on life skills, including the arts. (They feed the kids and help with homework and teach them how to cook and eat healthy.)
posted by jlkr at 6:04 PM on July 8, 2016

Best answer: I was inspired by this article to encourage those attending my baby shower to donate to a local diaper bank. TL; DR - WIC and food stamps don't cover diapers so poor mothers frequently have to attempt to reuse disposable diapers and feel stressed out when they can't afford diapers. Plus most daycares require that you supply diapers for your baby so if you can't afford diapers, you can't send your kid to daycare so you can't work and earn money to buy diapers. Here is a list of Detroit organizations that collect diapers for poor mothers.
posted by kat518 at 6:26 PM on July 8, 2016 [1 favorite]

Best answer: The Childrens Center of Detroit helps children in the Detroit/Wayne County foster system, providing all sorts of services - mental health, physical health, learning support, support services for foster & adoptive families and extended families who want to take in at risk kids.

I'll also put in another plug for Focus Hope, they're great too.

The Ruth Ellis Center provides support to Detroit area GLBTQ kids & teens who are in unstable housing situations due to being out. They have a drop in center, provide mental health support, have a halfway house for kids in the foster system, and are currently testing a year long program to keep families intact despite traditional cultural and religious issues, by working with the family to help integrate culture with the reality of having an out child/teen.
posted by RogueTech at 6:28 PM on July 8, 2016

Oh also Ruth Ellis Center will soon open a medical center to help the kids as well.
posted by RogueTech at 6:30 PM on July 8, 2016