United Way for Southeastern Michigan | 2-1-1 On the Go!: HOW TO: help someone find shelter in SE Michigan

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HOW TO: help someone find shelter in SE Michigan

By Unknown user - Mar 17, 2010 10:12:35 AM ET

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Southeast Michigan has two resources that anybody can use to help someone find available emergency shelter.

Both services keep track of all available shelter beds in the area, and the information is updated constantly throughout each day.

Shelter Hotlines:

(313)-963-STAY (963-7829)

(800)-A-SHELTER (274-3583)

It's best to call in the morning (between 8 and 10 a.m.) as beds fill up fast throughout the day.

TIP: with A-SHELTER, they will need to speak to the person you're advocating for directly because they will ask for personal information like his/her Social Security number. If you are not comfortable letting a stranger use your phone, you may want to try the STAY hotline first.

If beds are available, and the person needs help getting to a shelter, use common sense. Do not give the person money. That is not helpful. More on that issue in previous posts on this blog.

You may choose to purchase a bus ticket for the individual, give them a ride yourself (again, excersise common sense and extreme caution), or simply tell the person that you're not comfortable with or able to meet his/her transportation needs. Setting appropriate boundaries is never a bad thing, so don't be afraid to simply say "no" at any point.

John Azoni assists with reducing homelessness in Detroit through United Way for Southeastern Michigan's 2-1-1 service. For more information, check out http://uwsem.org/211, or follow @UnitedWayJohn on Twitter.

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A happy reader

By Carrie Leach, Public Policy Associate UWSEM, Apr 21, 2010 at 12:09:02 PM ET (Updated: Apr 21, 2010 at 12:09:02 PM ET )

Hi John- I think it's great to post solutions, like you did in this blog, instead of problems. There are so many issues and so much "noise." It's nice to see information posted with a solution instead of just sharing another issue that faces SE Michiganders. This motivates me to think about what information I am sharing and how I can think about offering solutions instead of just informing.

Noise

By Unknown user, May 3, 2010 at 2:33:40 PM ET (Updated: May 3, 2010 at 2:33:40 PM ET )

Thanks! Glad to hear you got something out of it. I echo your feelings about the 'noise'. So many people just talking about what's wrong, but few people teaching others how to actually do something about it. What kind of work do you do in SE michigan?