Our Mission

SOS Community Services responds with care and respect to families in need by working in partnerships that result in economic, family, and residential stability.

We are a 501(c)3, non-profit organization that serves homeless families and children and others in crisis in Washtenaw County. Founded in 1970 by students at Eastern Michigan University, SOS has evolved from its roots as a peer-counseling program into an agency whose comprehensive services assist families in their move from homelessness to self-sufficiency and permanent, stable housing. Today, SOS occupies four program and administrative sites in Washtenaw County, Michigan.

You may view our most recently filed IRS form 990 with Adobe Reader

SOS serves the entire Washtenaw County community by working with the community to end homelessness. SOS offers services to families and individuals in our community who are homeless or who are experiencing housing-related crises, including a large number of children.

• Housing Crisis Services, which include: housing relocation, eviction prevention, short-term case management, shelter location assistance, initial intake for the SOS Prospect Place Family Shelter, utility assistance, distribution of emergency food and personal care items, housing-related transportation assistance, and referrals to other community resources
• Homeless Family Services, which include: our Prospect Place Family Shelter, Transitional Housing Program, Employability and Educational Support Services, intensive case management, housing relocation assistance, life skills training, support groups and referrals, and access to and coordination with SOS Homeless Children's Services
• Homeless Children's Services, which include: Early Risers, a comprehensive set of programs providing academic, social and emotional skills groups for children and parent education; Parents as Teachers, a play group and parenting program; Time for Tots therapeutic daycare for infants and toddlers; and coordinated services for homeless children from Family Support Network (FSN) agencies county-wide.

• 3,631 people-including 2,097 children--received assistance with housing-related needs
• 34,800 meals were distributed to 11,602 people. Of those served, 5,226 were children
• 24 families--including 50 children--were temporarily sheltered at our SOS Prospect Place Family Shelter. An additional 24 families and 50 children received supportive housing through our transitional housing program
• The SOS Employability Program helped 70 homeless parents gain job skills, improve their education, and find employment.
• Of 24 babies, toddlers and pre-schoolers enrolled at our SOS Time for Tots Daycare for more than three months, 92% demonstrated physical gains, 92% demonstrated cognitive gains, and 92% showed socio-emotional improvement