Front Door Campaign


We are thrilled to report that construction of our new home is complete and we moved in February 19, 2020!

Visions and plans for our “forever home” had been in the works for over 10 years, and we opened the doors at 1600 North Huron River Drive in Ypsilanti by February 2020.

Learn More About Our New Home!
http://properties.ryanhalseyphotography.com/1600nhuronriverdrive

Construction Timeline

May 2018: We became the proud new owners of 1600 N. Huron River Drive in Ypsilanti after unanimous approval by the City Council and Planning Commission.

September 2018: Site clearing began. DONE

October 2018: Broke ground. DONE

March 2019: Foundation completed. DONE

February – May 2019: Exterior walls framed. DONE

May – July 2019: Interior walls framed. DONE

1705 Washtenaw FOR SALE. SOLD!

July – October 2019: Exterior DONE (to include parking lot and sidewalks)
Interior finishings. DONE

November – February 2020: Finish interior DONE

February 2020 - Move administration, crisis line, counseling, case management and transitional living into our new forever home!

March 2020 - Open emergency shelter for 10-17 years old.


Enhancements and Outcomes

As a result of our new site, we will serve more young people, and serve them better, in a space whose quality matches the quality of the services we provide. We anticipate the following outcomes from this project:

  • The new home has 7 private bedrooms  and 9 double bedrooms with the ability to comfortably sleep up to 25 youth every night. Our previous homes, combined, had 12 beds and 4 shared bedrooms.
  • An on-site job training and education center, which will allow us to best prepare youth for long-term success and stability. We have been formally offering employment training since 2010, but we have never had a dedicated space in which to offer it, so this new site will significantly enhance both the quality of our job skills training efforts and the number of youth we can serve in the program.
  • Dedicated therapy offices that provide a healing atmosphere. Previously, our therapists were doubled up and had to seek empty offices  to meet with clients, meaning that young people do not meet with their therapist in a predictable or consistent environment. Our therapists can now serve more young people as a result of having their own private offices.
  • Outdoor and indoor recreational spaces that promote health and wellness. It is well-documented that there are not enough safe, accessible community recreational spaces in Ypsilanti for young people, so these recreational spaces address a significant community need.
  • Laundry and shower facilities for youth in crisis, older than 18,  which we could not easily accommodate in our former sites.
  • A community room for hosting events for youth and families, as well as training, seminars and other small community gatherings. Formerly, we did not even have a space large enough to hold our entire staff or board of directors, even though we are regularly called on as experts in the community to provide training on topics including crisis intervention, trafficking, positive youth development, and trauma-informed care.