We are a rotating emergency shelter team hosting our "guests" (homeless) in churches located throughout Macomb County.  We shelter men, women and children.

Mentioned in the United States of America Congressional Record for our humanitarian cause; we have grown from providing 3,500 shelter nights in 1999 to over 19,000 shelter nights in 2008.  The need has grown and we need to continue growing with the need.  We celebrated our 20th anniversary in 2008.

History

Programs

Church Memberships

MCREST Brochure ('pdf' file)

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HISTORY

arly in 1988 nine founders assembled with the idea of a homeless day camp. As a result of that meeting at Trinity Lutheran Church in Clinton Township, the organization now known as MCREST was birthed.

PROGRAMS

2010 Vision

During 52 weeks of shelter for the year 2008, MCREST provided up to 60 shelter beds per night for homeless persons for a total of over 19,000 shelter nights.  Each “guest" in the program is screened for alcohol use before admittance into the shelter Church each evening and compliance with requests for drug testing is mandatory for participation in the program.

A member of the MCREST Board of Directors acts as a liaison to new Churches providing advice and support to that Church as they plan, prepare, and execute their week as a MCREST shelter.  The MCREST office and the Board of Directors provide each Church with a training manual and certification to provide consistency with rules and regulations for safety and to provide an easy flow from one church to the next for the guests.  Church volunteers are certified after receiving training in search activities.

All participating Churches provide basic hygiene, food, and shelter needs.  Some Churches go far beyond the basic needs and provide transportation to work and appointments, on site laundry services, assistance with rent and security deposits, assistance in locating possible employment, and much more.  In addition, the volunteers at each Church are there to support and listen to someone in need.

The program also provides, in a joint effort with Downriver Community Services, medical care, mental health and substance abuse counseling to shelter guests. In a joint effort with the Macomb Intermediate School District Homeless Education Project, consistent schooling for the children of homeless families sheltered in the program is a priority.  The Salvation Army is a fiduciary for funds from the State of Michigan which contracts with MCREST to reimburse us for some of the direct expenses of the program and MCREST has received funding support from various communities and corporations throughout the County through the Community Development Block Grant Program (CDBG), the Detroit Lions, Four Corners Foundation, Community Foundation for SE Michigan Chrysler Sterling Heights Plant, General Motors and MSHDA as well as support from the Macomb Homeless Coalition.

Various community organizations, such as Sandy LaBaere and the Utica Community School Empty Bowls dinner had been a great financial support to MCREST by their annual fundraisers.  The MCREST organization sells sweatshirts, T-shirts, fashion house-pins, lapel pins, held our Second Annual Silent Auction and our Second Annual Photo Rally to raise funds for MCREST. An annual golf outing hosted by the fundraising committee, had been held for twelve years and Churches in Macomb County donate funds to MCREST throughout the year.  In 2007, we hosted our Second Annual Mardi Gras party and in 2009 we will host our Second Annual Spring Fling Dinner Dance.

In 1995, MCREST published a detailed program manual, which provides instructions for setting up and operating the shelter program in a Church facility. The manual is updated each year and describes the health services provided through Downriver Community Services and the screening provided by our employees.  In addition to the manual, we have produced videos that are available for the churches.  MCREST also publishes newsletters to keep the participating Churches and local human service providers informed of our current activities.

Accomplishments for Fiscal Year Ending December 31, 2008

1. Provided over 19,000 shelter nights.
2. Completed development of a five year strategic plan.
3. Completed the sixth year for the Choose A Path (CAP) program which had a 25% success rate for persons leaving our program and moving into some form of housing.

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CHURCH MEMBERSHIPS

MCREST membership consists of participating churches. MCREST is administrated by a volunteer Board of Directors consisting of up to fifteen members elected at the annual meeting by representatives of participating Churches, the community and the homeless.  Members of the Board are elected for a three-year term.  The Board of Directors elects the officers of the Executive Committee annually at their June meeting.  In 1997, MCREST had its first annual audit and has received an unqualified opinion for 1996 and every year through 2007.
 
During each week of sheltering, members of the current participating Church provide the volunteer help to transport items from the previous church, set up, administer, operate, supply, and close down.  The number of volunteers at each Church range from 50 to over 500, depending on the size of the Church's congregation and their resources.  Last season over 10,000 volunteers provided 76,000 hours of service valued at $784,000, over $400,000 in tangibles and the MCREST volunteer board members provided over 2,600 hours of service valued at $26,000.  While MCREST relies on donations and grants to continue operations, fundraising activities must continue to expand in order to rise above the lower amount of funding from communities due to the current economic downturn.

In 2004, the Macomb Homeless Coalition formed a task force to develop a 10-year plan to end chronic homelessness.  Out of this plan came the strategic initiative to build a multi-purpose building or one-stop shop.  MCREST has been designated as the lead agency to provide this building which will house a safe haven.  This safe haven will house 25 men who could be dual-diagnosed.  This building will also be an outreach center for the community who are homeless or in crisis.  On site will be several service agencies that will help expedite solutions and guidance with support for these clients.  We will have a medical clinic as well as a dental clinic, laundry facilities and showers. 

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