Return
families
home.

Our mission is to provide homeless and displaced individuals the opportunity for successful transition to independence.

Who Are We?

MCREST provides meals, lodging, life-skills training, and emergency shelter 365 days each year to individuals and families experiencing homelessness in Macomb County.

We've been returning families home for 35 years.

Our mission has always been to provide homeless and displaced individuals the opportunity for successful transition to independence. Our vision of a community is a place where men, women and children experiencing the trauma of homelessness find emergency solutions and housing resources.

We want to be the premier advocate for homeless and at-risk individuals and provide a point of entry to smooth the road and make that transition accessible.

Our History

Homelessness can happen to anyone.

A friend.
A child.
Maybe even you.

Your financial support fortifies our organization, so we can serve as pillar holding up the most vulnerable people living in Macomb County.

Give Now

As we open our hearts to the season of giving, we invite you to be a part of our mission to combat homelessness in Macomb County. The numbers are sobering—homelessness rose 31% in Metro Detroit between 2021 and 2022, reflecting a growing crisis that demands our collective attention. Behind each statistic lies a human story of resilience, with individuals facing not only homelessness but also battles with mental health disorders, physical disabilities, and the aftermath of domestic violence.

At MCREST, we are more than just a lifeline; we are a community-driven force with a proven track record spanning over 30 years. Our impact is substantial, having provided over 2,000,000 meals and more than 680,000 nights of shelter since our inception in 1988. In 2022 alone, we served 651 individuals experiencing homelessness, with 25% of them being children.

Our commitment extends beyond immediate relief, encompassing essential programs like the Rapid Rehousing Program and our fully-staffed Learning and Resource Center. These initiatives assist hundreds in accessing DHHS benefits, securing short-term rent assistance, and gaining the tools needed for job searches and education. We are proud to operate 24/7, thanks to the dedication of staff, volunteers, and the support of 70 member churches across Macomb County.

As we enter year two in our new Mt. Clemens facility—a Women and Children's Shelter—we reflect on the strides made and set our sights on the future. Your support has already made a significant impact, and we now embark on a new capital campaign to build a Men's Shelter, further expanding our capacity to provide shelter, stability, and compassion.

Join us in continuing our tradition of success and growth. Your contribution, whether big or small, makes a tangible difference. Wishing you the happiest of holidays, and expressing our deepest gratitude for your unwavering commitment to our homeless brothers and sisters during this season of giving.

Here is what your financial support enables us to do:

$5

Provides public transportation for a guest for 1 day

$10

Laundry for a guest for 1 week

$25

One night of shelter

$50

Gas to get someone back and forth to work for 1 week

$125

Feeds a family of four for 1 week

What is Returning Home?

The annual year-end MCREST Returning Home Campaign ensures the not-for-profit can continue to provide the emergency shelter and support services that are critical to return local individuals and families back to independence in the coming year.

Our annual expenses near $4 million dollars.

We receive institutional support through grants annually, but stability in both the expected amounts and delivery times can be hard to come by. Individual donors finding space in their hearts and pocketbooks for MCREST's cause is integral to our financial health.

The future holds big things for MCREST -- we're moving full steam ahead on our goal to build a Men's Shelter on the property next door to our Women and Children's Shelter. Other future expansion goals include transportation services (currently we invest heavily the purchase of bus tickets to provide our guests daily), childcare assistance, self-improvement classes and student tutoring.