Church Directory
MCREST needs your church’s help!
A thank you to our partner churches.
For every tray of food. For every cot unfolded. For every pillow fluffed and sheet pressed. For every coat donated. For every doorknob wiped and counter sprayed. For every washer and dryer cycle. For every bottle of water or bottle of shampoo. For every toy at Christmastime. For every smile unearthed after weeks or months of hardship.
For the kindness. For the stewardship. For the gentleness. For the patience. For the graciousness. For the sweat, the hours, the plans made and remade, the quick fixes and the open arms.
Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.
Since the pandemic, fewer community groups and churches are partnering with us. We ask community churches that are not currently partners of MCREST to consider hosting one week per year to make the most integral contribution to community health, safety and general welfare that you can: sheltering the homeless.
Learn how your congregation can get involved in our mission of serving Macomb County individuals and families experiencing homelessness today! For more information, contact:
Christina Naden
Volunteer & Membership Liaison
What to Expect as a Church Partner
MCREST has grown from an initial 12 founding congregations to almost 70 today, representing communities across Macomb County. Without the congregations and their volunteers, the program would not be the success that we have been for nearly 35 years.
A designated staff person, the volunteer membership liaison, serves as the point of contact for congregations. Our staff provides support, training, guidance, and communication to encourage congregations to have the confidence to open their doors to host the men experiencing homelessness in Macomb County, as well as to volunteer and host meals for our guests at the Women & Children’s Shelter.
Each week, our member congregations provide seven consecutive nights of overnight shelter for approximately 30 men. This includes providing all three meals, transportation, shower facilities (on or off site) and laundry services in a warm, friendly, and safe environment. Member congregations wishing to host the women and children will provide seven consecutive days of meals (continental style breakfast items, bagged lunch and dinner served daily at 6:30 pm) to the approximate 50 women and children that are currently housed in our new shelter, located in Mt. Clemens. We encourage you to choose the best option that fits you and your church!
Our member congregations are provided with a detailed Planning and Resource Guide with the policies, procedures, and best practices for their host week. Telephone consultation is available and encouraged. On-site visits to the host congregations are provided by the Volunteer Membership Liaison when requested. The Volunteer Membership Liaison is actively engaged in the recruitment and education of our volunteers, and MCREST holds annual informational meetings to keep our member congregations current with our program.
We walk with you every step of the way when your congregation hosts MCREST!
How You Can Help
Your congregation can choose to support MCREST’s mission in a way that fits your unique needs and abilities.
A range of options for service are available:
Member congregations may choose to host a week and provide shelter, three meals, bus passes/transportation and laundry service, for the men experiencing homelessness in our program, for seven consecutive nights
If there are extreme and specific circumstances preventing your congregation from hosting the men in person, through discussion, you may then instead provide three meals, bus passes, and laundry packets for the men in our program experiencing homelessness. The meals will include a “to-go container,” as well as a bagged breakfast and lunch. This will also be for seven consecutive nights, for the men in our program that are experiencing homelessness.
Member congregations may choose to host the approximately 50 women and children at MCREST, for seven consecutive days, providing items for continental style breakfast, a bagged lunch and fresh hot dinner to be served nightly to our guests. Your congregation will provide volunteers to prepare and serve the guests dinner each evening, as well as possibly engaging with guests doing arts and crafts, reading with the children, bingo night, movie night, etc.
To explore the directory of our current partner churches, explore the map or look through the listings below.
