Compassion Took Root in 1988—and Still Grows Today

How nine founders and a handful of churches became a network lifting hundreds each year.

MCREST’s story began in 1988, when nine community members gathered at Trinity Lutheran Church in Clinton Township with a simple idea: to create a day camp that would serve neighbors without homes. What started as a small act of compassion quickly grew into a countywide movement. By the fall of that same year, twelve churches joined together to open their doors for overnight emergency shelter—offering meals, beds, and hope during the coldest months. Before the first season ended, another nine congregations had joined, forming what became the Macomb County Rotating Emergency Shelter Team.

MCREST was officially incorporated as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit in May 1989, guided by the belief that homelessness could be met with dignity, structure, and community. Over the decades, that belief turned into a powerful network of compassion. What began with 21 partner congregations has grown to 40 active member churches, representing many faith traditions united by a shared mission. In 2022, MCREST opened its first permanent shelter for women and children in Mount Clemens—transforming from a rotating model into a year-round home offering stability, support, and opportunity.

Today, MCREST continues to evolve to meet the growing needs of Macomb County, where more than 430 people experience homelessness on any given night. Through case management, housing placement, and resource connections, MCREST helps hundreds each year—serving 626 people in 2024 and already 352 in the first half of 2025—move from crisis to independence, carrying forward the legacy of those first nine founders who believed in the power of community to lift people up.