Date:
Thursday, 02/06/2025
Time: 6:00 pm
Category:
The Shelter Association of Washtenaw County celebrated 40 years since its inception last year. When the Delonis Center was built in 2003, they had 50 beds. After the housing Crisis hit around 2008 or 2009, unemployment rose, and the number of beds increased to almost 80. Tent cities were popping up around our nation at that time.
The State of Michigan is in a housing crisis now and in some counties in Michigan, homelessness has increased by as much as 50. Many shelters in Michigan are either running at capacity or have become overcrowded.
Here in Washtenaw County, we are expecting a 20% increase in homelessness this winter. Homelessness is at an all-time high.
Join Dawn Gemler, Community Partnership & Volunteer Specialist for the Shelter Association of Washtenaw County (SAWC) for this informative program on homelessness in our community.
About the presenter
Dawn Gemler currently serves as the Community Partnership & Volunteer Specialist for the Shelter Association of Washtenaw County (SAWC). She received her B.S. in Public Relations with a Journalism minor from Western Michigan University and has over 25 years’ experience in volunteer management, grant writing, development, and public relations. She started her non-profit career as a campaigner for Washtenaw United Way and has worked in the health, education, and non-profit sectors. She served as the director of a volunteer center in Lenawee County where she managed community problem-solving. Dawn has been with SAWC for close to 13 years and has spent eleven of these years working in an operations capacity at the Delonis Center where she served as a front desk operations specialist. She is passionate about the mission of Ending homelessness for adults and is working with community partners on initiatives to connect clients to employment, health and wellness opportunities and resources to empower those who are homeless to take charge of their lives by stabilizing financially, physically, and mentally. This in turn helps lead to sustainable housing.
This program is part of the community read, Neighbors Read, a collaboration between the Dexter District Library and the Chelsea District Library. Pick up your free copy of Tin Camp Road by Ellen Airgood at the Dexter District Library or the Chelsea District Library. Author Ellen Airgood will be presenting at the Dexter District Library on February 13.
This program will be in the Library’s lower-level meeting room. Registration is appreciated. Scroll down to register or call 734-426-4477 (ext. 120)
Register Online
This event has room for 200 people. There are currently 5 people registered.02/06/2025 6:00 PM 02/06/2025 6:00 PM America/Detroit Neighbors Read: Shelter Association of Washtenaw
The Shelter Association of Washtenaw County celebrated 40 years since its inception last year. When the Delonis Center was built in 2003, they had 50 beds. After the housing Crisis hit around 2008 or 2009, unemployment rose, and the number of beds increased to almost 80. Tent cities were popping up around our nation at […]
Dexter District Library lryan lryan@dexter.lib.mi.us