The #OneAtaTime Community Response Team was developed to curate and create local level resources for the underserved members of our city. When we first started our goal was to help one homeless woman find secure shelter. We were able to find here shelter where she lived securely for more than 2 years.
This effort encouraged us to do as much as possible to help the underserved as we could. We began creating a database of resources to point people in the right direction. We also began hosting clothing and resource drives a couple times a year to help people in need have access to clothes, and other needs.
Our first event was the FREE Rummage Sale. The city of Madison Heights hosted a city wide Garage Sale. We used social media to ask neighbors to donate what they couldn’t sell at the end of the weekend, to the #OneAtATime Community Response Team, and we would arrange pick up if they left items at the curb. That weekend, I personally visited every house on the list and collected these donated items. The next weekend we hosted the FREE Rummage Sale and those in need came to collect items they needed. We were able to re-home 80% of the 12 truck loads of items that were donated that weekend, and the rest was donated to local thrift stores for re-sale.
The next year we hosted the Winter Warm Up. We collected donations of coats, sweaters, blankets, and tents to help those in need during the winter months. We will be hosting another in November.
Find the group here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/333896100880396