Helping People in Need; Building Community to End Poverty

November 2019 Newsletter Holiday Bed & Crib Drive

Special Points of

Interest:

Volume 36, Issue 4

Holiday Bed & Crib Drive

2 & 3

Recap: Predatory Lending Town

Hall

4 & 5

Coming Events 6

Staff News 7

Recent Grants &

SERRV Sale 8

There are many, many people in our community who now have a bed or crib because of YOUR support in years past. Lets face it, a bed or crib is much more than a piece of furniture. When you donate funds to purchase a bed or crib for a low-income family, you are really giving an adult or

child:

A place to lounge, where they can do their

homework, watch TV, and even eat;

A place of comfort or escape, where they can

forget their worries;

A place to sleep, where they can relax

and recharge;

A place to call their own, where they can be sad or happy;

A place to think about tomorrow, where they can dream;

A place of simply being, where they can feel at home.

That’s why we reach out to you year after year: because everyone should have a place to call their own that feels like home. Friends In Deed is ensuring everyone in our

community has a healthy, safe place to sleep — one bed at a time… See page 2.

Giving Tuesday: December 3rd

10 Years with Lora Over The Edge We Won an Award

We are planning a new event for the spring of 2020: Over The Edge, a fundraiser wherein Edgers (people

who go “over the edge”) get pledges to rappel down the side of

a building. In our case, the building is the Graduate Ann Arbor, and the

cause is our mission:

Helping people in need; building community to end poverty.

Find out more about Over The Edge on page 6.

We’d like to congratulate Lora Elwart on 10 years with Friends In

Deed! Aside from the 10-year milestone, she is also our oldest staff member — in terms of seniority, not

age. Lora is a character with a heart of gold and a smile of

mischief. She makes work fun, and we’re counting on her to make us

laugh for another 10 years.

Find out more about Lora on page 7.

Governor Gretchen Whitmer awarded us a Governor Service

Award in the category of

Outstanding Volunteer Program.

We at Friends In Deed are well aware of how much we rely on our volunteers — they are the lifeblood of our organization. That’s why we were glad to see their value and

contribution recognized!

A smile says it all

A smile can tell a lot about a person, and this smile is no different.

When Shatarra couldn’t afford beds for her three children,

Friends In Deed was able to step in and help. Her two sons are

super excited to be bunk-mates, and her daughter is even more

ecstatic to be sleeping in a race car. This mother and her kids will be getting

the good night’s sleep they deserve, and they are more than thankful.

Help make a difference this Giving Tuesday (12/3)

Sleep deprivation can lead to numerous health problems, and

studies show that many people lack proper sleep.

People who average less than seven hours of sleep a night

are about three times more likely to develop cold symptoms.

2019 Bed and Crib Drive

Twin Bed: $160

Full Bed: $190

Queen Bed: $245

Bunk Bed: $270

Crib: $100

Crib Mattress: $40

Donate Today

Donate online: www.friendsindeedmi.org/bed-crib/

Call our office: (734) 485-7658

For every four beds donated on December 3 (Giving Tuesday), Van

Winkle Mattress Co. will donate an additional bed to help make a child smile.

Mail a check:

Friends In Deed

1196 Ecorse Road

Ypsilanti, MI. 48198

Friends In Deed Fall 2019 Newsletter Page 4

The biggest problem regarding payday loans, a recognized predatory lending product, is that they are currently legal in Michigan. At least that was the big takeaway from Friends In Deed’s and Circles Washtenaw County’s Town Hall on Predatory Lending that took place on November 5th.

So, What Are Payday Loans?

Payday loans are extremely high-interest, short-term loans that are designed to draw desperate people into a cycle of debt. According to Jessica AcMoody, the moderator at the Town Hall and a senior policy specialist at the Community Economic Development Association of Michigan (CEDAM), payday lenders are legally authorized in Michigan to provide a borrower with two loans up to $600 each at any given time. Most of these loans are for 14 days and have the equivalent average fee of a 340% annual percentage rate (APR). On average, borrowers end up reborrowing at the end of a loan’s two-week term, taking out 10 loans over time before getting caught up on the debt and interest owed.

“I put predatory lending and student loans as two of the top crises in the country,” said U.S. Representative Debbie Dingell, the keynote speaker at the event. According to Dingell, predatory loans impact communities as a whole, taking millions of dollars out of the pockets of hardworking families. “Something has gone very wrong when we know this practice traps people in the cycle of debt. No one wants to talk about it.”

Trapped in a Cycle of Debt

Part of the problem with these types of loans is the ease with which they can be obtained. In fact, the only

requirements to get a payday loan are to present identification, bank account information and a source of income. As might be expected, these payday loan shops are concentrated in low-income and minority neighborhoods, ideally poised to prey on our community’s most vulnerable members.

According to DeAnna Williams, a panelist at the Town Hall and a Leader in the Circles Washtenaw program that helps low-income families lift themselves out of poverty, “They are easy. They are overly advertised. You don’t think about it immediately because you are in a crunch … and more and more people are doing it. Yeah, it may not be good, but maybe it will get me out of this situation.”

“I felt like my back was against the wall,” said Nikia Smith, another panelist and Circles Leader, when talking about her first foray into payday loans. Kia is a single mom and was working in Ann Arbor when the gasket blew on her car. The estimate for the repair was $1,000, and she simply didn’t have the money and anywhere to turn because her friends and family were in the same situation or worse.

A friend encouraged her to go to a payday lender – it should be noted that the friend received a $35 “refer a friend” reward from the lender for doing so. “The [payday shop] worked their magic, and I left with $500.” This was $200 more than the amount Kia was seeking. “They fudged my numbers so I could get a higher loan. They made it seem like ‘we are here to save the day.’” She ended up taking out payday loans “like crazy” for the next six months because two weeks really wasn’t enough time for her to pay back the loan. “You’d come repay it, and put the money on the counter. The shop would leave it there and ask whether you want another loan – just sign here.” With thoughts of rent, food and other expenses in mind, she did.

“It’s not right for people to go in needing money and sign papers without knowing that it is going to be bad in the end,” said Williams.

An Intense, Focused Lobby

The truth is that the majority of people in Michigan are against these types of loans, at least according to State Senator Jeff Irwin, another panelist at the Town Hall. So, if people are generally against payday loans, what gives? Why are they

Recap: Predatory Lending Town Hall

Panelists from left to right: Michigan State Senator Jeff Irwin, Circles Leader DeAnna Williams, Circles Leader Nikia Smith, Assistant Attorney General Chris Kerr, Senior

Policy Specialist Jessica AcMoody, and U.S. Representative Debbie Dingell.

Friends In Deed Fall 2019 Newsletter Page 5

Town Hall Recap Continued:

legal? According to Irwin, the payday loan industry has an intense and focused lobby that overwhelms existing grassroot efforts to change the laws. In short, "There are people who are making millions of dollars every year off this system, and they are protecting their cash cow."

The industry lobby doesn’t stop at protecting the laws as they currently exist. Over the last few years, the industry has been pushing to expand the amounts and situations in which payday loans can be given, as well as the practices that can be used in making them. For instance, a bill was introduced several years ago that would allow people seeking loans to use their cars as collateral – that didn’t pass. More recently, a package of bills was introduced that would increase the dollar amount a borrower could take out in a payday loan from $600 to $2,500.

While there are organizations like CEDAM that are fighting these expansions, as well as working on bills of their own that would cap interest rates for payday loans at

36% and provide other consumer protections, the industry lobby often overruns their efforts.

Irwin thinks part of the problem is that legislators are not people who have ever faced the level of desperation that results in taking out one of these loans. “They are not acknowledging that there are folks in our society who are so desperate they are choosing between bad choices.” According to Irwin, people need to tell their stories so that the consequences of payday loans are on legislators’ radar. “We need to drive home the reality that the fix is more complicated than people fixing themselves.”

We Need Fair Banking Products in

Low-Income Neighborhoods

Several of the panelists participating in the Town Hall agreed that predatory lending is a symptom of a larger problem. AcMoody pointed to wage stagnation and the lack of available lending products in low-income communities. Irwin agreed, “At the core of this issue is how do we provide bonafide banking services to everyone that are fair. We

don’t have that now. Until we solve that problem, we won’t solve what is driving people to these horrible loans.”

Suggestions for People in the

Meantime

Irwin suggested that people in need of a loan seek out credit unions, which often have better loan terms. He does note, however, that a borrower may have to be a member of the credit union for a couple of weeks or months before they can take out a loan. Faith-based organizations and nonprofits may also provide lending products that are fair.

Whatever you do, warned Chris Kerr from the Michigan Attorney General’s office, beware of online payday loans run by tribes. Because tribes can oftentimes operate outside of what safeguards Michigan does have in place regarding payday loans, loans obtained through them often have higher interest, worse terms and even more horrible stories regarding their impact on low-income families.

Circle Leaders:

DeAnna Williams and Nikia Smith

U.S. Representative Debbie Dingell

Michigan State Senator Jeff Irwin

Friends In Deed Fall 2019 Newsletter Page 6

Sometimes the best rewards in life come from taking a risk and leaping into the unknown.

We’re counting on that sentiment in introducing a new event that is all about taking a leap of

faith:

Over The Edge is a new kind of fundraising event wherein “Edgers” collect pledges in donation

to rappel down a tall building. While Over The Edge has been done hundreds of times across the

country to benefit hundreds of nonprofits, Friends In Deed’s version will be the first of its kind

in Washtenaw County and will take place at the Graduate Ann Arbor on May 9th, 2020. The

money raised by the Edgers will be used to support Friends In Deed and its programs --

ultimately helping families in need in the Washtenaw County community.

Intrigued? Remember that you are never too young nor too old to cross something off your

bucket list or conquer your fears! Over The Edge will also give you the opportunity to make a

difference in someone’s life. Stay tuned for more information on this exciting experience!

Friends In Deed’s New & Goods

We have several new events scheduled in the coming

months!

FID Art Contest (12/15/19): Artists from across the county can submit a work of art that reflects Friends In Deed. The winning piece of art will grace our note cards in 2020, and the winner will receive $100. For more

information contact Amtheyst@FriendsindeedMI.org.

Poverty Simulation (1/11/20): This role-play exercise is designed to give people a true sense of the realities of poverty, including the tough choices low-income families

have to make on a daily basis.

Over The Edge (5/9/20): Rappel down the Graduate

Ann Arbor and help Friends In Deed at the same time!

First Thursday of Each Month: Circles holds a Volunteer Orientation at St. Luke’s at 7 pm on the first Thursday of each month. If you know anyone who might be interested,

send them along.

If you know anything about our Circles program, you know “new and good” is the way most dinners, meetings, and scheduled programming begins. So, we thought we’d take a stab at it. Turns out, FID has several things that are new

and good, including some new events and staff happenings:

New Fundraiser: Over The Edge

What? Over The Edge

When? May 9th, 2020

Where? Graduate Ann Arbor

We will bring you more information about how you can become an Edger in the coming months.

~ Article by Tyleen Wilson

Friends In Deed Fall 2019 Newsletter Page 7

To those of you who know or have merely met Amtheyst Floyd, one of Friends In Deed’s

AmeriCorps VISTAs, there’s not much more that can be said. You know as well as anyone that there is no sore mood or sunken heart beyond the relief of her relentless enthusiasm. But to the rest of you, try to imagine a person for whom there is no limit to compassion nor shortage of determination—a person who can light up a room with the slightest effort and inspire others to try, in vain, to match their unparalleled dynamism. That, in a nutshell, is Amtheyst. She began as a student volunteer inspired by our mission to build community and end poverty; and after falling in love with the

intimate, caring atmosphere of Friends In Deed, she couldn’t pass up the opportunity to

serve as our first VISTA. She says Friends In Deed is unlike any other place she’s worked, staffed by people who not only ask how you are but honestly care about your answer. She wouldn't want to work anywhere else. Well, after a year, we can’t imagine Friends In Deed working without her. So, while her year of VISTA service is coming to a close this December, she will be continuing at Friends In Deed as our new Development Associate. From planning upcoming events, like our upcoming Over The Edge fundraiser, to building new partnerships, we have the fullest confidence that she’ll be more than a match to

the challenge. Nevertheless, we'd like to wish her the best of luck as she begins

this new chapter.

~Profile by Andrew Green

New Decade: Lora

New Development Associate: Amtheyst

Andrew is the current VISTA serving at Friends In Deed. He originally started out as a volunteer after being introduced to the organization a little over a year ago by a family friend, Laurie Sternberg. He quickly became a well-known name amongst the staff because of his incredibly helpful behind-

the-scenes work.

As a volunteer, Andrew was asked to work on a cliff effect calculator, then Google Ads, followed by database work. His focus would

change along with the needs of Friends In Deed.

Then, after 10 months of volunteering, Andrew was approached with the VISTA position. Being a VISTA means agreeing to a yearlong commitment to a nonprofit. It’s not a task that everyone can do, but so far Andrew is content with his decision. He likes that people are relaxed and friendly here. There isn’t a fear that someone might

“tear you out” for making a mistake.

Despite his enjoyment of working alone, Andrew makes a great team member. He gets straight to the point but can take the time to listen as well. His quick wittedness, honesty, and conscientiousness fit right in with the personality of the staff and volunteers here. When asked if he planned to volunteer after being a VISTA, he replied that he’d be surprised if he didn’t. He volunteered before and doesn’t imagine he

would stop after it all.

~Profile by Amtheyst Floyd

New AmeriCorps VISTA: Andrew

What would Friends In Deed be without Lora Elwart? To us, her colleagues, her delightfully endearing sassiness, that characteristically quick sense of humor of hers, is an irreplaceable joy of any long day or slow morning. The unwavering kindness that drives her is a constant inspiration, but her humility in

spite of all she does is truly extraordinary.

To volunteers, her warmth and playful disposition have encouraged a fierce dedication that keeps them coming back week after week and year after year. If you

ever speak to her, you'll quickly notice how eager she is to point out her volunteers and

the crucial work they do. The admiration she holds for each of them is unmistakable, but it’s because she knows they want to be here;

they want to do what they can to help.

But, perhaps most important is what Lora is to her clients. Her steadfast devotion to them has meant thousands of families across our county have had furniture to fill their homes and beds on which to sleep. Over her ten years as Furniture Coordinator, she has not just become a fixture here at Friends In Deed but also an indispensable member of our

community. So, maybe what we should be asking isn’t what Friends In Deed would be without Lora, but what Ypsilanti, Ann Arbor,

Superior Township, and all of Washtenaw

County would be without her.

~ Profile by Andrew Green

Director of Operations and Furniture Coordinator

1196 Ecorse Rd.

Ypsilanti, MI 48198

DONATE ONLINE:

www.FriendsInDeedMI.org

Return service requested

Non-Profit Organization U.S. Postage

PAID Permit No. 365 Ann Arbor, MI.

Friends In Deed - Contact Information

1196 Ecorse Rd. Ypsilanti, MI 48198

www.FriendsInDeedMI.org

Administration Line

(734) 485-7658

Help Line (734) 484-4357

Monday-Friday 9:30am-2pm

Furniture Line (734) 484-7607

Tuesday-Friday 9:30am-12:30pm

Circles Line (734) 340-9042

Printing: Greater Michigan Plumbing and Mechanical Contractors Association, Inc.

Mailings: Claudia Larson

Content: Laurie Sternberg

Newsletter Contributors

Did You Know… We’ve received some pretty exciting news regarding

grants over the past few months:

We received $25,000 in grant funding for our Circles program from the Ann

Arbor Area Community Foundation.

We were awarded $20,000 in grant funding to expand our existing transportation-related services into a

full-fledged Transportation program.

If you shop at the SERRV Small World Shop Sale,

FID will get 15% of the proceeds:

The Small World Shop sells fair trade products at a fair and just price from SERRV International and Equal Exchange. The sale takes place on Friday, November 22 (4:30pm to 7:30pm) and Saturday, November 23 (9:30am to 1:30pm) at the First United Methodist Church, 209 Washtenaw Ave., Ypsilanti.