The Welcome Inn began in 2003, offering a safe, warm place for our least fortunate neighbors to get a warm meal and a change of clothes.

Now in our 13th season, we continue to offer these basic, needed services to the chronically homeless men and women who take refuge in our back yards and shopping centers, and we continue to expand our services to support people in reclaiming their health and wholeness of life.

The numbers of people we serve is exploding. Every year the number of guests at the Inn rises; last year alone we tended to nearly 30% more people than in any other season.

Our services include:

Basic Needs

Food, shelter, clothes, showers, laundry, computer and telephone access

Health and wholeness

Access to nurses, educational instruction, yoga, chakra bowl-led mediation, healing touch therapy

Employment

Counseling and informational sessions led by Michigan Works

Case Work

Our case work team helps guests access health care, eyeglasses, appointments, getting identification (social security cards, state ID and birth certificates) and a slew of other resources.

Access to a Continuum of Care:

Counselors come in from around Oakland to provide access to their services:

• Community Housing Network: Permanent housing solutions
• South Oakland Shelter: Temporary and permanent housing solutions
• TTI: Veterans services