Neighborhood Service Organization Competes to Win Art Van Charity Challenge Grant for Initiatives that Support Homeless Individuals

    DETROIT, MI, May 22, 2015 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Neighborhood Service Organization (NSO) is seeking to raise awareness and critical funds for two of its life-changing Homeless Recovery Services initiatives - The Road Home program and the NSO Bell Building - as part of the 2015 Art Van Charity Challenge. Now through June 22, NSO requests donations to be made online at https://www.crowdrise.com/nso-artvan2015 in order to be counted toward meeting the Art Van Charity Challenge.

The Art Van Charity Challenge is an opportunity for NSO to compete against dozens of local and regional charities to become one of ten top organizations to earn cash prizes from Art Van Furniture. The organization that raises the most during the Challenge wins a $75,000 donation for their charity from Art Van Furniture, with the second through tenth top charities earning an additional $7,500 to $65,000 donation.

"The individuals we provide services to at NSO face multiple challenges that require a comprehensive approach to resolve, and this is especially true for people who are homeless," said Sheilah P. Clay, president and CEO of NSO. "We are grateful to Art Van for helping us fulfill our mission of eliminating homelessness in Detroit, not just managing it."

The hallmark of NSO's history for the past sixty years has been to create and deliver life-changing solutions and supportive programs to meet the needs of Detroit's underserved residents.

The Road Home provides mobile outreach to homeless individuals who are living on the streets of Detroit in the Central Business District and surrounding areas who are not likely to seek the help they need due to mental health issues, physical health problems or substance use, addiction and dependence. The Road Home staff works tirelessly to connect chronically homeless individuals to mental health and substance abuse providers as well as permanent supportive housing. Through collaborations with Wayne State University's Street Medicine Detroit and Detroit Receiving Hospital, The Road Home is also able to make sure that consumers receive primary health care.

The Road Home once had 24-7 staff working out of two vans, cruising the streets. State funding cuts have made it challenging to keep this vital lifeline for Detroit's most vulnerable citizens operational. This critical, life-saving program - the only one in the city of Detroit - currently only has funds available through the end of June.

Since late 2012, the NSO Bell Building has provided permanent, supportive apartment living for 155 formerly homeless adults. This $52 million restoration of the former historic Michigan Bell Building is located within Hope Village at 882 Oakman Blvd. It is part of the full continuum of services NSO provides for the adult chronically homeless population in Detroit - from mobile street outreach, shelter, support and health services to permanent supportive housing. Funds raised support the ongoing housing opportunities and vital support services for residents at the NSO Bell Building.

Since 1955, Neighborhood Service Organization (NSO) has been supporting the Detroit community and surrounding area by strengthening and empowering neighborhoods, supporting families and helping people in need. Over the years, the scope and variety of services offered have grown into a network of sophisticated, vertically integrated programs that have received local, statewide and national recognition. For more information on NSO, visit http://www.nso-mi.org.

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