Noah at Central

We're thrilled to be participating in the Rocket Community Challenge! This exciting competition offers us a chance to secure vital matching funds from Rocket Companies. Throughout the challenge, we’ll compete for grand prizes by raising the most funds and tackling mini challenges. Your support is crucial in helping us make the most of this opportunity. Thank you for considering a donation to help us compete and amplify our impact in our mission to end homelessness in Detroit!

At Noah at Central, we walk alongside individuals experiencing homelessness on their journey towards safety, stability, and permanent housing. We are a consistent relationship, a source of support, and a catalyst for change in the fight against homelessness in Detroit. Together, with the support of our dedicated staff, volunteers, and community partners, we are working towards a future where everyone has a place to call home. Below are a few spotlights that demonstrate the resilience of our clients and the impact of the journeys we're walking alongside them. 

Lorenzo's Story: A Meal, A Shower, and a New Beginning 

When Lorenzo first came to Noah at Central in January 2024, he wasn’t looking for housing — he was just hungry. A friend also experiencing homelessness had told him about us. He showed up for lunch, but what he found was something deeper: kindness, comfort, and community. During a lunch service, Lorenzo connected with our staff who introduced him to the network of services available at Noah throughout the week. “They took the time to talk to me,” he said. “Everyone was nice. They told me to always ask them if I needed help. I trusted that.”

That genuine welcome made a difference. Lorenzo started coming regularly, not just for meals and connections, but for showers. For someone navigating homelessness, access to a hot shower is more than a matter of hygiene — it’s a source of dignity. For Lorenzo, being able to get clean after so long without that option helped him feel like himself again. It restored a sense of confidence and control, which he credits with enrolling in our housing navigation program: “Getting clean helped clear my mind. It made me think about what’s next for me. And the staff had told me to ask them for help anytime, so I did.”

Lorenzo’s journey to housing was complex, but he stayed committed to case management and maintained connection with our Street Outreach Housing Navigation team. After years of living in abandoned houses, he was finally matched with Permanent Supportive Housing in February 2025. “I told Noah staff to be at the lease signing. They know what it took, so it felt good to have them with me,” he said with pride.

Now, he's focused on building stability. Some of his neighbors are also former Noah clients, creating a sense of shared connection and community in the complex. When asked what he loves most about his new home, Lorenzo doesn’t hesitate: “Being able to take a shower every single day.”

Patty's Path to Progress

A grandmother of four, Patty has been a Detroit resident as long as she can remember. Her parents moved here from Alabama as part of the Great Migration to provide their family with additional opportunities. Patty shares that her parents instilled in her a compassionate spirit – “if you can help people, you always should”, says Patty. When Patty was evicted from her home last year, she was dismayed to learn that the systems meant to support individuals facing difficulties didn’t share that same compassion. 

Patty was referred to Noah at Central by other clients while she was staying at a bus station downtown. According to Patty, she heard Noah was “a place with good people who find out how to help you”. Since connecting with us, Patty has bonded with her case manager, who has walked side-by-side with her through the complex process of reclaiming vital personal documents like her birth certificate, social security card, and state ID. These are not just pieces of paper, but keys that open the door to the possibility of securing permanent housing. To facilitate this process, Patty, and all Noah case management clients, are invited to use the community center as their mailing address.

Empowerment is a collaborative effort at Noah. Patty now visits apartment complexes to collect applications, which she brings back to our community center. "I know staff will make time to help me fill them out," says Patty. Moreover, Patty extends this support to her peers by distributing extra application forms while visiting the community center for lunch. 

Patty's story is a powerful reminder of the impact of support. At Noah, we don't simply offer assistance; we journey alongside our clients, building lasting relationships that foster independence and self-empowerment, one individual at a time.