Our mission
The NOAH Project serves as a central hub for services, resources, and relationships as we journey alongside individuals on the path to stable housing. To fulfill this mission, we -
- Welcome everyone with warm hospitality
- Practice radical acceptance that builds trusting relationships
- Remain persistent and consistent throughout the journey
- Treat all clients, volunteers, staff and partners with respect and dignity
- Strive for diversity, equity, and inclusion in all that we do
- Engage the community in our commitment to social change
Our vision is to be an anchor of hope leading the Detroit community in ending homelessness.
At NOAH, we support individuals by developing trusting relationships founded upon acceptance — acceptance of who that person is. When acceptance is combined with compassion and honesty, it builds trust. By creating an environment founded on trusting relationships, we develop a family for people so they have the support necessary to change and grow.
“Everyone had a big heart. That’s exactly what I needed — a head start and a helping hand.” -- Brian, NOAH client
History
In 1976, members of Central United Methodist Church saw that people in their community needed food. Responding to this basic need, church members began offering a Bag Lunch to anyone who came to their door twice per week, on Mondays and Thursdays. This program, now over 40 years old, remains the cornerstone of the NOAH Project.
In 1999, realizing that people needed more than just a lunch, Central partnered with Family Service, Inc. and created the NOAH Project (Networking, Organizing, and Advocating for the Homeless). NOAH began offering social services and physical health counseling.
In 2003, NOAH was transferred to the Central United Methodist Church of Detroit Community Development Corporation, our 501(c) 3. In 2014, responding to the coldest and snowiest winter in Detroit’s history, NOAH opened wide its doors and created the NOAH Community Center. We extended our hours and are now open to people from 9:00am to 2:00pm Monday through Thursday. NOAH also expanded its Bag Lunch Program to serve lunch on all four days. This growth has spurred the creation of the Community Center.
Board of Directors
In 2003, members of Central United Methodist Church created the Central UMC of Detroit Community Development Corporation (CDC). Their original purpose in organizing the CDC was to develop property adjacent to the church building.
After several years of planning their development, the recession of 2008 undermined market demand and fundamentally altered community development opportunities within the city. Central United Methodist CDC decided to table its development plans and focus instead on services to prevent foreclosures and to strengthen the NOAH Project, which pre-dates the CDC and has been well known and respected in the community for many years.
Today, Central United Methodist CDC is refocused and re-energized, as the agency looks to expand its work on behalf of the homeless through the work of the NOAH Project. Its board is comprised of church members, community residents, and former NOAH clients.
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President
Carolyn Elliot
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Vice President
TBD
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Secretary
Colleen Robar
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Treasurer
Paul Agosta
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Board of Directors
Cameron Davis
Jason Gilmore
Carl Herrell
Helen Monroe
Arthur Park
Paul Perez
Celeste Rabaut
Tom Robinson
Susan Shirkey
Dyane Townley
Mahja Zeon
Jill Zundel
Amy Brown
Executive Director of the CDC
Originally from Alabama, Amy graduated from Birmingham Southern College in 2004. She then made her way north to Detroit and to the NOAH Project as a US-2 Missionary, a two year volunteer program through the United Methodist Church. After completing her time as a US-2, Amy received her Masters in Social Work from Wayne State University while continuing to work part-time at NOAH. In 2008, Amy returned full-time to NOAH and assumed increasing responsibility, moving from Assistant Project Coordinator, to Interim Director, and then being appointed Executive Director in 2013. In addition to her work with the NOAH Project, she serves as a trustee of the United Methodist Union, Chairperson of the Read, Seed and Feed Board, a Redford Brightmoor Initiative, and is the convener of the Circle of Care, a collaboration of downtown churches serving the homeless.
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313-965-5422 ext. 121
Stacie Vaughn
NOAH Project Director
Stacie graduated from Wayne State University with a degree in Social Work. Stacie says she is excited to be part of NOAH because “I want to be a part of the transformative work that happens at NOAH.” Stacie brings over 20 years of experience in the Social Work field and says she enjoys working at NOAH because “it’s like a big family.”
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313-965-5422 ext. 120
Matt Gatti
Street Outreach Coordinator
Matt is a 2019 graduate of the University of Maryland School of Social Work. Prior to earning his degree, Matt served as a Jesuit Volunteer in Detroit between 2016 and 2017. Matt started working at NOAH as the Community Center Manager in 2019, and moved full time to coordinate NOAH's Street Outreach team in 2020.
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313-965-5422 ext. 123
Paige Henson
Lead Street Outreach Caseworker
Paige works as a part of NOAH's street outreach team doing case management and outreach to NOAH's unsheltered clients working to connect them to housing and other services. Paige started with NOAH as a social work intern in 2019 and earned her BSW from Eastern Michigan University.
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313-965-5422 ext. 124
Darrell Rhodes
Street Outreach Caseworker
Darrell began working with NOAH in 2023 as a Street Outreach Worker with the goal of aiding The NOAH Projects efforts to end homelessness. Darrell is a native Detroiter who has worked in the human services field for more than 20 years in Detroit and Seattle, WA. Supporting and advocating for the needs and concerns of the community has also been Darrell's focus in past positions as a juvenile probation officer, street outreach/case manager, housing case manager, and community health worker.
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313-965-5422 ext. 124
Yaya Urbina
Operations Assistant
Yaya assists NOAH's leadership team in all things operations and logistics. Yaya first came to NOAH in 2020 through Jesuit Volunteer Corps and served for a year as NOAH's Community Center Manager.
Yaya is a University of Portland graduate, having studied political science and philosophy. They enjoy hiking, being outdoors, listening to music, and breaking bread with family, friends, and community.
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313-965-5422 ext. 125
Coming Soon
Program Assistant
Da’Jon first came to NOAH in June of 2021 from the Central United Methodist Conferences as an intern. Da’Jon is a graduate of Western Michigan University, where he received his degree in Healthcare Services and Sciences. Da’Jon became the Program Assistant in December of 2021.
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313-965-5422 ext. 125
Remington Devereaux
Bag Lunch & Volunteer Coordinator
Remington is the bag lunch and volunteer coordinator. Remington is not new to the NOAH family as he was born and raised in Detroit, where he attended Central United Methodist Church as a child with his grandparents. Having had the tenets of peace and justice instilled in him as a young child, Remington knows the importance of serving marginalized, oppressed and disenfranchised individuals.
It’s good to be home!
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313-965-5422 ext. 126
Angela Bakeley
Community Center Assistant
Angela Bakeley is a long time volunteer and member of the NOAH community. NOAH is excited to have Angela serving as the Community Center Assistant.
