R. Tyrone Kelsey
Executive Director
Our mission
Helping people in need and building community to end poverty.
Friends In Deed serves neighbors across Washtenaw County by filling the gaps that other organizations leave. We combine urgent financial assistance with relationship-based programs designed to build lasting stability—so neighbors can stay housed, keep the lights on, and take steps toward long-term security.
We help people facing a real crisis: an eviction notice, a utility shutoff, a car that won’t start. We also walk alongside people ready to do the deeper work of moving out of poverty for good. Both kinds of help matter, and both happen here.
What we do
Our programs address both immediate crises and the deeper roots of poverty. Whether a neighbor needs help with rent this week or is ready to build a path out of poverty over the next year, Friends In Deed has a place for them.
Essential Services
Urgent help with housing and rental assistance, utility shutoffs, transportation, medication, and other financial emergencies. The front door for neighbors in crisis.
Get SupportCircles
An 18-month, relationship-based program that pairs neighbors with trained volunteer allies. Financial education, career support, and real community built across socioeconomic lines.
Learn MoreFurniture Donation
We accept gently used furniture and household items, then redistribute them to low-income neighbors who need them. Donate what you have; receive what you need.
Learn MoreCar Donation
Donated vehicles go directly to qualified Washtenaw County neighbors. Reliable transportation connects people to jobs, healthcare, and community. Donate or apply.
Learn More
Our history
For more than 40 years, Friends In Deed has worked to help neighbors in need by filling in the cracks of assistance offered by other organizations and nonprofits in the community. It grew from the efforts of Polly Ricketts and Libby Wilgus, who in 1984 brought together a group of people to study the Love INC model.
With the support of several local congregations, the group pooled their ideas about the services needed in Washtenaw County and created Friends In Deed. What began as a community conversation has grown into a trusted organization that neighbors across the county rely on when things get hard.
Note: The founding year, founder names, and "40 years" figure above are pending confirmation by Tyrone Kelsey before publication.
Where we’re going
Friends In Deed has always been about more than emergency relief. The work ahead is about deepening the relationships that help people move beyond the poverty cliff for good.
Through the Circles program, we are building the kind of long-term, trust-based partnerships that make real economic mobility possible. We plan to reach more neighbors across Washtenaw County, strengthen our ties with local congregations and community partners, and continue reducing poverty one relationship at a time.
Our 2025 Impact Report tells the story of what that work looks like in practice. The neighbors we walked alongside, the crises averted, and the stability built. It is a snapshot of what this community makes possible when it chooses to show up for its neighbors.
Meet our team
For over 40 years, the team at Friends In Deed has worked alongside our neighbors to fill gaps in support across Washtenaw County. What began in 1982, when Polly Helmke and Libby Hillegonds gathered community members to study the Love INC model, has grown into a dedicated organization rooted in collaboration, compassion, and practical action. Today, our staff and volunteers continue that legacy — responding to urgent needs while building pathways toward long-term stability.
Jane Slider
Bookkeeper
Elisa Guyton
Director of Development & Communications
Twana Greene
Director of Circles Washtenaw County
Kia Smith
Case Worker
Carla Wilson
Circles Coach
Cole Nelson
Furniture Coordinator
Jazmeen Fortune
Circles Coach & Process Control Analyst
Minnie Bradford
Community Support Specialist
Board of Directors
The people who make up the Board of Directors of Friends In Deed donate their time, resources, and expertise to the organization and the community it serves.
Joseph Verga
President
Trevor Barker
Treasurer
Cheryl Harvey
Secretary
Phil Geyer
Member
Alisha Spencer
Member
Glory Hoffman
Member
Najma Treadwell
Member
Katherine Weathers
Member
Visit us
We’re open Monday through Thursday. Walk-ins are welcome during business hours.
Hours
Monday – Thursday
9:30 am – 2:30 pm
Closed Friday – Sunday
Phone & Fax
(734) 484-4357
Fax: (734) 484-5335