1. www.soscs.org
Media contact:
Chelsea Brown
Development Director
chelseab@soscs.org
734.961.1206
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Feb. 13, 2015
Ypsilanti Area Community Fund (YACF) Awards Grant to SOS
The Ypsilanti Area Community Fund (YACF) awarded SOS Community Services a $1,000 grant for
the Choice food pantry.
SOS Community Services’ Choice Pantry is designed to feed over 140 households and over 4,500
pounds of food are distributed each week. People are currently allowed to visit the pantry four times
annually with the inclusion of one holiday by appointment. In addition, people have access to fresh
fruits and vegetables every week without an appointment. The pantry receives its goods from Food
Gatherers and from donations within the community from local businesses, churches and schools.
The goal of this grant was to increase access to the pantry from times annually to six times plus one
holiday, especially in cases of a food emergency. Thanks to this grant, SOS is now one step closer to
making this happen.
Since 2001, YACF has worked with many organizations provide beneficial services for the community
with the help of over 170 members, according to their website. The organization is an affiliate of the
Ann Arbor Area Community Foundation (AAACF) and their core strategies are to award grants that
support Ypsilanti organizations, connect donors to local causes, bring community leaders together
and build endowment. The organization also awarded over $32,000 in grants in 2014 between seven
different local organizations such as the Shelter Association of Washtenaw County, Big Brothers Big
Sisters of Washtenaw County and the Family Learning Institute. Since its opening, YACF has also
raised over $2 million in gifts to make a difference in these organizations and the lives of the people
that they serve.
The Ypsilanti Area Community Fund is dedicated to building a permanent endowment to enrich the
quality of life in the Ypsilanti area. For more information, please visit http://www.aaacf.org/ypsilanti-
plymouth-affiliates/ypsilanti-area-community-fund.
SOS Community Services promotes housing stability and family self-sufficiency through
collaboration, care and respect. Our services include shelter and rapid re-housing, employability
assistance, parenting programs, and children’s programs. In addition, SOS offers a Resource Center
that provides a weekly food pantry, and a variety of walk-in services. For more information about SOS
Community Services, including opportunities to volunteer and donate, please visit www.soscs.org.
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A Lifeline for Homeless Families
