Client Stories

Assistance for Unforseen Costs

A Waterford woman had purchased wheel bearings for her car but couldn't afford the installation fees. She used the $174 she normally paid out for her gas and electric bills, and came to Open Door with the situation.

Elderly Woman Relocates

Another person assisted was a 78 year old woman who decided to relocate to her daughter’s home and sold all her possessions. Imagine what it would feel like moving from New York to Michigan to live with your daughter and her boyfriend. Then, the unthinkable happens: he says it is him or you.

Struggling in the Cold

He first noticed the blankets covering the windows.
A Commerce Township firefighter was delivering a gift basket to an area home just before Christmas.
Inside, he found a couple and their two young children ages 3 and 8, struggling to survive with no heat or hot water.

Family Funeral

A death in the family can shock people in many ways.

The Right Referral

Sometimes just the right referral can mean everything to a client.
Staff recall the day a 76-year-old veteran came into the office. He’d moved to the Waterford area from a Southern state, and was having a hard time getting prescriptions filled.

Unexpected Eviction

What do you do when your apartment complex announces it’s closing?
If you are a senior on a fixed income, you have to find assistance.

Mother in Need While Healing

A mother of two small children was pushed in a wheel chair to Open Door. She was so severely beaten by her husband, she had been hospitalized. She still needed additional surgeries, however, she was released.

An Advocate to Help

A longtime elderly client who was having difficulties with bills and living expenses contacted Open Door. She called crying because she was being evicted. She was several months behind on her rent.

Creative Solutions for Amputee

A single woman from Waterford managed to keep going after a portion of her foot was amputated.
But she found she couldn’t drive her car any longer.
“She needed a different gas pedal, one adapted for her,” said staff.

From Hay Bales to Home

A homeless man is living under his own roof again after visiting Open Door.
He had been living in make-shift hay bales near a creek all winter when he found his way into the office.

Unexpected Expenses

An elderly, disabled and frail woman came into Open Door. She was ill and had additional prescriptions cost, doctors’ visits cost, plus a car repair she needed to pay for. With these unexpected expenses, she fell behind on her rent.

Family of Six

Imagine a family of six, including four young children, living in a tent for 7 weeks.
This happened one spring when a family came to Open Door with their story of being evicted. They had borrowed the tent and were living without indoor plumbing in a campground.

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Client Stories

A Waterford woman had purchased wheel bearings for her car but couldn't afford the installation fees. She used the $174 she normally paid out for her gas and electric bills, and came to Open Door with the situation. She showed staff the bills, and they along with local church partners assisted her. Now her car is repaired and her home is secure.

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At Open Door we listen, qualify and compassionately serve low income families and seniors.