House Manager Report 
July 9, 2025


1. Client Statistics
We served 407 households in June, 688 adults and 639 children. That is 31 households fewer than we served in May. In June we had 86 new clients. We averaged 19 households a day in June, 21 households a day in May. 


2. Volunteers
We have 52 regular volunteers. 

3. Donation Status
Our most pressing current needs are:
Small household appliances; microwaves, toasters, coffee pots, blenders, and fans
Blankets/comforters (all sizes)
Bed sheets (all sizes)
Towels and washcloths
Athletic shoes, both men’s and women’s
Pajamas for men, women, and children
Men’s jeans and athletic pants
Underwear (preferable new)
Can openers
Vacuum cleaners

4. Business/Community Contacts
We received a donation of over 50 gallons of hand-sanitizer from Costco.  When I picked up the hand-sanitizer they also give us a box of bananas!

5. Community Outreach
Since mid-June we have had two clients from Skill & Ability Education and their supervisor volunteering with us. Skill & Ability Education provides support to individuals by highlighting their unique skills and abilities, and then providing education and opportunities to promote independence. These volunteers have been a great help!

We had a family of four volunteer with us July 1st. During the summer the mother and her two children look for service opportunities. The thirteen-year-old daughter had a great time sorting and dressing Barbie dolls.

From June 30 through the beginning of July a University of Michigan student volunteered with us.  He needed ten community service hours to submit to the University of Michigan honor society. He was a great help hanging up clothes and cutting up a huge cardboard box.

6. Facility Status
Over the July 4 weekend all our tile floors were polished.

This week, the landlord arranged to have weeds, bushes and shrubs removed from our property. The work will make maintenance easier as well as improve our appearance.

7. Safety Issues
None.

8. Incidents
A client and former volunteer shopped with us Monday June 16. She left numerous messages on the House phone Tuesday. I returned her call Wednesday. She said she left her phone at the check-out counter while waiting for a neighbor who was shopping with her. When the client got home, she realized she didn’t have her phone. She thought another client, a white male around 30-years-old, who had checked out before her neighbor, might have taken her phone and used her Credit Union information to remove money from her account. She filed a fraud report with the Credit Union and a police report. I told her I would look to see if I could find anyone who fit the description she gave and see if they had found a phone. Thursday the client left another voicemail message. She was very upset. I talked to the volunteer who worked the check-out desk the Monday morning the phone went missing. The volunteer wasn’t aware the client had left her phone and hadn’t seen it. She remembered two, about 30-year-old males that shopped that Monday. I was able to speak with one of them. He was very friendly but hadn’t found or seen a phone. The other man hadn’t left a phone number. I called the client back Thursday. She acknowledged I had done what I could, though she was understandably upset about the loss of her phone and money.

9. Areas that need attention
None.

10. Client Stories
Most of our clients are very appreciative they can shop at the House and that everything is free.  They often make comments to our volunteers expressing how grateful they are.  Some clients mention they normally would not spend any money on knickknacks, but those items, which they get at the House, make their house feel more like a home.

11. Overall Appearance and Organization
The store, sorting, and tagging areas are looking well.

Submitted by Gemaya Griffin, House Manager