PONTIAC, Mich. – On any given Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, the Baldwin Center stays busy with staff and volunteers preparing hot meals in Pontiac.
“They will package up about 200 meals today,” said Elizabeth Longley, Executive Director of The Baldwin Center. “We will get them out the door and into the parking lot.”
Baldwin Center and its soup kitchen have been a staple in the city of Pontiac for over four decades.
“This really is a pillar of the community,” said Asalyn Coachman, Treasurer of Balwin Center Board of Directors.
Baldwin Center started during the automotive recession in the early 1980s as part of the Methodist Church. In the early 2000s, it became its own 501(c)(3).
“We serve between 15,000 and 16,000 meals a year,” Longley said. “But we also do clothing for people who need clothing. In the past we’ve done laundry services. We do showers. Diaper distribution. Hygiene products.”
This small agency does a lot of human services outreach. However, maintaining operations and programming is becoming tougher.
“Times are changing,” Coachman said. “We’ve got some significant challenges. While the need is ever present and arguably growing because of the economics because of the situation that we’re in right now but, donations are down. And we are trying to understand that dynamic so that we can counter it.”
Administrators say daily meal counts have significantly increased over the past six months. Food costs are increasing.
More vulnerable residents are requesting clothing. Some corporate sponsors haven’t returned since the COVID-19 pandemic. Individual financial donations continue dwindling, among other things.
“We are spending the next several months on a deep dive into how do we transform,” Longley said. “How do we meet this trend? How do we deal with identifying new donors? How do we engage younger people into service development center?”
For now, the Baldwin Center team will continue having those tough conversations about its future.
That will include examining how the center can share programming and services with its partners.
The organization will also consider housing initiatives, among other strategies.
Click here for more information on Baldwin Center and how you can help the organization.