UAW-Ford volunteers pass at food May 8, 2014 during a lunch program for the The N.O.A.H. Project (Networking, Organizing & Advocating for the Homeless) at Central United Methodist Church, 23 E. Adams St. in Detroit.
By Michael Wayland | mwayland@mlive.com
on May 10, 2014 at 9:17 AM, updated May 13, 2014 at 7:32 AM
DETROIT, MI- Elvis Tucker started sleeping on the steps of Central United Methodist Church in downtown Detroit more than 20 years ago.
The Detroit native lived on the streets for nearly 18 years, as he went through “ups and downs and trials and tribulations.” On Thursday, Tucker once again found himself at the church, but for different reasons. The 50-year-old is now a volunteer and resident barber for the N.O.A.H. (Networking, Organizing & Advocating for the Homeless) Project – the same nonprofit organization that helped him get his life back in order.
“Since upgrading and improving my life, this is how I give back,” said Tucker, taking a break from trimming a man’s hair. “My philosophy is if you look better, you feel better. If you feel better, you might be inclined to do something positive for yourself. If only a little thing, a little makes a whole lot of difference in your life.”
Tucker also is interning to become a counselor with N.O.A.H., which offers numerous programs, including lunch program, to help provide those in need with counseling and support. The organization started as a church program in 1976. It became its own nonprofit in 1999 to help its programs, including providing lunches to those in need four days a week.
Part of the lunch program’s success, according to officials, has been partnering with different groups to supply volunteers and food for the hundreds of people – many homeless – that come to the church.
One group that has increased its presence for the lunch program in the last five years is the United Auto Workers division with Ford. Since 2010, UAW-Ford, with the help of Ford Motor Co., has partnered with N.O.A.H. to serve lunches to those in need. The partnership started decades ago with UAW Local 600 volunteers, and has grown to become a thriving partnership with the UAW-Ford and other Locals volunteering and supplying food at least six times a year.
“We’ve been able to partner with Ford-UAW and Local 600 to come in roughly about once a month to provide a hot meal,” said Matthew Bender, N.O.A.H. lunch program coordinator, during lunch service Thursday afternoon. “It’s really nice to be able to provide that for our participants.”
This week, UAW volunteers started something particularly special for the roughly 150-200 people that came to the church. Volunteers actually cooked and grilled the food themselves compared to ordering it.
Bill Eaddy, assistant director to vice president Jimmy settles in charge of special projects, said the group plans to continue cooking their own because it adds a personal touch that many at the church really appreciate.
UAW-Ford volunteer Debbie Littleton passes out food May 8, 2014 during a N.O.A.H. Project (Networking, Organizing & Advocating for the Homeless) lunch program at Central United Methodist Church, 23 E. Adams in Detroit
“Ford and the UAW have been blessed and we wanted to do a little bit more,” he said, adding the UAW also doubled its volunteers for the event.
Jane Granger, one volunteer, has been volunteering with the program for four years. She, like many other volunteers, said she loves being able to help others.
“It feels great because I love giving back to the less fortunate and that’s what our program is really all about,” she said. “UAW and Ford, we’re into helping the community.”
UAW Vice President Jimmy Settles, who visited the N.O.A.H. lunch Thursday, said Ford-UAW’s nearly 50,000 members continue to try and help whenever they can in their communities.
“This is just a continuum of what we do on a monthly basis,” he said. “Our members volunteer everywhere around this country to help out the underprivileged and under-served population.”
With helping the community, officials said they hope to turn more people, like Tucker, from lunch participants to volunteers.
“I enjoy coming to work because this is like my therapy also,” Tucker said. “It keeps me balanced. It reminds me where I came from; reminds me where I could go back to.”
N.O.A.H.’s mission is to end homelessness in Detroit and Southeastern Michigan. For more information on volunteering or the N.O.A.H. program, visit noahprojectdetroit.org