South Oakland Shelter (SOS) provides emergency shelter in Oakland County. Prior to the pandemic, BUC served as “home” for SOS guests for a one-week period in early November. We hosted 30-35 adults and children in our church and provided them with overnight accommodations, three daily meals, transportation, and meaningful interactions with caring volunteers as part of a rotational hosting program. BUCers and friends joined with members of the Beacon, Northwest, and Farmington UU congregations and Muslim Unity Center to serve in a variety of roles throughout the week to provide a welcoming and comfortable experience for our guests. 

Since the start of the COVID pandemic in 2020, SOS has housed its clients in a motel, accommodating approximately 100 adults and children at a time. BUC and our partner congregations conduct a fundraising campaign in fall to fund meals, in partnership with Meals on Wheels, for our November host week. As the situation permits, we provide home cooked dinners during that week.

SOS services are received on a first-call, first-served basis and include housing, meals, transportation, support for gaining employment and housing, and other assistance. The Lighthouse organization is working on longer-term alternatives for serving clients in a post-pandemic setting through its SOS program.

CONTACT Paul Plante, pplante@twmi.rr.com