Amanda Forrester / news@whmi.com

Active Faith, a community center in South Lyon, is moving into a new building that they say will allow them to offer more support to people in need.

The center has been serving the community since it was founded by 10 churches in 1987. They offer many services, including a food pantry, vocational services and a back to school event for children.

The organization has a four-star rating on Charity Navigator, which is the highest rating a charity can have. $.94 of every dollar goes directly into programs.

Active Faith assists people that are on a limited income, which is a broad term that covers seniors only collecting social security, working families making minimum wage and people with disabilities that prevent them from being able to work.

Executive Director Sharon Sower said the entire South Lyon School District is included in their service area, but they can help get people outside of their district assistance through other community centers.

Currently, Active Faith is helping nearly 700 families, but the need is growing.

“I think inflation is the biggest indicator,” Sower said. “What we see here is there were families that were making it, but now it’s hard and they’re not.”

It can be difficult for people to picture the true scope of people who are in need, according to Sower.

“Poverty is hidden,” Sower said. “If it’s not in your neighborhood, you don’t see it. It's around us. It’s everywhere.”

The new location is at 553 Lafayette Street, which is the main road through town. Sower said the new building will make them more visible to both people needing assistance and donors.

The building will more than double in size. The current building is around 3,000 square feet, and the new location is 7,000 square feet.

The added space will allow Active Faith to expand the number of services available. Sower said they plan to resume tutoring and be able to bring their mental health and free health clinic partners into the building for additional benefits for the community. They will also be able to host groups looking to host fundraisers.

“It’s going to make a difference in the lives of so many people,” Sower said. “When our local community is healthy, strong and we take care of each other, it’s a safe place to raise your family. It’s a safe place for all of us to live. It makes sense.”

The organization offers a “life preserver” to people that need it, and meets them wherever they are, Sower said. Clients meet with a social worker that can help them get more long-term help than just food, such as job training.

According to Sower, the decision to move from their current location was made after looking at the organization’s 10-year strategic plan and forming a committee. She said they first looked at expanding their current location, but logistically that was impossible. The next step was investigating whether moving into a church, buying land and having a new location built or buying an existing building would be the best option.

Lack of parking was one of the main issues Active Faith wanted to address, Sower said. The current location only has five parking spots. The new building will have a lot with 33 available spaces. People can be forced to park across the street, making it unsafe for people with mobility issues.

Active Faith currently has a capital campaign to help cover the cost of the renovations. A capital campaign is money given directly to the cost of a building or renovations. The cost of the building was covered by a grant the organization received from the state for $840,000, Sower said. The costs for the renovations are higher than they anticipated because the building had many things that needed to be fixed to meet their needs.

As of Wednesday evening, the campaign had raised $1,017,500 of the $1,500,000 goal needed to finish the renovations. Costs include replacing floors and plumbing, putting in a new energy-efficient on-demand water heater and new furnaces. The plan is to put solar panels on the roof in the future, Sower said.

Active Faith should be moved into their new location in October, and resuming operations by November, according to their website.

Sower said a lot of the work they do would be impossible without the support of local businesses, the city government and the community. One local business, Witch’s Hat Brewery, hosts an annual fundraiser called Fury for a Feast. This year they raised $25,000, to be split between Active Faith and Blessings in a Backpack. Blessings in a Backpack gives food to children who are facing food insecurities for non-school days, like weekends and school breaks.

“I want people to think of it as an investment in the community,” Sower said. “I want them to see it through our eyes. The best way we can do that is to create a dignified, easy access atmosphere that people can be comfortable knowing they’re cared for. For a lot of people, it lifts them out of their circumstances. It gives them hope. That’s why I feel the community should pitch in, that’s for their neighbors.”

The group offers opportunities for children and adults to help, whether it’s volunteering or running a fundraiser.

People can donate online at activefaithcs.org, mailing a check to P.O. Box 188, South Lyon, Michigan 48178 or they can designate part of their 401K or IRA to be given over to Active Faith.

Those interested in getting involved or in need of assistance can also visit their website linked below, or call 248-437-9790.