FedUp has had a busy start to the new year! We are excited to continue to grow and continue our positive impact in 2024. During the winter months, our Free Regular Community Meals are at the Daytime Warming Centers in Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti at noon every Wednesday. We will be back to serving meals on the truck in April! 

Since launching our WashUp program in 2023, we have been offering free showers to the community. The Ypsilanti Freighthouse is being used as a daytime warming center during the winter months, and we host daily showers all four days the warming center operates. Our shower services are one of the easiest ways community members can volunteer with us!

Our Free Regular Community Meal Program continues to serve the community during the winter months! So far in 2024 we have served 1,859 free meals. We also have a new partner, Alpha House, utilizing our meal services for their expanding family shelter needs! We hope to continue to expand our meal program and increase our Meals Served this year!

In addition to our regular meal schedule, we also offer catering! When you choose FedUp for your catering needs, you are supporting our free meal and mobile shower services as well as promoting hunger justice in our community. In the next few weeks, we will also be offering a new boxed lunch catering option! You can view our catering menu and check for updates on our website. Leave the cooking to us, and hire us for your next catered event!

At the beginning of 2024 we relaunched our regular weekly LiftUp Worship & Brunch service on Sunday mornings. We worship together at 10:00am and serve free brunch after, every week except the third Sunday of the month because that’s the day our partners at Around the Kitchen Table host their monthly brunch. With the relaunch of LiftUp we are able to ensure a consistent weekly brunch for the whole community from 11am-1pm at Growing Hope’s Farmers Market location all winter long! All are welcome to join, you can come at 11:00am for just the meal or come early to sing with us! We would love to see you!

Here's where you can find us & our services right now:

Winter Free Meals:

Wednesdays at 12-1pm

Ann Arbor Warming Center (Church Location Changes)
The Ypsilanti Warming Center (Freight House) 

Sundays from 11am-1pm

LiftUp at Growing Hope Farmers Marketplace Hall, 16 S Washington St, Ypsilanti 48197 (Worship starts at 10am)

Winter WashUp Showers:

Monday - Thursday 10:00am-3:00pm

Ypsilanti Freight House

Najma (she/her), Training and Technical Assitance Consultant/Doula is a wife and proud homeschooling mother of six. She joined the FedUp Board of Directors in January of 2024.

Najma prides herself in bringing a parent’s perspective and voice to every table that involves families. She has volunteered her time and energy supporting families and others in her local community since she was a high-school student.

When Najma is not attending to her family, you can find her out in her community. She is engaged in the work of the Michigan Region 9 Perinatal Quality Collaborative, which is a diverse group of people working to improve health outcomes for birthing families and their infants. She is a board member of a local non-profit organization that strives to lift people out of poverty, and she is a Parent Representative on the Advisory Board for Parent Leadership in State Government. She helped in the development of the Racial Justice Impact Assessment Tool for Washtenaw County Health Department where she serves as a member of Community Voices and the Health Equity Council.

Family is my first ministry.

We have four new interns that have just joined our team. They're excited to be working with us and we’re excited to introduce them!

In addition to working with FedUp, Pastor Anna and her team are involved with several external groups, including the Washtenaw Food Policy Council, the Washtenaw County Advisory Council on Reparations, and the Homelessness Solidarity Network. This engagement is especially important as FedUp looks for ways beyond the food truck to engage the community and make an impact. 

As we step into the new year, we at FedUp are reflecting on the impact we've made together in supporting our unhoused neighbors throughout Ann Arbor, Ypsilanti, and Washtenaw County as a whole. We've witnessed the resilience and strength within our community, but we also recognize that the challenges faced by those experiencing homelessness persist.

As we continue to navigate the uncertainties of our time, the need for community support is more critical than ever. The ongoing pandemic, economic instability, and other systemic issues has made the already dire situation for many houseless individuals worse. But together, we can make a difference.

Consider donating your time and skills to our cause! From assisting with meal distributions to helping run our shower truck, there are countless ways to get involved and make a meaningful impact. We love having folks work in the kitchen and we’re looking for more volunteers to help with our new WashUp service! Check out the sign up genius linked below.

Donate Financially: Your financial contribution, no matter the size, directly impacts the lives of those we serve and every dollar makes a difference. Consider joining the Convoy and make a difference every month for the next year or more!

Spread the Word: Help us amplify our message by sharing our mission with your friends, family, and colleagues. By raising awareness about the issue of homelessness in our community, we can inspire others to join us in our efforts.

Leave the Cooking to Us: Hire us for your next catered event.

Donate Goods: In-kind donations such as body wash, deodorant, cleaning supplies, hair products, and other types of shower and hygiene items are always appreciated. These essential items help us run our shower truck and help provide a variety of items to cater to a diverse population.