COTS

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COTS COTS creates opportunities for families to overcome poverty and succeed in building stability! How can you help in COTS’ mission?

COTS is a community organization in Detroit, MI, dedicated to helping local families overcome homelessness and poverty. They help these families build strong and stable households by Creating Opportunities To Succeed, offering them assistance in achieving their health, financial, career, and educational goals. The primary objective for this non-profit organization is to aid families in breaking the cycle of poverty for the generation that follows. From temporary housing to education and job training, COTS offers Passports to Self Sufficiency (PTS) to help families achieve their goals. This program is a coaching strategy designed to help families in all areas of life, including housing and family stability, economic mobility and empowerment, health and well-being, education and job training, and employment and career development. As a non-profit organization, COTS depends on donations, which are essential to keeping hope alive for the families they help. They accept cash donations, all of which go to helping local families live healthier and happier lives. This organization takes great pride in what they do and hope you’ll join them in their mission of helping these families succeed. This organization offers a wide range of volunteer opportunities for those looking to donate their time, talent, and energy. Here’s how you can help:

* Donation drives for staples such as toiletries and linens

* Virtual storytelling for our kids

* Sorting donations, supporting the distribution of supplies

Volunteer at a non-profit organization with a great cause. COTS is committed to helping families succeed and wants you to take part in their journey. Call (313) 576-0201 to learn more about volunteer opportunities or visit them online at www.cotsdetroit.org.

Black Her Stories x COTS The Art of Family Act Four: “Shining a Light on the Wellbeing of Professional Caregivers”In thi...
10/14/2026

Black Her Stories x COTS The Art of Family Act Four: “Shining a Light on the Wellbeing of Professional Caregivers”
In this bonus episode, Michaela shifts the focus to the caregivers themselves—the social workers, coaches, and human services professionals who hold space for families while carrying the weight of this work in their own bodies and hearts.

Through conversations with licensed therapist Jeffery Williams and COTS Director of Coaching and Training LaTonia Walker, we explore what vicarious and secondary trauma really look like—and what it takes to care for yourself when you're in proximity to someone else's pain.

Whether you're in a helping profession or simply curious about what wellness looks like for those who care for others, this episode is for you.

Listen to Act Four Here: https://bit.ly/cots-podcast-part4

Click the link in our bio to check out Acts One-Three on Spotify or https://bit.ly/art-of-family-podcast

The future is unknown. This holiday season, we want you to have the tools you need to gain peace of mind. One of the mos...
10/14/2026

The future is unknown. This holiday season, we want you to have the tools you need to gain peace of mind. One of the most powerful ways you can cultivate certainty is by making your estate plans. National Estate Planning Awareness Week is from October 19–25, so now is the perfect time.

By creating your plans, you can protect your loved ones, arrange how your assets are distributed, and support the causes that matter most to you, like COTS. Our partner, FreeWill , offers free online resources that are available to you. Their platform guides you through writing your will in 20 minutes, identifying beneficiaries for assets outside your will, and naming individuals to make important health and financial decisions if you are unable to do so.

Visit https://frwill.link/cots1026 to begin your free will and legacy.

Securing the future for COTS starts with doing the same for ourselves and all close to our hearts. Thank you again for all that you do to create opportunities for families to thrive and succeed in building strong and stable households, neighborhoods, and communities.

We are seeking sponsors for Soup City 2027: The Ultimate Party Edition— come party with a purpose!Sponsorships from $250...
10/12/2026

We are seeking sponsors for Soup City 2027: The Ultimate Party Edition— come party with a purpose!

Sponsorships from $250–$50,000:

✔️ Logo placement everywhere
✔️ Tickets & auction access
✔️ Social media love

Extra ways to partner:
• Restaurant Sponsor ($2,500) + edibleWOW ad
• Auction Donor ($50+) – donate items/experiences!

Complete your sponsorship form here: https://bit.ly/soup-city-2027.

For volunteer opportunities or questions, DM us or contact:
Debra: [email protected]
Rachel: [email protected]

New Episode! Black Her Stories x COTS The Art of Family Act Three: “Uprooting Poverty Narratives Through the Power of Fa...
10/08/2026

New Episode! Black Her Stories x COTS The Art of Family Act Three: “Uprooting Poverty Narratives Through the Power of Family” is live now.

Act Three of Black Her Stories x COTS The Art of Family Podcast brings us to Peterboro Arms Apartments, our supportive housing in Midtown, Detroit. Through a collage workshop created by host Michaela Ayers and conversations with residents, we explore the stories we've inherited about poverty and what becomes possible when a community rewrites its story together.

Listen to Act Three here: https://bit.ly/cots-podcast-part3

Catch up on Acts One and Two on Spotify. A Bonus episode, Act Four, drops next week.

To connect with the creator of Black Her Stories, Michaela Ayers, visit https://nourish.community/.

As we transition into Fall and reflect on a year of impact, we want to thank you. In 2025, your support helped COTS serv...
10/05/2026

As we transition into Fall and reflect on a year of impact, we want to thank you. In 2025, your support helped COTS serve 1,146 people across 424 families. Your support helps us meet the challenges of poverty and housing instability with life-changing programs.

As we move closer to 2027, our 45th year of serving Detroit, we invite you to help families step into a new season of possibility. Click the link below to learn how you can help provide support and supplies for our programs.

Support COTS: cotsdetroit.org/donate

We're excited to share Part II of a four-part series of The Art of Family Podcast in collaboration with Black Her Storie...
09/30/2026

We're excited to share Part II of a four-part series of The Art of Family Podcast in collaboration with Black Her Stories entitled “Peeling Back the Layers of Poverty, Homelessness and Motherhood”.

In this episode, host Michaela Ayers takes us inside Peggy's Place, our emergency shelter on Detroit's west side. Through a collage workshop with mothers living in the shelter and conversations with COTS COO Corisa Reed, Director of Coaching LaTonia Walker, and licensed therapist Jeffery Williams, this episode explores how trauma and generational poverty shape the mind and how the stories we tell can either limit or liberate us.

🎧 Listen to Part II now.

Haven't heard Part I? Catch up here, where Michaela shares how this creative collaboration began: https://bit.ly/cots-podcast-part1

Get ready to taste the best of Detroit! 🍽️✨ Detroit Restaurant Week is back from November 2–8, 2026, and it’s the perfec...
09/30/2026

Get ready to taste the best of Detroit! 🍽️✨ Detroit Restaurant Week is back from November 2–8, 2026, and it’s the perfect time to explore the city’s dynamic culinary scene.
Enjoy specially curated prix fixe menus at the city’s top restaurants. Plus, every bite supports a great cause—this year, COTS is one of the benefiting non-profits!

Download the app now and start planning your culinary adventure: https://www.restaurantweekdetroit.com/download

📲 Let the app be your guide:
• Interactive map to find featured restaurants
• Menus at your fingertips
• Exclusive experiences
• Check in and share your favorite dishes

Mark your calendars for Thursday, January 21, 2027, and get ready to celebrate with us at Detroit's iconic Roostertail! ...
09/29/2026

Mark your calendars for Thursday, January 21, 2027, and get ready to celebrate with us at Detroit's iconic Roostertail! This is the ultimate celebration of the families we serve and the impact we make together. Life's milestone events is the theme; whether it’s a birthday, Christmas, or slumber party, come dressed in your favorite party theme attire.

We offer several sponsorship levels that support COTS’ mission and help families thrive. Secure your spot now; visit www.cotsdetroit.org/soupcity or contact Debra Lee at [email protected] or 313-576-0223.

If you are interested in volunteering at the event, contact Rachel Minion at [email protected] or (947) 426-0379.

Learn more at our website: www.cotsdetroit.org/soupcity

This giving season, COTS is collecting items for families in need. We could use your help collecting the following:• Toy...
09/26/2026

This giving season, COTS is collecting items for families in need. We could use your help collecting the following:

• Toys for babies, toddlers, children & youth
• $20 gift cards for teens
• Male/Female toiletries (new/unopened)
• Thanksgiving basket items (no perishables, please!)

We are also looking for volunteers to assist with donation distribution and organization. Every item donated, every minute volunteered makes a big difference in someone’s life, and we appreciate you thinking of COTS families!

👉 Give or learn more: https://bit.ly/support-cots
📍 Drop off: 26 Peterboro St. Suite 100, Detroit, MI 48201

Celebrating 10 Years of Breaking the Cycle of Generational Poverty COTS CEO Cheryl Johnson and Passport to Self-Sufficie...
09/25/2026

Celebrating 10 Years of Breaking the Cycle of Generational Poverty

COTS CEO Cheryl Johnson and Passport to Self-Sufficiency participant Shoushanna Simpson were recently featured on American Black Journal on PBS Detroit.
They sat down with host Stephen Henderson to discuss the 10-year anniversary of our Passport to Self-Sufficiency initiative and the powerful impact it's having on Detroit families.

Watch the full episode here: https://bit.ly/cots-pbs-detroit

Address

26 Peterboro, Suite 100
Detroit, MI
48201

Opening Hours

Monday 8am - 5pm
Tuesday 8am - 5pm
Wednesday 8am - 5pm
Thursday 8am - 5pm
Friday 8am - 5pm

Telephone

+13138313777

Website

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