Detroit Phoenix Center deliver essentials to homeless, at risk youth

DETROIT (FOX 2) - Workers are stuffing boxes with the essentials - from food to toilet paper - for young people who are homeless or at risk who because of the coronavirus can no longer come to the Detroit Phoenix Center for the resources they need.

The drop-in center is closed, so the resources are being delivered to them.

Organization delivers care packages to at risk youth who can’t travel

Detroit Phoenix Center is delivering boxes of essentials to homeless youth.

“During the pandemic, poverty doesn't pause, right? And people are in greater need now than ever before,” said Courtney Smith.

Smith founded the Detroit Phoenix Center three years ago after seeing so many young people without a home, sleeping on a friend's couch -- at risk of ending up on the street.

RELATED: Social distancing: What to do and what not to do to slow the spread of COVID-19

“They're incredibly resilient so they make a way but we just want to let them know they're not alone,” she said.

The center is where the most vulnerable - ages 13 to 24 - can find food and take a shower, do their laundry and so much more.

“Our young people may not be able to get physically to us so we have to take the services to them,” Smith said.

So they packed up 150 boxes to go out to their clients and their families. Courtney has emptied the food pantry at the center and is hoping the community will help her with donations to continue to care for those most in need. In each box is a letter, letting clients know - they care, saying things like “you're going to get through these tough times. Stay encouraged.”

With the help of Enjoy Detroit, they'll be distributing as many as often as they can.

“This is where you need organizations and leaders and business owners need to perform their miracles and their mission that they actually believe in. When times get tough like this we gotta persevere,” said Dave Woods, founder of Enjoy Detroit.

RELATED: Track Michigan coronavirus cases by county with this interactive map

For more information on how you can help them persevere in these challenging times, visit detroitphoenixcenter.org