When You Don’t Know Who to Call, Community Navigation Connects You to the Help You Need
Sometimes life hits all at once.
The shutoff notice arrives the same week the car breaks down. The rent is due and the hours got cut. A medical bill shows up that there is no way to pay. And you sit there at the kitchen table, staring at it all, thinking the same thing so many people think.
I do not even know where to start.
Here is the good news. You do not have to know where to start. That is the whole point of Community Navigation.
Community Navigation is a free service from The Information Center, and it does one simple but powerful thing. When you do not know who to call, you call us. We listen to what is going on, and then we connect you to the right help. Housing. Food. Utility assistance. Healthcare. Job leads. Whatever the need is, we help you find the resource that fits.
You may have heard this service called Information and Referral in the past. The work is the same, but the name has grown to better describe what we actually do. We do not just hand you a list and wish you luck. We help you navigate to the help you need.
One number for when life gets hard and you are not sure where to turn. 734-282-7171. Free. Confidential. Real people who want to help.
What Community Navigation Actually Does
Think of a Community Navigator as a guide who knows the whole map.
There are hundreds of programs and organizations out there that help people. Rent assistance. Food banks. Utility help. Free clinics. Job training. Legal aid. The problem is that most people have no idea these resources exist, or which one fits their situation, or how to reach them. The help is out there, but finding it can feel like a full time job at the exact moment you have the least energy to spare.
That is the gap Community Navigation fills. You call once. You tell us what is happening. And our team does the work of figuring out which resources can help, then connecting you to them.
We keep up to date information on programs across the community, so you do not have to dig through outdated websites or get bounced from one wrong number to the next. We know who helps with what. And if the right help is somewhere we do not directly serve, we connect you with a community navigation agency in your area instead.
Things Community Navigation Can Help With
People call us about all kinds of needs. Here are five of the most common, though this is only the start of what we help with.
1. Rent and Housing Help
If you are behind on rent, facing eviction, or struggling to find a safe place to live, we can connect you with rental assistance programs, housing resources, and organizations that help people stay housed. Housing stress touches everything else in life, so this is one of the most important calls you can make.
2. Utility Shutoff Help
A shutoff notice for your electric, gas, or water is scary, and it is also one of the most solvable problems we see. There are programs that help people catch up on utility bills and protect against losing service. We can point you to the ones that fit your situation.
3. Food
No one should go hungry. We connect people with food pantries, meal programs, and food assistance resources across the community. Whether it is an emergency this week or an ongoing need, we can help you find food for yourself and your family.
4. Healthcare
If you need care but do not have insurance, cannot afford a prescription, or do not know where to find an affordable clinic, we can help. We connect people with healthcare resources, free and low cost clinics, and programs that make care more affordable.
5. Job Leads and Employment Help
If you are looking for work or trying to build new skills, we can connect you to employment resources, including Michigan Works! One Call, which helps job seekers find work, training, and career support. Steady work changes everything, and we can help you take the first step.
And So Much More
Those five are the most common, but they are far from the only things we help with. Our team connects people to more than forty different types of resources, including help with things like:
• Transportation
• Legal aid
• Mental health support
• Services for older adults
• Support for people with disabilities
• Help for caregivers
• Programs for veterans
• And many others
The point is this. You do not need to know whether we can help with your specific situation before you call. Just call. If we can connect you to the right resource, we will. And if your need falls outside what we cover, we will still help you figure out where to turn.
Who Can Call, and Where We Serve
Community Navigation is for anyone who needs help finding resources. You do not need to qualify for anything. You do not need to prove anything. You do not need to be in a full blown emergency, though we are here for those too. If you need help and you are not sure where to find it, you can call.
We primarily serve Wayne County, including Detroit, and Monroe County, because those are the areas where we keep the deepest, most current information on local resources. But we assist people from any area. If you call from somewhere we do not have resources, we will connect you with a community navigation agency near you so you still get the help you need.
Bottom line. No matter where you are, calling us is a good first step. Worst case, we point you to someone closer to home.
What Happens When You Call
Picking up the phone is the hardest part, so let us take the mystery out of it. Here is what actually happens when you call Community Navigation.
1. A real person answers. When you call 734-282-7171 during business hours, you reach a member of our team, not a machine.
2. We listen. You tell us what is going on. There is no script to get through and no judgment. We just want to understand what you need.
3. We find the right resources. Based on your situation, we identify the programs and organizations that can help, and we share how to reach them.
4. You take the next step with a clear path. You hang up knowing where to turn, instead of staring at a problem with no idea where to start.
The call is free. It is confidential. And there is no obligation. You are simply getting connected to help that already exists.
Why One Call Can Change Everything
When you are in the middle of a crisis, the hardest part is often not the problem itself. It is the feeling of being alone with it. Of not knowing who to ask, or whether help even exists, or whether you are the only one going through this.
You are not alone, and help does exist. Most people who are struggling are not failing. They simply have not found the right resource yet. The difference between staying stuck and getting unstuck is often just one connection, made by someone who knows where to point you.
That is what Community Navigation is. A single phone call that turns I do not know where to start into here is exactly where to go next.
You do not have to carry it alone. You do not have to figure it all out by yourself. You just have to make the call.
Know Someone Who Needs This?
If you read this and someone came to mind, a friend, a family member, a neighbor, a coworker, share it with them. Save the number in your phone. Pass it along the next time someone you know is struggling and does not know where to turn.
You might be the connection that changes everything for them. Sometimes the most helpful thing you can do is simply tell someone where to call.
The Information Center, Community Navigation. 734-282-7171. Free, confidential, and here to help.