OLHSA sells building, partners with other nonprofits to serve area

With a strong commitment to the South Oakland community at the core of its message, Oakland Livingston Human Service Agency (OLHSA) announces that it has sold its building at 345 E. Nine Mile Rd. in Ferndale. As of Dec. 1, services to low-income residents including the food pantry, emergency utility assistance, Women, Infants and Children (WIC) and comprehensive needs assessments will no longer be available at that location. In order to remain accessible to residents of Ferndale and surrounding neighborhoods, OLHSA is partnering with two other local nonprofits. Over the course of the next couple months OLHSA will establish services at three new locations in Ferndale:. * Accounting Aid Society at 1956 Hilton Road will offer OLHSA's full array of Welcome Center services as of December 1, 2012. Residents who have fallen on hard times can visit this office to discover all the ways OLHSA can help them create a path for success. * Renaissance Vineyard Church at 1841 Pinecrest Drive will become OLHSA's food assistance hub in Ferndale. Emergency food assistance will be available, along with a client-choice pantry where residents can play an active part in choosing their own food. This location will be up and running by January 2013. * Office space at 3029 Hilton Road will house OLHSA's WIC Program beginning late January 2013. After years on the market, the sale of 345 E. Nine Mile means that OLHSA can move forward to establishing a more accessible and effective presence in South Oakland County. By opening these new locations OLHSA's presence will remain strong in Ferndale, and without the ties of owning the previous building OLHSA is free to seek out other opportunities for providing services to South Oakland County. "Being accessible to our clients and effective in helping them improve their lives is our most important goal," said Ronald B. Borngesser, CEO of OLHSA. "The old building just wasn't the best fit for us, but we can now focus on our strong community partnerships as a tool to better serve our community. Together we can look forward to what that future will bring." To find out more information about OLHSA's services or apply for assistance, contact OLHSA's Welcome Center in Pontiac at 248-209-2600. Published: Thu, Nov 22, 2012