Two blue hands reach upwards within a circular emblem on the left, next to the bold blue text "HATW" and the smaller text "HANDS ACROSS THE WATER" on a white background.

Check made out to Friends In Deed (on memo line, please include Name of fundraiser/team)
Address to send check: Friends In Deed: 1196 Ecorse Rd, Ypsilanti MI 48198

Take the Leap. Make an Impact. Change Lives.September 11–12 | Hill Hall at Eastern Michigan University This September, bold community members will rappel down Hill Hall at Eastern Michigan University — not just for the thrill, but for our neighbors. At Friends In Deed, we meet people who are working hard, raising families, pursuing education, and contributing to our community — yet facing barriers that make it harder to gain traction. Over The Edge helps remove those barriers.<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/hxn9dbuhd/image/upload/v1771960950/wysiwyg/lfm46flhevmcwxb5i9aj.jpg" style="width:320px;display:block;vertical-align:top;margin:5px auto;text-align:center;padding:0px 1px;max-width:100%" />R. Tyrone Kelsey, FID's Executive Director, took the leap last year — will you be next?  What Makes Our Cause Special? 1️⃣ We Remove Barriers to Economic MobilityA car repair shouldn’t cost someone their job.A past-due bill shouldn’t derail a family’s housing.A child shouldn’t sleep on the floor while their parent is working full-time. Through our Essential Services Program, we:<ul><li>Help families remain housed</li><li>Support transportation access so people can work</li><li>Provide beds and essential furniture</li><li>Assist seniors with vital needs</li></ul>Through Circles Washtenaw, we invest in long-term financial security by:<ul><li>Building intentional, 24-month partnerships</li><li>Supporting career growth and financial goals</li><li>Investing in children’s educational development</li><li>Strengthening relationships that expand opportunity</li></ul>We don’t step in because people are broken.We step in because systems create barriers — and community can remove them. 2️⃣ We Focus on Strength and PartnershipWe believe:<ul><li>People are capable.</li><li>Poverty is complex.</li><li>Change happens in relationship.</li></ul>Our neighbors are not defined by what they lack — but by their resilience, goals, and potential. We don’t “rescue.”We collaborate.We walk alongside. 3️⃣ This Is Local. This Is Personal.Every dollar raised through Over The Edge stays in Washtenaw County.When someone rappels down Hill Hall:<ul><li>A family continues building toward hope.</li><li>A child sleeps safely and studies at a desk.</li><li>A Circles Leader moves into higher-wage employment with benefits.</li></ul>This is not about charity.It’s about community investment. 🎯 Why Give? Because hard work should open doors.Because opportunity shouldn’t depend on zip code.Because when one neighbor gains traction, the entire community grows stronger. Over The Edge is bold. But the real courage belongs to the families building momentum every day.When you give, you’re not responding to a crisis.You’re investing in forward movement. Thank you for your participation and support. Together, we are building a stronger, more compassionate Washtenaw County! For more guidance, we’ve provided resources to help you every step of the way:<ul><li><a href="https://www.canva.com/design/DAGeW9tMEc8/uUaSNdpSRKHc6BrWJCyFnQ/view?utm_content=DAGeW9tMEc8&amp;utm_campaign=designshare&amp;utm_medium=link2&amp;utm_source=uniquelinks&amp;utlId=h2be8361e4e" target="_blank">Rappeller Handbook:</a> A helpful guide to maximize your rappelling experience.</li><li><a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Cyx67_Ne8PNDO032TEuyo3VMkaesaffskZK1m8OsJkw/edit?usp=sharing" target="_blank">Fundraising Toolkit:</a> Download this PDF for tips, email templates, and social media graphics to make sharing easy.</li></ul>

Over The Edge 2026

<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/hxn9dbuhd/image/upload/v1786644866/wysiwyg/pcnqtrm2iewfx3drex20.jpg" style="width:394px;display:block;vertical-align:top;margin:5px auto;text-align:center;padding:0px 1px;max-width:100%" /> Take the Leap. Make an Impact. Change Lives. September 11–12 | Hill Hall at Eastern Michigan University This September, bold community members will rappel down Hill Hall at Eastern Michigan University — not just for the thrill, but for children and families who deserve the opportunity to heal, reconnect, and thrive. For more than 25 years, Hands Across The Water (HATW) has supported children and families through foster care licensing and case management, adoption, kinship care, family reunification, and behavioral health services. At the heart of our work is a simple belief: Every child is valued and deserves a safe home and loving family where they can thrive. But sometimes, the path to healing and reunification is filled with barriers. Your support helps remove them. What Makes Our Cause Special? 1️⃣ We Remove the Barriers That Stand Between Families and HealingFamilies working toward reunification often face challenges that have little to do with their love for one another. They may need transportation to visit their children. They may need therapy while waiting for insurance coverage to begin. They may need food, clothing, or hygiene items during an unexpected crisis. They may need help navigating complicated systems — or simply an opportunity to spend meaningful time together. Your gifts help HATW provide:<ul><li>Pro bono therapy when there is a gap in coverage</li><li>Emergency food, clothing, hygiene items, and other essential needs</li><li>Door-to-door transportation so families can see one another</li><li>Parenting support and assistance navigating systems</li><li>Enrichment opportunities like summer camp, music lessons, soccer, art classes, and school trips</li><li>Regular opportunities for separated siblings to connect, play, and simply be together</li><li>Transportation and practical support that make family connections possible</li></ul>These aren't luxuries. They're the things that can make the difference between a family feeling stuck — and a family moving forward. 2️⃣ We Believe in Strengths, Not LabelsHATW provides inclusive, strengths-based services because we believe families are more than their circumstances.We see:<ul><li>A parent working toward reunification.</li><li>A child navigating change and uncertainty.</li><li>Siblings who simply want to spend time together.</li><li>A family learning new ways to communicate and heal.</li><li>Young people discovering their strengths and finding their place in the world.</li></ul>We don't define people by their challenges. We recognize their resilience, honor their strengths, and walk alongside them. HATW has proudly been recognized by the Human Rights Campaign every year since 2011 for supporting and serving LGBTQ+ youth and families. Our goal is not simply to provide services. It's to create the conditions where children and families can thrive. 3️⃣ This Is About Connection. This Is About Family.A child shouldn't have to choose between loving the family they're growing up with and loving the family they're separated from. A sibling relationship shouldn't disappear because circumstances have changed. A parent shouldn't lose the opportunity to build a relationship with their child because they can't afford transportation. And a family shouldn't have to wait for a system to catch up before they can begin healing. That's where community comes in. When you support HATW, you're helping make it possible for:<ul><li>Families to spend time together.</li><li>Siblings to create memories.</li><li>Parents to develop the skills and confidence they need.</li><li>Children to participate in activities that help them grow.</li><li>Families to access the therapeutic support they need to heal.</li><li>Children to experience stability, connection, and belonging.</li></ul>This is more than charity.It's an investment in children, families, and stronger communities. 🎯 Why Give?Because every child deserves to feel safe, valued, and loved. Because families deserve the opportunity to heal and grow together. Because a lack of transportation, money, or access to services shouldn't determine whether a family can stay connected. Because sometimes removing one external barrier creates space for something much bigger: hope, healing, and connection. Over The Edge is bold. But the real courage belongs to the children, parents, siblings, and families doing the hard work of healing and moving forward every day. When you give, you're helping them take that next step. And when you rappel down Hill Hall, you're doing more than taking a leap. You're helping a child stay connected to their family. You're helping a parent move closer to reunification. You're helping a sibling make memories with someone they love. You're helping create a community where every child has the opportunity to thrive. Take the leap. Make an impact. Change lives. Thank you for your participation and support. Together, we can help children and families find connection, healing, and a path forward. For more guidance, we’ve provided resources to help you every step of the way:<ul><li><a href="https://www.canva.com/design/DAGeW9tMEc8/uUaSNdpSRKHc6BrWJCyFnQ/view?utm_content=DAGeW9tMEc8&amp;utm_campaign=designshare&amp;utm_medium=link2&amp;utm_source=uniquelinks&amp;utlId=h2be8361e4e" target="_blank">Rappeller Handbook:</a> A helpful guide to maximize your rappelling experience.</li><li><a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Cyx67_Ne8PNDO032TEuyo3VMkaesaffskZK1m8OsJkw/edit?usp=sharing" target="_blank">Fundraising Toolkit:</a> Download this PDF for tips, email templates, and social media graphics to make sharing easy.</li></ul>

Hands Across the Water

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