Day 25

The good news of great joy is that God is still with us. We live into that hope as we go boldly into a new year.

Day 24

147 families moved into ICCF homes this year and 28 housing counseling graduates became homeowners!

Day 23

A donated sculpture anchors the intersection of Division and Logan, reflecting the importance of beauty in affordable homes and public spaces.

Now installed outside The Southgate, the sculpture Jester was part of the 6-month “Paley” exhibition in 2013 on Park Avenue in New York City. Located at the intersection of 57th Street and Park Avenue, Jester was one of the 13 monumental works created by Paley for the exhibition. Following its display in New York, the sculpture was gifted to ICCF by Fieldstead and Company. See more on Youtube here.

Day 22

Spiritual development is part of our holistic approach to housing. Community Connectors serve as organizers and chaplains, and host Bible studies available to our residents. Learn more in our newsletter here.

Day 21

Many groups and individuals who have volunteered with ICCF over the years have enjoyed a sweet treat delivered from grateful staff. Learn more on our blog here.

Day 20

Our new home at 415 MLK is an example of the restoration we seek to embody. The once abandoned building now is home to Madison Church: South Hill, ICCF’s offices, an early childhood education center, and 40 households in affordable apartments. Watch more here.

Day 19

Many local greenhouses have donated plants and landscaping supplies over the years, allowing us to beautify homes affordably. Thank you! Learn more on our blog here. If you would like to be part of this effort, visit iccf.org/get-involved to learn more.

Day 18

Affordable housing and supportive services are made possible by the generous gifts of neighbors. Please consider making a gift this year. Donate today.

Day 17

When families arrive in shelter they often have few belongings. At Family Haven each family leaves with new, donated bedding to furnish their next place. As we continue to serve neighbors, we are continuously in need of bedding and volunteers to organize it. More information about the supplies our neighbors need is at iccf.org/donate/#inKindGifts.

Day 16

Stable housing allows families to cultivate holiday traditions. One ICCF tradition is a resident Christmas party, often with a staff member dressed as Santa.

Day 15

One of our most dramatic restorations, 920 Cherry was condemned and about to be demolished. Many donors helped us preserve the historic building, make it a beautiful community space for the people we serve, and spark revitalization in the neighborhood.

Day 14

Volunteers prepare hot meals for Family Haven residents to take one task off families’ plates while they stabilize. Some families remember visits from the “Soup Sisters” who welcomed new arrivals with groceries and homemade soup.

Day 13

“Come See My Home” was a 2011 exhibit of 30 drawings created by children who live in ICCF housing or whose parents attend classes at ICCF. We invited them to talk about living in spaces that they could call their own. Many were living temporarily at Family Haven emergency housing, so really did have to imagine living in a home of their own. Invited to dream about what their ideal home would look like, the children included fish tanks, secret hiding places, gardens, trampolines, pools, and basketball hoops.

Day 12

In conjunction with the Pillars for Opportunity campaign in 2005, ICCF conducted several noon hour trolley tours of ICCF neighborhoods, including a stop at ICCF’s future home at 920 Cherry SE. Jonathan Bradford gave a history of the agency’s 35 years, punctuated by memorable stories about residents and houses. This fall our Homes & Hope Legacy Society took a similar trolley tour, celebrating what we’ve accomplished together and looking ahead to the future. Learn more here.

Day 11

While our logo has changed over the years, our core values have not.

In 1998, just before our 25th anniversary, we announced that after 13 years of a sun rising on a house under construction, the ICCF logo would change. The new logo featured a bird’s eye view of an intersection of two streets, one of which is receding into the horizon. In each of the four blocks of that intersection were detailed drawings of actual ICCF homes. The effect is to have a cross at the heart of the neighborhood. Accompanying the logo was a tag line: “Making Places to Come Home To.” This concise phrase conveys ICCF’s commitment to go far beyond the provision of four walls and a roof. Through quality construction, creative financing, and services that educate and build confidence, ICCF seeks to build stable futures.

In 2022, ahead of our 50th anniversary, we announced another logo update. Inner City Christian Federation became ICCF Community Homes. The new name retains the well-known acronym ICCF and adds the “community homes” qualifier to clarify our mission to create thriving neighborhoods through affordable homes and equitable opportunity. ICCF’s new logo is inspired by a birds-eye view of the street intersections that surround our new office at 415 MLK Jr St SE, a neighborhood where we have historically done most of our work. Moreover, it underlines ICCF’s commitment to proximity to our residents, partnerships with local and like-minded organizations, and investing in the larger community in which we work.

Witness our latest refresh here.

Day 10

We celebrated our 25th anniversary with the “If I Had A Hammer” live concert with Peter, Paul, and Mary and soon after had a “Hammer for Housing” campaign, featuring a donated Parade of Homes entry.

Hammer for Housing was spearheaded by Standale Lumber and Rockford Construction, who along with dozens of small contractors donated their time and talents to build the house that would allow ICCF to build six more homes for low-income families.

ICCF is grateful to still have partnerships like this today.

Day 9

We do this work so our neighbors can experience comfort and joy in safe, beautiful, affordable homes. Watch more everyday moments here.

Day 8

ICCF has only had 3 CEOs in our 50 year history: Chuck Fondse, Jonathan Bradford, and Ryan VerWys.

Day 7

Tapestry Square is a 4-block, long term focus area at Wealthy and Division. Aiming to “weave commerce and community”, we built our first mixed-use developments in this neighborhood. Read more here on our blog.

Day 6

Discriminatory housing practices have disadvantaged our neighbors. From overt redlining to subtle discrimination, minorities face significant barriers to stable housing. Read more from Andy Hakken, our General Counsel on our blog here.

Day 5

The innovative design for Family Haven was the winning entry in a 1989 contest for Architects, Designers and Planners for Social Responsibility:

The shelter was designed to accommodate five families of up to six members in separate efficiency apartments. Because of variations in family size the units have been designed with flexible bedrooms. Shelter staff persons will “borrow” bedrooms from adjacent units to make maximum use of the available space. Each unit will also contain a bathroom, a small kitchen and living/dining area. All will be furnished with basic durable furniture, cooking and eating utensils and linens.

Day 4

In 1988 Kent County donated a new truck to the construction team in appreciation for the services we provide to low-income families. ICCF’s very first truck was bright yellow!

Day 3

Miss Janice Young was hired in 1981 as ICCF’s first executive assistant and retired in 1997, only to return two months later on a part-time basis in accounting. By 2005 she had brought her skills to Family Haven, helping welcome new families with warm meals. Janice is a remarkable woman. A groundbreaker, she was the first African American to work in the accounting department at Michigan Bell, in the county building for Friend of the Court, and in the office at Reynolds Metals. She also joined a bowling league in 1957 and was the first African American to bowl in the Women’s City County League.

Janice brought a valuable perspective to ICCF. Being the first to break many social barriers and raising seven children as a single parent, she knows what it takes to overcome obstacles. After 24 years with ICCF she said “Of all the places I worked, I knew ICCF was the agency that would grow and have long-lasting impact on the community. Most of my jobs I took for the paycheck. But I work for ICCF for different reasons. I love what we do, and I believe ICCF has a great future.”

Day 2

God’s daily provision is the origin and sustaining force of our work.

Day 1

Project Conserve members realized the need was greater than they could address with one house, so they took on a second and started ICCF’s trajectory. Read more on our blog here, and watch more of our history here.