Who we are

For nearly 40 years, COTS has been committed to serving the most vulnerable members of the Detroit community by providing emergency shelter, affordable housing, and more. COTS creates opportunities for families overcoming poverty to collaborate, thrive, and succeed in building strong and stable households, neighborhoods and communities. 

Who we serve 

Programs include family-only emergency shelter, emergency shelter for victims of domestic violence, long-term supportive housing with assistance for addiction, disability or illness, and child development services for homeless infants and toddlers at Bright Beginnings. COTS provides housing and support to more than 1,000 people daily – more than 60 percent of those served are children. 

What we do

COTS Passport to Self-Sufficiency™ assists families in reaching their housing, economic, health, education and career goals through coaching, mentorship and support as they overcome homelessness and break the poverty cycle for the next generation – and beyond. This trauma-informed, research-based, transformative, whole family approach is designed to create poverty-resistant families and is the overarching framework for all of COTS’ work. All programs and services, including emergency shelter operations, child care, mobility coaching, and housing support assistance are provided within the framework of this theory of change. 

COTS provides these services through a network of partnerships aimed at building healthy relationships that support the mutual growth and development of the whole family while also supporting families in meeting their basic needs and the needs of their households.

We need you! 

Consider partnering with COTS today. Together, we create opportunities to succeed!