The KeyBank Foundation announced an investment of $250,000 in the Shelter Association of Washtenaw County (SAWC) to provide adults experiencing homelessness with a with a safe, consistent place where they can access basic necessities, case management, housing support and connections to health and human services. Ahead of the winter season, SAWC plans to expand its partnership with St. Luke’s Episcopal Church in Ypsilanti by creating a centralized warming center and daytime hub.
For more than 40 years, SAWC has provided safety, support and pathways to housing for adults experiencing homelessness and operates Washtenaw County’s only year-round adult shelter.
This expanded program will primarily benefit adults experiencing homelessness in Ypsilanti and eastern Washtenaw County. It is expected to serve:
- An average of approximately 40 people each day
- 200 to 250 unique individuals annually
- Approximately 25% of engaging in case management or supportive services
- At least 150 referrals made each year through partnerships with local organizations
Together, these efforts will improve safety during the winter, strengthen access to essential services and help participants move toward greater health, stability and permanent housing.
“In Washtenaw County, we have both the knowledge and the resources to end homelessness. What we need now is the collective will to turn possibility into reality,” said Versell Smith, Jr., Chief Development Officer at SAWC. “This support represents a meaningful commitment to closing critical service and program gaps, bringing us closer to a community where every resident has a safe and stable place to call home.”
Funding from the KeyBank Foundation will support operations, food, facility expenses and other resources needed to safely expand services at St. Luke’s. The program will also serve as a hub where participants can connect with housing resources, health care, public benefits and other essential services.
Since 2011, SAWC has served nearly 15,000 individuals in Washtenaw County, housing approximately 300 people.
“This expansion with St. Luke’s couldn’t come at a better time,” said Yvonne Harrington, KeyBank Corporate Responsibility Officer. “For nearly 20 years, KeyBank has supported the mission and work of the Shelter Association, and we’ve seen firsthand the impact the organization has on our community. We believe everyone deserves access to safe shelter, basic necessities and the services that can help create a pathway toward stability and permanent housing.”
ABOUT KEYCORP
KeyCorp’s roots trace back more than 200 years to Albany, New York. Headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio, Key is one of the nation’s largest bank-based financial services companies, with assets of approximately $193 billion as of September 30, 2026.
Key provides deposit, lending, cash management, and investment services to individuals and businesses in 15 states under the name KeyBank National Association through a network of approximately 950 branches and approximately 1,100 ATMs. Key also provides a broad range of sophisticated corporate and investment banking products, such as merger and acquisition advice, public and private debt and equity, syndications and derivatives to middle market companies in selected industries throughout the United States under the KeyBanc Capital Markets trade name. For more information, visit https://www.key.com/. KeyBank Member FDIC.
ABOUT THE SHELTER ASSOCIATION OF WASHTENAW COUNTY
SAWC (https://www.washtenawshelter.org/) is a nonprofit organization committed to ending homelessness one person at a time.