Judy Harnish and her Rotarian husband Jack are members of the Legacy Society of Cass Community Social Services, a Detroit nonprofit dedicated to providing food, housing, health services and jobs to those in the community.
Cass Community Social Services is a 501(c)(3) originally started during the Great Depression by the Cass Community United Methodist Church as a soup kitchen. In recent years the organization has expanded its property and programs under the leadership of the Rev. Faith Fowler. Since retiring from teaching Judy has been very active in the organization, and in recent years Judy and Jack have taken Sunrise Rotarians and other Benzie County residents to work on Services' projects--most recently the Tiny Homes Project.
Cass Communities Social Services bought 26 lots (30' x 100') from the City of Detroit. On these lots the organization is building so-called Tiny Homes, generally 250-400 square feet in size. People must have income to live in the houses, as they are required to pay rent of $1 per square foot every month for seven years, at which time they will own the property. The houses are all different, designed by architects who have donated their time, and they are built with solar panels and other ecological features.
Last fall Judy and Jack took a group of 55 from Benzie County to work on the houses. Anyone interested in going next year should contact Judy or Jack.