The Guidance Center

12/26/2025

12/24/2025

The Guidance Center will be closed on Wednesday, December 24 and Thursday, December 25. We hope everyone has a safe and joyful holiday season!

12/23/2025

Quality sleep is crucial for children's physical growth, immune system development, mental health, and learning. Establishing a consistent bedtime routine and a sleep-friendly environment can help ensure children get the sleep they need.

Join us at our "Sweet Dreamzzz" workshop at the Romulus Public Library on January 7 to learn helpful tips to manage your child's bedtime routine and build healthy sleeping habits!

This workshop is geared for children ages 3-8. Link to register in comments.

12/22/2025

The Arab American Pharmacist Association (AAPA) at Wayne State University put together a toy drive for our Kids-TALK Children's Advocacy Center and recently delivered a wonderful donation for the children in the program!

Maria and Sara, two students in the AAPA, thoughtfully selected toys based off the needs of the children in our Kids-TALK program, and also toured the CAC to learn more about what we do. The donations included many Squishmallows that are used as pillows and fidget toys use during medical exams. Children may receive a gift if they come in for their birthday, get a blood draw, graduate from therapy, or just as a gesture of kindness to encourage play.

The Arab American Pharmacist Association (AAPA), with Dr. Linda Jaber as the organization’s faculty advisor, is an organization committed to bridging the gap between healthcare and culture by empowering students and professionals, hosting community health events, advocating for culturally competent care, and creating spaces where Arab Americans feel supported and uplifted.

Kids-TALK serves children who are victims of alleged physical/sexual abuse, neglect, or trauma. AAPA’s hope is to bring smiles, joy, and a sense of celebration to families who need it most during this time of year, and truly they will be bringing so much Christmas cheer to the children served by Kids-TALK.

Thank you, AAPA!!

12/20/2025

Year-end gifts are crucial for nonprofits, providing vital funds, enhancing programs, and ensuring stability, all while aligning with the holiday season's spirit of giving at the end of the year.

The Guidance Center is a good steward of the dollars entrusted to us by donors as the agency thoughtfully and efficiently provides critical services to 18,000 children and adults annually.

Our partner, Allison Baron from Chime Partners, shares a compelling statement about our action and vision.

Donation link in first comment. Thank you!

12/19/2025

A wonderful toy donation for our Kids-TALK Children's Advocacy Center! Mark Lehrke heard about Kids-TALK through his niece, therapist Noelle (second from left, with her uncle Mark and Kids-TALK staff), and he was moved to hold a toy drive through Maxion Wheels. These gifts will go a long way to bring joy and cheer to children who have experienced the unthinkable, and we are tremendously grateful for the support!

12/19/2025

Our Head Start classrooms have received a toe-tally wonderful donation of 300 pairs of socks! Most will be distributed to children in the program with extras for older siblings and parents. These socks were donated by AmeriCorps through Catholic Charities of Southeast Michigan

Stronghold Church in Trenton also adopted 4 of our Head Start families, donating clothes, toys, and gift cards for a joyful Christmas morning.

Thank you to these generous organizations for brightening the holidays for children and families in our Head Start program!

12/18/2025

The Guidance Center's Adopt-A-Family Program is underway for the holidays and thanks to the tremendous support of so many donor families, local businesses and organizations we are providing gifts to a record 42 families at our agency! Every day beautifully wrapped boxes and bags are delivered to our Southgate campus to be distributed to families across our programs. Recently members of our valued community partner Zeal Credit Union delivered their Christmas cheer to Director of Individual Giving & Special Campaigns Liesa Finazzo (left). So many people have shared from the heart for this effort. Thank you to all of the generous people who will be brightening the season for children and adults in our community!

12/18/2025

This season can be stressful—socially, financially, emotionally. Remember to take a break. It’s OK to focus on yourself, your self-care, and your overall health and wellness this season. Here are some ways to show yourself some comfort & joy: samhsa.gov/find-support/how-to-cope

12/17/2025

The Guidance Center is pleased to announce the addition of Joe Gruber of Grosse Ile to its Board of Directors.

Joe is the Community and Economic Development Director for The City of Wyandotte, Michigan - Government and the Executive Director of the Downtown Wyandotte Development Authority. Joe brings over a decade of experience in community and economic development, nonprofit management, and municipal government relations in addition to commercial, residential and industrial real estate sales as the owner and principal broker of Land Bridge Real Estate, parent company of Carol Bollo & Associates.

Joe is also a Planning Commissioner for Grosse Ile Township, a board member for the Wyandotte Rotary Club and the Wyandotte Public Schools Scholarship Foundation, and a former board member for the Downriver Delta CDC.

Welcome, Joe! We look forward to working together to: Nurture development. Foster resilience. Cultivate well-being.

12/17/2025

On today's , we are looking for a full-time Veteran Peer Support Specialist in our Adult Behavioral Health program!

Veteran Peer Support Specialists (Peers) promote and model recovery and assist consumers in developing skills necessary to access community resources, live more independently, improve their health and wellness, continue their education, and pursue opportunities for meaningful work in their communities.

Veteran Peers are military veterans who are also mental health consumers who are committed to their own recovery and helping to facilitate the recovery of veterans and other adults with mental illness.

For more information on this position or to apply please visit https://recruiting.paylocity.com/Recruiting/Jobs/Details/3777700/

We hope you will consider joining our team of dedicated professionals!

12/16/2025

At last week's Literacy Event at our Walter White Community Resource Center, The Guidance Center named Michael Bearden as the agency's very first Dream Team Golden Volunteer, an award recognizing his outstanding commitment and integrity.

For several years, Michael has consistently volunteered at the Walter White Community Resource Center in River Rouge. He manages donations and provides essential support, embodying the spirit every organization hopes for in a volunteer: hard working, reliable, energetic, kind, and caring.

His integrity was recently showcased when a donor accidentally left her purse at the center. While sorting new donations, Michael noticed the full purse mixed in the pile. He immediately turned it in and stood by until the grateful owner was notified.

When asked why he dedicates so much effort to the Community Resource Center, Michael explains, "I not only fill up my days, I also fill up my heart, by helping."

Our heartfelt thanks to you, Michael. You are a valued volunteer with a heart of gold!

Inspired by Michael's story? The Walter White Community Resource Center is always in need of volunteers; individuals and groups are welcome. Call the center's coordinator Hazel Makino (pictured with Michael) at 734-785-7705 x 7099 to see how you can help!