Fall 2006                                 COURT STREET VILLAGE  REPORTER

Vol. 1, Issue 2

Doris Sain Recognized 

During the period of 1970 to 1986 Court Street United Methodist Church struggled with options to rebuild and renovate its historic church building or to build a new church on a new site. CSUMC has a long and treasured history. In 1842 the first church building was erected on the present site. The original building was destroyed by fire in 1861 and in that same year a new masonry church was built. The second church building was razed in 1888 for a larger and better equipped building which was completed in 1894. In 1929 the Education Building was added. The church parsonage was completed in 1950. 

In 1981 the University of Michigan, after deciding to move its campus to a site on the riverfront in downtown, offered a 12 acre site on Court Street for sale. The congregation voted to purchase the land and the purchase agreement was signed 1983. After further study into construction of a new church on the 12 acre site, the congregation voted to stay at its current location and initiated a major renovation and restoration of the historic building. Soon thereafter, a small group of church members was charged with identifying an alternative use for the 12 acre site. Doris Sain, Ed Neithercutt and Frank Colvin actively explored options and recommended development of affordable senior housing on the site. Doris was the leader of that original committee and in 1986 became the 1^st President of the newly incorporated Court Street Village, Inc., a position she has held ever since.

In 1994 Doris started a neighborhood support program for the 4 neighborhood associations closest to the downtown Flint area.  There are approximately 2400 housing units these neighborhoods. With the assistance of an initial grant from the LISC AmeriCorp program, a neighborhood program director was hired to assist the homeowner associations in the Central Park, Fairfield Village, Grand Traverse and Carriage Town areas. That program has continued to flourish with the generous support of the C. S. Mott Foundation over the last 10 years.

In 1995, Doris, with generous support from a local foundation, moved the CVSNP headquarters into a Tudor style house in the historical district at 727 East St. The building has an attached auditorium ideal for neighborhood meetings and other functions. In 2006 the Board of Directors honored Doris for her 20 years of dedicated service by naming the headquarters building the “DORIS SAIN COMMUNITY HOUSE”.

Our goals at Court Street Village include improving the quality of life for each of our residents. The services & activities we provide are enhanced by referrals to outside agencies combined with the emotional support from staff. One area of particular concern to the staff is the nutritional needs of our residents. As a result of that concern staff took action to provide basic food supplies to our residents needing this help.

 In 1993, Court Street Village Non Profit Housing Corporation joined the Food Bank of South Eastern Michigan (FBSEM). As a member of the FBSEM, we have opened our own “mini-food bank”. Our food bank is located at the 800 E. Court Street building. Here we are able to provide emergency food to our residents. We are currently assisting 4 -6 residents each month.

 Over the years there have been several opportunities to partner with the FBSEM for various senior programs. One program allows us to purchase monthly senior boxes for our most needy residents. These boxes contain a variety of food, designed to assist the seniors with proper nutrition.

 Another way we are helping our residents with their nutritional needs is through the generosity of Riverside Tabernacle Church. Riverside Tabernacle has a food program that is made up of donated foods, staffed by volunteers and allows for weekly food boxes being distributed to hundreds of people who are in need of this assistance. There are 24 residents living at Court Street that are given this box once or twice every month. 

 These are just a few of the ways we are providing additional help to our residents, and we are always looking for more opportunities to improve the quality of life for our Court Street “family”.

Senior Housing Apartments Available

 Court Street Village has apartments available for independent seniors over age 55 (spouse must be age 50+) with I or 2 bedrooms in a convenient location just blocks from the Flint Cultural Center. Rents are affordable to all income levels – low, moderate and market rate. There are a wide variety of floor plans to choose from and the buildings offer a library, beauty shop, laundry facilities and many have balconies.