Dickinson Iron Community Services Agency

Dickinson Iron Community Services Agency

The Dickinson Iron Community Services Agency (DICSA) is a non-profit Community Action Agency serving primarily Dickinson and Iron Counties in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. DICSA operates 13 programs that support the community with everything from utility assistance to home weatherization. The DICSA’s primary demographic is seniors with programs such as Meals on Wheels, adult day care, in-home care, and transportation being provided. However, they have added a food pantry, thrift store, and diaper bank in recent years which help DICSA to serve the needs of all age groups.   

The DISCA’s community center is called Denim Heart Thrift & Pantry and focuses on helping their community members afford the necessities, namely food and clothing. When they can offer a family two of their primary needs, they are then better equipped to work with those in the community who can help them find permanent housing, decent paying jobs, disability supports, substance treatment, mental health help, healthcare, or anything else that puts roadblocks in their path to self-sufficiency. DICSA’s Denim Heart Accessibility Project will set the organization up to serve more people, provide better access to their community center, and make an impact on the disparities that separate the haves from the have-nots.    

DICSA’s Denim Heart Thrift & Pantry serves an average of 150 individuals per month at the food pantry and 552 customers per month at the thrift store. DICSA will serve at least 160 more families with food and clothing due to the increased capacity to accept, store, and sort donations of food and clothing. The Accessibility Project will remove barriers to accessing the community center through the paving of the parking lot and repair of the loading dock. The capital improvements will also increase health and safety for staff and volunteers and create opportunities for community partnerships through food drives, youth leadership, and senior volunteering. Environmentally, their project reduces waste by encouraging recycling and upcycling of used clothing and housewares.