COTS: The Art of Family Podcast

In this heartfelt episode of The Art of Family, host Rachel sits down with Timothy Moss to explore his powerful journey of resilience, faith, and personal growth. Timothy shares stories from his upbringing in Butler, Alabama, and candidly discusses his experiences with homelessness, including his time at COTS Peggy's Place. Through the challenges of family separation, injury, and job loss, Timothy reflects on how his faith and supp...

In this episode, Margaret shares her powerful journey with Rachel Minion (from COTS). From experiencing homelessness at Peggy's Place to finding solace in Bible study, Margaret opens up about her struggles with depression and the challenges she faced while trying to rebuild her life after leaving an abusive relationship. Through faith and the support of her church community, she rededicated herself to God, leaving behind her pa...

Join us as Shelita recounts her experiences with family trauma, the struggle for secure housing, and the perseverance it took to provide a stable life for her children. From her determination to seek help to the powerful role of COTS in her life, Shelita's story is a testament to the strength of the human spirit and the importance of community support.

In this episode, we discuss:

• Shelita's childhood and family dynami...

Listen as our guest shares their story of growing up in Detroit, the challenges they faced, and the strength they found in their family and faith. Through overcoming domestic violence, coping with the loss of loved ones, and navigating homelessness, Erica reveals how the community of COTS provided a lifeline. Hear about the pivotal role of supportive coaching and counseling sessions and the profound impact of staff members like Ms....

Host Paige Blessman, Director of Communications at COTS, sits down with Leslie, a lead family service partner at COTS, to delve into her incredible journey of resilience and healing. Leslie opens up about her challenging upbringing in the foster care system, the struggles she faced growing up, and her inspiring journey to find her birth mother after 47 years. Through her story, Leslie demonstrates the power of perseverance, the imp...

In this enlightening conversation, host Corisa Reed (COTS Chief Administrative Officer) sits down with Deja Farr-Lowrey (Emergency Services Administrator), to unpack what paternalism means and how it manifests in our daily lives and work.

Together, they explore the harmful stereotypes surrounding poverty and homelessness, challenge the misconceptions about the individuals and families facing these circumstances, and discuss how to ...

In this heartfelt episode, our host Rachel Minion sits down with Brandi Smith to explore her inspiring journey from homelessness to a stable and thriving life. Brandi shares her emotional story of perseverance and resilience, recounting how she, her boyfriend, and their eight-year-old daughter, Ryan, found themselves homeless and sleeping in their car. With Ryan's asthma flaring up, they sought shelter and were welcomed into CO...

Many THANK YOUS to the incredible team at Comerica Bank for visiting our kids at Peggy’s Place! Executive Director Mike Ritchie set aside time to have a special chat with the kids about finance and banking. They were so engaged and had a ton of great questions. Such as where does money come from? How long has Mr. Ritchie been at the bank? How do ATMs work?? Lol Big shoutout also to Hassan Melhem for coordinating this awesome exper...

Join us for a special edition of The Art of Family podcast as Paige Blessman (COTS Director of Communications) and Lucy Couch (Detroit Pistons Business Development Executive) talk about the collaboration between COTS and the Detroit Pistons. Hear how an intro at a networking event blossomed into a remarkable partnership, resulting in COTS Night at the upcoming Pistons game on March 20th.

Learn about the unforgettable experiences p...

As a current dialysis technician, Amber shares her aspirations of pursuing medical school despite the daunting obstacles of standardized tests and self-doubt. Through her candid reflections, listeners are invited into the complexities of her past, including the loss of her mother and the challenges of caring for her younger brother.

Amber's story reveals common misconceptions about homelessness and the importance of compassion ...

Get to know Cynthia as she talks with Paige Blessman (Director of Communications at COTS) about her life journey, filled with ups and downs. From her early years growing up with her grandmother to surviving a difficult domestic violence situation and experiencing homelessness, Cynthia shares her story of resilience and growth. She also talks about finding a sense of belonging at COTS, how coaching has positively impacted her life, ...

Join us for an insightful conversation between Cheryl P. Johnson (COTS CEO) and Kim Janey (EMPath President and CEO), moderated by Nikki Carbonari (COTS Senior Director of Strategic Partnerships), as they discuss their shared vision for breaking the cycle of poverty for generations and creating meaningful impact. They talk about the power of narratives and preconceived notions, exploring how these elements shape the foundation of t...

Hear from host Gerald Edwards, leader of the COTS Fatherhood Initiative, who engages in a dynamic conversation with Damarqio Williams, CEO, and founder of Detroit Father LLC. Together, they shed light on their individual fatherhood initiatives, emphasizing the shared mission to empower and support fathers in their respective communities.

Damarqio Williams shares the heartfelt origins of Detroit Father LLC, a community he created ou...

Black women face a three-fold higher risk of pregnancy-related death than white women. Doulas are increasingly recognized as vital in addressing disparities and supporting marginalized communities during pregnancy, labor, and postpartum. Join Angelene Love (Doula) and Aisha Morrell-Ferguson (Chief Development Officer of COTS) for part 2 as they delve into the world of doulas.

Tune in to stay current on campaigns for legislati...

Join hosts Corisa Reed (Executive Assistant to CEO, Cheryl P. Johnson) and Aisha Morrell-Ferguson (Chief Development Officer of COTS) on The Art of Family Podcast as they remind us of the importance of downtime, especially in today's fast-paced world. Discover how COTS prioritizes a break by not scheduling meetings in July, allowing more space and time for everyone’s rejuvenation and creativity. Tune in to hear the benefits of ...

Black women face a three-fold higher risk of pregnancy-related death compared to white women. Doulas are increasingly recognized as vital in addressing disparities and supporting marginalized communities during pregnancy, labor, and postpartum. Join Angelene Love (Doula) and Aisha Morrell-Ferguson (Chief Development Officer of COTS) as they delve into the world of doulas. They discuss doula training, the emotional support doulas pr...