About Us

Our Community

With almost 7,000 citizens in southwest Detroit’s 48217 zip code* (our core clients), amazingly this community has no social services, no government offices, no police station, not even a grocery store…

this community is severely underserved.

Historically, this community has had a tradition of stable working families, however, the last few decades have seen steady transitioning with too many undereducated youth (20% with no HS diploma and over 18% unemployment*) and a large senior population in need of services.
This community is in transition, but has not completely changed. It is the old stability we want to maintain, encourage, and build upon.

The Perry Center intends to be a part of this framework by providing resources to individuals, helping them be the change our community needs, but to also provide resources to the community itself to promote a flourishing, stable neighborhood.

Our History

Percy Perry came to southwest Detroit in 1958 and purchased a store. For the next 40 years, he and his wife, Idella, provided a home for their family as well as an economic and moral anchor in the community.

As members of the nearby Saints Andrew & Benedict church, the Perrys’ left the store to the parish in 2013.

In 2010 Sister Eileen Lantzy, started a food pantry for the 48217 community. She built and ran it out of Saints Andrew and Benedict.

In 2013, the parish renovated the store building to create the Perry Outreach Center, a fitting legacy of generous and principled members of the community.