F I N A
dividual donations from
weddings, bar mitzvahs and
other special affairs, most of
the food he collects comes
from restaurants, caterers
and food service companies.
While he appreciates in-
dividual efforts, he knows
that on a daily basis restau-
rants, bakeries and other
food service companies will
provide a greater volume of
food for the needy.
"I want the most effective
use of our time and
resources," said Mr. Blake-
ly, Forgotten Harvest's only
paid employee. In addition to
his salary, the charity's only
other major expense is main-
taining the van. Both the
van and the Southfield office
were donated.
Mr. Blakely does more
than transport food. To fur-
ther spread the word about
Forgotten Harvest, he con-
tacts restaurants and other
food sources including
caterers.
Individuals may want to
donate the food from a recent
Some 7,500 pounds
of food has been
transported to four
soup kitchens.
party to Forgotten Harvest,
"but the caterer has to be
committed," Mr. Blakely
said. "He has to be willing to
pack the food. Some are and
some aren't. My background
is in food service manage-
ment and I know it's a
pressure environment and
sometimes it's easier to pitch
the leftovers. Others jump at
the chance to do it. They say
they always felt bad at the
waste and wish this had
gotten off the ground
sooner."
"I can try to make it
happen. I can plant the seed
in someone's mind," he said.
"But the key is to get the
caterer involved."
Pearl Thouin, manager at
Machus Pastry Shop in
Birmingham, said she began
donating food to Forgotten
Harvest a few weeks ago
after Mr. Blakely made the
initial contact.
While some pastries can be
used in the company's res-
taurants, there are many
items which would be
thrown away, said Ms.
Thouin, who estimates the
shop donates almost 100
pounds a week. Giving food
away has also improved
morale among the bakery's
staff, she said. "It's become a
point of pride with us."
Three years ago, Valuland
bakery had no other option
but to toss out its unsold
items, said John Shakleton,
bakery manager. But after
being approached by a few
community groups willing to
transport baked goods to
soup kitchens and shelters,
Mr. Shakleton began giving
away bread three times a
week, donating an average
400 pounds of food weekly
for the needy.
When some of those groups
were no longer able to make
regular stops, Forgotten
Harvest, which had begun
taking baked goods from
Valuland once a week last
summer, took over the route
for good.
For those organizations on
the receiving end, the food
rarely goes to waste.
With budget cuts, proposed
by Gov. John Engler, Ms.
Jean Wagstaff, Lighthouse
direct services coordinator,
expects to see more people
come into the emergency
shelter for food. Also foresee-
ing a tighter agency budget,
Ms. Wagstaff said groups
like Forgotten Harvest
mean the Lighthouse no
longer has to solely rely on
food purchased at 12 cents a
pound from area food banks.
Dolores Bryant, food ser-
vice supervisor at COTS,
said the cheese and sausage
Mr. Blakely brought will be
combined with eggs for om-
elets the next morning. The
birthday cakes can easily be
sliced for desserts while the
garlic bread will go well
with spaghetti and salad. "It
helps a lot," said Ms.
Bryant, who serves 300 peo-
ple three meals a day seven
days a week: "I can plan a
meal around what he br-
ings." ❑
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Leather-and-fur fashions from
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Disabilities Meeting
Set For March 14
A town hall meeting to ex-
plore services for Jewish peo-
ple with disabilities will be
held 7:30 p.m. Mar. 14 at the
United Hebrew Schools
building, Southfield.
The evening will include a
discussion by persons with
disabilities and family
members about services they
require from the Jewish com-
munity and recommenda-
tions from the Jewish Welfare
Federation's Task Force on
Service for Persons with
Disabilities.
Suggestions on what the
community can do to assist
persons with disabilities also
will be discussed.
JARC and Kadima are the
evening's co-sponsors. Admis-
sion is free.
bq Ote
181 S. Woodward Ave.,
1 Blk. S. of Maple,
Next to the Birmingham Theatre -
Free Adjacent Parking • 642-1690
Mon.-Sat. 9:30-5:30
"Rofxdie
THE BEST/ LESS
11P.e tfr
ti-
.Ate
O ismiDD
RC
V 4
WEST BLOOMFIELD MICHIGAN
Orchard Lake Road • Nonh of Maple
THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
15