Hands, the Orchards, Oakland
County Food Bank, the Oakland
County Shelter, Catholic Social
Services, the Royal Oak Salva-
tion Army Corps and others.
Julia Dickey came to the Roy-
al Oak warehouse on Sunday,
Dec. 22, to pick up as much cloth-
ing and shoes as she could for
children at the Zina Pitcher
School in Detroit.
Ms. Dickey's job is to find out
why children do not show up for
school. Oftentimes, youngsters
tell her that they cannot attend
school because they do not have
clothing or shoes. Many are fos-
ter kids, and some are homeless
"they're shifted back and forth
between Mom and Dad, so they
are not stable," she explained.
With 800 students at the Zina
Pitcher School, Ms. Dickey was
looking for clothing for about
200. She noticed some shoes that
would fit a few of the "big boys"
and spotted a stroller that would
help a mother she knows.
volunteers sorted items into categories of
Temple Beth El's Rabbi Daniel Syme
recipients to make distribution easier. The wants to recreate in Detroit what Mrs.
littlest volunteers — children of all ages Kelly has built in Denver. The two have
— sorted the shoes, marking each pair been friends for about a decade.
with an X to show that it had been
When Rabbi Syme returned to Detroit
checked in.
last summer to head the Reform temple
Any item that Mrs. Kelly obtains is in Bloomfield Township, he called Mrs.
marked so that it cannot be resold. Her Kelly to say hello. That's when she sug-
motto is: "Protect the
gested the Christmas
Above: Temple Beth El
business first and then
coat drive.
Rabbi Daniel Syme and
help other people. Be-
"I want to bring Ranya
Cantor Stephen Dubov load
cause if you don't pro-
to Detroit to meet with
flour onto a truck bound for
tect the business, you
business leaders," said
Detroit's hungry.
can't get the items you
Rabbi Syme.
want and make sure
Shortly after she be-
Bundled in their own coats,
they [the business] can
gan collecting items for
Emily Beckerman and Lori
still make a profit."
Robinson sort coats that will distribution — more
The donated items
than a decade ago —
keep other children warm.
go to any charity that
Mrs. Kelly formed a
has a need, said Mrs. Kelly, but she does non-profit company called the Redistrib-
assign one stipulation: If an agency runs ution Center Inc. The company is run by
a thrift store, they do not resell the items Mrs. Kelly and another woman, Linda
they obtain from Mrs. Kelly. "Anything Curtis. Both work full-time at the Redis-
we get must be given."
tribution Center, but neither is paid a
Nearly 40 Detroit area charities re- salary.
ceived goods from the coat drive, which
Ranya Kelly comes from a Presbyter-
was sponsored jointly by Temple Beth El, ian background, but she seeks to help peo-
The Jewish News and gubernatorial hope- ple in need from all faiths.
ful Doug Ross.
"I believe we all walk in God's footsteps
Several Baptist and AME churches and whether you're Muslim or Christian
picked up items along with Jewish Fami- or Jewish, we all have to do what's required
ly Service, Child's Protective Service, Open of us, and that's to help each other." ❑

—