The Law
of
The
Law Firm
Firm of
Barris, Sott,
Sott, Denn
Denn &
& Driker,
Driker, PLLC
mourns
the recent
passing
of our
beloved
mourns
the recent
passing
of one
of our
beloved
founding
mentor and
and friend,
friend,
founding partners,
partner, mentor
David L. Denn
who had retired to Upland, California.
We will forever miss David’s
wit, wisdom and warm smile.
Impact.
When you become a Laker, you look outward, focusing on others
instead of yourself. With professors’ caring guidance, you learn
how to make a meaningful, lasting difference. Then, as you go
forward into the world, you’re ready to tackle challenges and
make meaningful contributions. Like Michigan itself, your positive
impact will be far reaching. That’s the Laker Effect.
gvsu.edu
24
November 9 • 2017
jn
jews d
in
the
Hope Through Meal Kits
H
igher Hopes! is gearing up to once again raise
money and donations to prepare 1,000 complete
Thanksgiving meal kits.
These contain everything from snacks, a turkey, all the
sides and delicious desserts to plates, roasting pans and
cutlery for families with children enrolled in the Early Head
Start Child Care Partnership Programs. The programs
encompass the Early Head Start, Head Start and Great Start
Readiness programs in Detroit.
Families are chosen on a financial need basis and those
who are the neediest will receive
the complete meal kit to make a
Thanksgiving feast in their own
homes.
Started by Bill Birndorf
of Commerce-based Apple
Marketing Company in 2014,
Higher Hopes! has provided
more than 260,000 pounds
of food for Thanksgiving and
199,500 pounds of food for sum-
mer meal programs — more
than a quarter-million meals
— to underserved families in
Detroit throughout the year
As a partner agency of
Gleaners Community Food
Bank, Higher Hopes! will use
Gleaners to help with the pro-
gram. They will store all food
donations, handle delivery logis-
tics and allow Higher Hopes!
to use the Gleaners facility for
packing meal kits.
Pack-Up Day will be held
at Gleaners on Saturday, Nov.
Bill Birndorf and Karen Rubenfire 18, at its Warren location,
24162 Mound Road in Warren.
Distribution Day will take
place with the use of Gleaners’ four semi-tractor trailers
on Monday, Nov. 20, at four Head Start sites in the city of
Detroit.
Some 350 volunteers will assist in packing and distribut-
ing more than 65,000 pounds of food for the Thanksgiving
holiday.
The new 2017 Higher Hopes! website has a button for
donations directly through PayPal, using credit or debit
cards. Monetary donations may also be made via checks
made out to Higher Hopes! and sent to 8898 Commerce
Road, Suite 5C, Commerce, MI 48382.
Birndorf came up with the idea the night of Thanksgiving
2013 after seeing a news story about people in the city who
were struggling to buy food for the holidays to feed their
families.
“This project has really helped a lot of families who strug-
gle with food insecurities in the city of Detroit. We’re here to
help and let people in the city know we’ve got their backs,”
Birndorf said.
“We also receive quite a bit of support from more than 30
corporate sponsors, 100 individuals and charitable foun-
dations like the Dresner Foundation and the William and
Audrey Farber Foundation.”
For information or to make food or monetary donations to
help this year’s cause, call (248) 360-9300, email volunteer@
higherhopesdetroit.org, or visit www.higherhopesdetroit.org. •