For the eighth year in a row, 
Higher Hopes! will be provid-
ing 1,000 Detroit-area fami-
lies full Thanksgiving meals 
through its “1,000 Turkeys, 
10,000 Smiles” program. The 
kits contain everything from 
the turkey to all the sides and 

dessert, and provide enough 
food to feed 12 to 16 peo-
ple. Giving families the ability 
to celebrate the holidays with 
loved ones in their own home 
is at the core of the Higher 
Hopes! mission.
In addition to the 

Thanksgiving meal program, 
Higher Hopes! continues to 
support 1,000 families with 
monthly meal kits, each con-
taining 35-45 lbs. of fresh, 
nutritious foods. These go to 
families who have children 
enrolled in Early Head Start 

Child Care Programs. The 
kits contain proteins such as 
chicken, pork or beef, fresh, 
frozen and canned fruits and 
vegetables, grains like pasta 
and cereal, milk, eggs, fruit 
juice and more.
“Higher Hopes! Heroes 
invest time and money to 
provide households with 
access to sufficient, nutritious 
food,” says Higher Hopes! 
founder Bill Birndorf. “This is 
accomplished through collab-
orations, efficient operations, 
education and innovative solu-
tions to battle hunger in the 
Metro Detroit area. The faces 
of hunger may surprise you. 
Many who need assistance 
are middle-class families, the 
working poor, children and 
the elderly.” 
 Higher Hopes!, a registered 
501(c)(3) charity, continues to 
fight the battle against hunger 
for the community’s most 
vulnerable children and their 
families.
Corporate and indi-
vidual contributions are 
always welcome and can 
be made at www.higher-
hopesdetroit.org or at the 
Facebook page at www.
facebook.com/pages/Higher-
Hopes/351220508366604. 

Bill 
Birndorf

The recently passed federal 
infrastructure bill will pour a trillion 
dollars into fixing and upgrading 
the country’s failing transportation 
systems. 
Thanks to one part of it, the bill will 
also put a few million into fixing up 
the country’s synagogues, religious 
schools and nonprofits.
The Nonprofit Energy Efficiency 
Act will allow houses of worship 
and nonprofits to apply for grants to 
increase the energy efficiency of their 
buildings. A total of $50 million will be 
allocated to the effort, overseen by the 
Department of Energy, with each entity 
eligible for a grant of up to $200,000.

The legislation was supported by the 
Orthodox Union as well as a number 
of other religious organizations.
“We are very grateful to bipartisan 
leaders and the many rank and file 
lawmakers who worked to ensure 
this key provision ultimately was 
included in this legislative package,” 
Nathan Diament, the Orthodox 
Union’s director of public policy, said 
in a statement. “The creation of the 
Nonprofit Energy Efficiency Act will 
help our foundational institutions 
become more environmentally 
sound and enable them to expand 
their offerings through energy cost 
savings.” (JTA.org) 

The U.S. Department of Justice it has 
reached a settlement with the Michigan 
Department of Corrections last week 
to change the state’s policy regarding 
religious activities for prisoners, as well 
Jewish inmates’ kosher diet.
Under the agreement, Michigan 
corrections will no longer required a 
minimum of five people for religious 
services or activities. Also, Jewish 
inmates who do not eat a kosher diet all 
year can still qualify to receive kosher 
food for Passover. 

State Alters Prison
Religious Rules

56 | NOVEMBER 18 • 2021 

Infrastructure Bill Provides Aid to Synagogues

SPOTLIGHT

Higher Hopes! 8th Annual 
Thanksgiving Program 

