NOVEMBER 10 • 2022 | 39

opportunity hub.
In August, the Community Health 
and Social Services (CHASS) Center Inc. 
announced it received a $150,000 gift 
from Schostak Brothers & Company to 
launch a community doula program at 
CHASS Center. 
In September, the Salvation Army of 
Metro Detroit received a $50,000 gift from 
Schostak Brothers & Co. The donation 
will help support the nonprofit’s Bed & 
Bread Program, which supplies the Metro 
Detroit area with food and shelter every 
day of the year.
Cass Community Social Services 
received a $100,000 gift from the 
company in early October to support 
the second phase of the Tiny Homes 
community, developed by Cass with the 
goal of providing affordable housing and 
a path to homeownership for low-income 
individuals and families. 
The additional recipients will be 
announced throughout the anniversary 
year in coordination with each 
organization’s projects and initiatives. 

CELEBRATING THE MILESTONE 
This year, 2022, actually marks Schostak 
Brothers & Company’s 102nd year, but the 
pandemic pushed back celebration efforts, 
including the giving campaign. 
While putting their heads together 
on how to celebrate the milestone, the 
brothers decided that rather than just 
celebrate with a party, they could do 
something a little bit more reflective of 
their values. 
“Because we’re overall a family that 
enjoys giving back to the community, 
particularly in Detroit and Michigan, 
we made a decision to take those same 
dollars we would have spent on a one-
night affair and celebrate the 100th year 
by giving back,” said Bobby Schostak, 
Schostak Brothers & Company partner.

The work Life Remodeled has been 
doing had a particularly close connection 
to the Schostak family.
Life Remodeled was working in 
neighborhoods that were blighted and 
ignored, but also included public schools, 
such as Durfee Intermediate School, 
where Jerry Schostak attended classes. 
It was three schools on one campus 
— Durfee, Roosevelt Elementary School 
and Central High School — that were in 
the heart of the Jewish community in the 
Schostak brothers’ parents’ generation, 
which made the gift even more important. 
“Durfee had an investment by Life 
Remodeled and, when our group went 
over there to investigate and do their 
due diligence, they knew our dad had 
gone to Durfee and that there were some 
efforts by the community to do more at 
an additional neighborhood,” Bobby said. 
“That’s how we got involved on that one.”
With a rich and vibrant history 

connecting the Schostak family and city of 
Detroit, the brothers are proud to hit the 
century mark.
“It’s five generations now in the family, 
because Bob and I have grandchildren,” 
said David Schostak, CEO of Schostak 
Brothers & Company. “Five generations in 
the Detroit area. There’s a lot of pride and 
we’re very thankful for what this town has 
done for our family, and that’s why we’re 
using this opportunity to further give 
back to it.”
Mark Schostak, executive chairman 
of TEAM Schostak Family Restaurants, 
added, “We’re also very thankful and 
grateful for our team members, our 
employees, because we wouldn’t be here 
for 100 years without the people that work 
for us. 
“We’ve had tremendous longevity and 
tenure among our employees. People have 
worked for us for 30, 35, 40 years.”

JEWISH VALUES
As a Jewish family, celebrating 100 years 
by “helping others help others” means a 
lot to the brothers.
“Tzedakah is a very core value of being 
Jewish, and our father always told us that 
charity starts at home, and that’s why we’re 
investing and donating money locally here 
in the city of Detroit,” Mark said. 
To also commemorate 100 years, 

“I THINK THE SUCCESS FOR MORE 
GENERATIONS IS NOT TO TRY TO CLONE 

OURSELVES, BUT TO CLONE OUR CULTURE.”

— DAVID SCHOSTAK

continued on page 40

Four generations: 
Jeff, Mark, David, 
and Bobby Schostak.

