28 | MAY 25 • 2023 

A 

line of cars, seemingly a mile 
long, streamed into the park-
ing lot of the new Gleaners 
Community Food Bank South Campus 
in Taylor as more than 540 participants 
arrived for the 30th annual Women’s 
Power Breakfast. Among the crowd May 
2 was 95-year-old Dulcie Rosenfeld, a 
career volunteer and fundraiser who 
dreamt up the ingenious event idea three 
decades ago.
“You have to gear it toward women and 
make it something they can’t resist and 
must attend,” Rosenfeld recalls telling 
organizers back in 1993. “Women are 
nurturers — they have great empathy for 
someone who needs help.”
Dulcie’s instinct was right on the 
money (pun intended). To date, the 
Women’s Power Breakfast has raised more 
than $4.5 million and provided 13.8 mil-
lion meals to local children and families 
in need. Add to that another $323,000 
raised this year and nearly 1 million more 
meals. It’s hard to wrap your head around 
the collective impact.
‘We’ve seen this event grow from a few 
thousand to a few hundred thousand dol-
lars raised each year to help provide chil-
dren with the nutritious food they need 
to grow and thrive,” said Bridget Brown, 

director of Food Secure Livingston at 
Gleaners. “Dulcie kicked it off 30 years 
ago by helping women realize we can 
move mountains if we come together. The 
passion, connection, and dedication we’ve 
seen from women attending Women’s 
Power Breakfast are creating a lasting 
impact and enduring relationships. That’s 
legacy.”
Bright, fresh tulips adorned the tables 
as attendees sat in the center of the 
sprawling South Campus warehouse. 
The facility opened in 2021 during the 
COVID-19 pandemic to house tens of 
millions of pounds of food distributed to 
area food banks.
“Twice the size of our historic Detroit 
headquarters, our South Campus posi-
tions Gleaners to serve our neighbors 
more efficiently and effectively,” said 
Gerry Brisson, Gleaners president and 
CEO. “This space gives us the flexibility 

to responsively and responsibly scale our 
efforts in the face of ever-changing eco-
nomic realities.”

‘IT’S NOT ABOUT ME’
Rosenfeld said she is “nothing short of 
amazed” by what the Women’s Power 
Breakfast has become but was also quick 
to shy away from the limelight.
“It’s what the event has accomplished,” 
she said. “It’s not about me.”
But it is worth noting Rosenfeld’s 
astonishing impact over decades of serv-
ing the community. A recipient of the 
prestigious Fred M. Butzel Memorial 
Award for Distinguished Community 
Service, she is a past vice president of the 
Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Detroit 
and was a member of the organization’s 
board of governors for 22 years. She was 
also a Women’s Division president and 
chaired its Allied Jewish Campaign effort. 

Woman Power

OUR COMMUNITY

Dulcie Rosenfeld is the powerhouse behind 
the 30-year-old Women’s Power Breakfast.

ROBIN SCHWARTZ CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Dulcie Rosenfeld, 
founder of the 
Women’s Power 
Breakfast

Bridget Brown, 
director of 
Food Secure 
Livingston at 
Gleaners.

Gleaners CEO Gerry Brisson, Dulcie’s son 
Jim Rosenfeld and Dulcie Rosenfeld at the 
30th annual Women’s Power Breakfast.

