AUGUST 31 • 2023 | 19
Beth Brandvain.
The WAM Bicycle Tour
as a whole saw 320 people
ride this year. Eighty of
those riders were on Team
Alex.
“Alex inspired so many
people. There are people
who knew Alex who are
on the ride and people
who didn’t know her but
just want to be a part of
this,” said Susie Graham,
Alex’s mother. “I person-
ally cannot believe it’s
still going on for 25 years.
There’s just so many won-
derful people on the team.
It’s unbelievable.”
This year was also the
25th anniversary of Alex’s
Wish, another fundrais-
ing effort started in Alex
Graham’s memory, for
the American Cancer
Society’s Relay for Life of
South Oakland County.
The relay took place at
the Detroit Zoo, with
Alex’s Wish raising nearly
$50,000 this year.
Susie, who says Alex
would be “totally”
impressed about the
25-year landmark, is
proud of the millions of
dollars raised and hun-
dreds of wishes granted
for Make-A-Wish chil-
dren over the years in her
daughter’s memory.
“I say this to the team
over and over again, if
they were to stop tomor-
row, dayenu, it would be
enough,” Graham said.
“It’s unbelievable, the
attention paid to her.
And the respect paid to
her, and our family is just
amazing. Everybody’s
keeping her memory
alive.”
Jewish Family
Service Receives
Basic Needs Grant
Jewish Family Service of
Metro Detroit received
$70,000 from United Way for
Southeastern Michigan to
support the agency’s efforts in
helping community members
meet their basic needs.
The funds will go toward
staffing JFS’s Behavioral Health
and Family Support Services
departments, which provide
counseling and case manage-
ment services, respectively.
The Centers for Disease
Control has shown that the
pandemic increased mental
health concerns, with 1 in 4
adults having a diagnosable
mental illness. JFS can help
address these rising concerns
through individual and group
therapy. Its Family Support
Services team works to help
struggling households meet
their basic needs and increase
self-sufficiency. When commu-
nity resources are insufficient,
JFS provides food vouchers
and emergency financial assis-
tance to cover the cost of hous-
ing, utilities, transportation,
clothing and other essential
household items.
“
At a time when our com-
munity is still recovering from
the financial impact of the
pandemic and rising inflation
costs, we are so appreciative
of United Way for their many
years of support,” says Dini
Peterson, Chief Program
Officer, Mental Health and
Safety Net Services. “The work
we’re doing helps prevent
homelessness, keeps food on
the table and meets the mental
health needs of so many com-
munity members. We could
not do this critical work with-
out United Way’s dedication to
supporting our most vulnera-
ble community members.”
Hear All About It!
New episode out now!
Co-hosts Sam Dubin and Beverly Liss
are honored to welcome The Honorable
Bernard Friedman to the pod.
Available wherever you get your
podcasts or by scanning this QR code.
FedRadioDetroit is Federation’s fascinating
podcast featuring big personalities from Jewish
Detroit’s diverse cast of characters. Presented in
collaboration with the Detroit Jewish News.
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