30 | SEPTEMBER 12 • 2024 
J
N

T

he children are back in 
school, swimming pools have 
closed for the season and the 
trees are starting to change color. 
This must mean the first day of fall 
is right around the 
corner. As we all settle 
back into our routines, 
I offer you a variety 
of options to help our 
community. Whatever 
your schedule allows, I 
encourage you to pick 
something from this 
list — I promise it will 
be fun!
Fall in Michigan means apple 
picking! Forgotten Harvest is 
organizing volunteers on Sept. 21 
to pick apples at Blake’s Big Apple 
in Armada from 9 a.m.-noon. In 
partnership with Blake Farms, the 
Forgotten Harvest Orchard of Hope 
consists of 500 apple trees on the 

grounds, which provide roughly 
50,000 pounds of fresh apples 
each fall to feed our community. 
Volunteers under the age of 18 must 
be accompanied by a parent or 
guardian. To sign up, visit https://
forgottenharvest.galaxydigital.com/
need/detail/?need_id=974266. 
More than 1,600 students with 
special needs from more than 
70 school districts in Michigan 
have visited the Weinberg Village 
over the 2023-2024 school year. A 
dedicated group of 200 volunteers 
devoted three hours of their time 
weekly to make this experience 
possible, and you can join this 
special community! Lessons for 
Life gives elementary, middle and 
high school students with special 
needs the opportunity to practice 
life skills at Friendship Circle’s 
Weinberg Village. Volunteers bring 
the program to life by working as 

shop owners, librarians, baristas, 
doctors, dentists, bank tellers, 
police officers and street vendors. 
The typical volunteer schedule is 
9:30 a.m.-noon, Monday through 
Friday. Volunteers can sign up for 
a weekly slot or when available. To 
learn more, contact Shayna at (248) 
788-7878, ext. 207. 
The ADL Michigan Walk 
Against Hate takes place Sept. 
29 at the Southfield City Centre. 
Schools, civic organizations, houses 
of worship, corporate partners, 
elected officials and families will 
walk together toward a future 
without antisemitism, racism and 
hate of all kinds. Registration for 
the walk begins at 9 a.m. and the 
walk begins at 10 a.m. More info 
here: walkagainsthate.org/michigan. 
To sign up to help during the walk, 
email alissa.vanderkooi@gmail.com. 
Jewish Senior Life has many 
volunteer opportunities available 
this fall. For a full list, visit https://
jslmi.org/volunteer. A couple 
highlights: Volunteers are needed to 
pick up flowers from Trader Joe’s at 
15 and Telegraph between 8-9 a.m. 
Monday mornings and deliver them 
to Fleischman, where residents do 
flower arranging every week. The 
Krohlik Café at Meer needs a few 
good men and/or women in the 
café on Wednesdays, Thursdays, 
and Fridays, from 11:30 a.m.-1:30 

p.m. Contact Beth Robinson at 
(248) 592-5062 or brobinson@jslmi.
org.
Food Gatherers in Ann Arbor 
maintains a working warehouse, 
processing an average of nine 
tons of food each day, and a busy 
Community Kitchen, cooking 
and serving hot meals seven 
days a week. Volunteers are vital 
to its success in distributing 
the equivalent of 8.2 million 
meals each year. Individuals and 
groups can work at the warehouse 
sorting produce and canned 
goods, repackaging bulk foods 
and keeping the warehouse clean. 
Helping out at the Food Gatherers 
Community Kitchen is a rewarding 
activity. The Kitchen, located in 
the Robert J. Delonis Center in 
downtown Ann Arbor, provides 
meals to shelter residents and 
anyone in need. Volunteers at the 
Community Kitchen prepare and 
serve meals, set up for and clean 
up from service, and prepare bulk 
meals for distribution to partner 
agencies. This opportunity is 
perfect for individuals or small 
groups of five or fewer. Learn more 
at foodgatherers.org/get-involved/
volunteer. 

If your organization is looking for volunteers, 

email Samantha Foon at samanthafoon14@

gmail.com for possible inclusion in an 

upcoming column.

Helping in the community is a way 
to start the season.

Fall is the Time 
to Volunteer

OUR COMMUNITY

Samantha 
Foon
Contributing 
Writer

BLAKE’S BIG APPLE FACEBOOK

