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