Pictured, Julian Goods, DSA Co-Director of Choirs accepting a HBEA check donation  by Patricia Pickett, HBEA VP

As part of the Historic Boston Edison community outreach, $1,499  from the Holiday Home Tour proceeds were donated to the renowned Detroit School of Arts (DSA). This year the students of Vision Male Ensemble, Concert Choir, and Vocal Jazz have been invited to sing at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and the Martin Luther King Jr. Monument as a part of the We Have a Dream Choral Festival, a celebration in honor of the 60th anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" Speech. Thecost per student is $1,499 which includes their transportation, lodging, meals, sightseeing including the Frederick Douglass Historical Sight and the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, and more.

Over the years, DSA Vision Male Vocal Ensemble has performed at several HHT VIP Galas as well as a HBEA Children’s Concert for a modest donation.  They have consistently not only performed for HBEA, but also many major events in the city of Detroit, South Africa among others.

How can you help their Dream come true?   Consider donating to support these talented students.

Checks can be made to Detroit School of Arts, memo DSA Vocal DC Trip. Cash Donations can be sent to Detroit School of Arts, Attention: DSA Vocal Dept.

By: Fatoumata Cissoko-Willis, Chair – Membership Committee

Council President Mary Sheffield hosted a guided walking tour, by The District Detroit, Olympia Development and Related organizations for community leaders of Detroit District 5. This event was an opportunity to learn how the contributions of these organizations have impacted our community and more specifically, our District. The tour included a first stop at WSU mike Ilitch School of Business, followed by a visit to The Eddystone (a 92-unit apartment). The tour also included a visit to Little Caesar Arena (LCA) and ended at Little Caesar’s Headquarters.

This was a very valuable opportunity for community leaders as it fostered engagement and knowledge sharing at another level and allowed us to speak with those who are actively building in our beloved city and District. This tour sets up the initial foundations of community engagement by which we can have the connection and continue the conversations to ensure with every step, progress and forward movement, the community/Detroiters are the center of thought.

I attended this tour event along with Katherine Allen, HBEA Treasurer. We give hats off to Council President Mary Sheffield for organizing this tour opportunity and always having her constituents in mind!

Program seeks 2,600 new seniors to add to its food program 

DETROIT, MI - November 22, 2022—To help reduce the nearly 43 percent of people who are food insecure in southeast Michigan, Focus: HOPE is increasing its effort to expand the monthly food program for seniors.

“With rising food prices and high energy costs for the winter ahead, more seniors may need  food assistance – and we can help meet that need,” said Focus: HOPE CEO Portia Roberson. “Each month, seniors in Detroit, plus 159 communities, can receive a box of groceries to stock their pantries with shelf staples.” 

In partnership with federal and state agencies, and together with more than 250 community partners, Focus: HOPE distributes food boxes to more than 42,000 older adults each month.

While Focus: HOPE is based in Detroit, the agency serves all communities in Wayne, Oakland, Macomb and Washtenaw counties. That means residents in Detroit and Highland Park, Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti, the Grosse Pointes, Downriver, Taylor and beyond can receive access to food options from Focus: HOPE.

Unlike many food programs that provide one-time meals; this program focuses on supplementing senior pantries with items like milk, cereal and canned goods that can be used throughout the entire month. “Since our involvement with the Commodity Supplemental Food Program in 1971, we’ve worked diligently to expand the pilot senior program into a permanent nationwide effort with lasting impact. We are grateful to the USDA and are committed to continuing our legacy to serve our community,” she said.

Contents of the monthly box include: 

• Cheese
• Milk (e.g. condensed and/or dry)
• Pasta/grain (e.g., spaghetti; rice)
• Cereal or oatmeal
• Protein
• Meat (e.g., canned beef; canned chicken)
• Vegetables and soup (e.g., green beans; vegetable soup)
• Fruits (e.g., fruit cocktail; apricots) 
• Juice (e.g., grape; apple; orange)
  
  

Apply to Receive Free Food

Seniors age 60 and older living in Wayne, Oakland, Macomb or Washtenaw counties can apply for the monthly Food for Seniors Program by calling 313-494-4600, emailing food@focushope.edu or filling out this form: https://bit.ly/3D8YFzl

Volunteer Needed

Volunteers are needed to pack and help distribute meals to our seniors as a part of our Food for Seniors program in Wayne, Macomb, Oakland, and Washtenaw Counties. If you or your company is interested in volunteering to this heart-warming cause contact 313-494-4270 or volunteer@focushope.edu.

To learn more about Focus: HOPE Food for Seniors Program, visit https://www.focushope.edu/programs/food-for-seniors/

About Focus: HOPE

Focus: HOPE is a nationally recognized civil and human rights organization founded in 1968 after the Detroit civil disturbance. Over the past half-century, Focus: HOPE has developed numerous programs in its efforts to overcome racism, poverty1 injustice in the core areas of early learning, youth development, workforce training, food justice, and advocacy. As a result, thousands of individuals have achieved financial independence. For more information, visit www.focushope.edu.    

Follow the City of Detroit on Facebook, Twitter, or NextDoor to get the latest news on what's happening across the city and in your neighborhood.

Follow the City of Detroit on Facebook, Twitter, or NextDoor to get the latest news on what's happening across the city and in your neighborhood.

Focus: HOPE accepting new applications for seniors in need to receive FREE monthly food assistance

Program seeks 2,600 new seniors to add to its food program

DETROIT, MI - November 22, 2022—To help reduce the nearly 43 percent of people who are food insecure in southeast Michigan, Focus: HOPE is increasing its effort to expand the monthly food program for seniors.

“With rising food prices and high energy costs for the winter ahead, more seniors may need food assistance – and we can help meet that need,” said Focus: HOPE CEO Portia Roberson. “Each month, seniors in Detroit, plus 159 communities, can receive a box of groceries to stock their pantries with shelf staples.” 

In partnership with federal and state agencies, and together with more than 250 community partners, Focus: HOPE distributes food boxes to more than 42,000 older adults each month.

While Focus: HOPE is based in Detroit, the agency serves all communities in Wayne, Oakland, Macomb and Washtenaw counties. That means residents in Detroit and Highland Park, Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti, the Grosse Pointes, Downriver, Taylor and beyond can receive access to food options from Focus: HOPE.

Unlike many food programs that provide one-time meals; this program focuses on supplementing senior pantries with items like milk, cereal and canned goods that can be used throughout the entire month. “Since our involvement with the Commodity Supplemental Food Program in 1971, we’ve worked diligently to expand the pilot senior program into a permanent nationwide effort with lasting impact. We are grateful to the USDA and are committed to continuing our legacy to serve our community,” she said.

Contents of the monthly box include: 

• Cheese
• Milk (e.g. condensed and/or dry)
• Pasta/grain (e.g., spaghetti; rice)
• Cereal or oatmeal
• Protein
• Meat (e.g., canned beef; canned chicken)
• Vegetables and soup (e.g., green beans; vegetable soup)
• Fruits (e.g., fruit cocktail; apricots) 
• Juice (e.g., grape; apple; orange)

 

Apply to Receive Free Food

Seniors age 60 and older living in Wayne, Oakland, Macomb or Washtenaw counties can apply for the monthly Food for Seniors Program by calling 313-494-4600, emailing food@focushope.edu or filling out this form: https://bit.ly/3D8YFzl

Volunteer Needed

Volunteers are needed to pack and help distribute meals to our seniors as a part of our Food for Seniors program in Wayne, Macomb, Oakland, and Washtenaw Counties. If you or your company is interested in volunteering to this heart-warming cause contact 313-494-4270 or volunteer@focushope.edu.

To learn more about Focus: HOPE Food for Seniors Program, visit https://www.focushope.edu/programs/food-for-seniors/

About Focus: HOPE

Focus: HOPE is a nationally recognized civil and human rights organization founded in 1968 after the Detroit civil disturbance. Over the past half-century, Focus: HOPE has developed numerous programs in its efforts to overcome racism, poverty1 injustice in the core areas of early learning, youth development, workforce training, food justice, and advocacy. As a result, thousands of individuals have achieved financial independence. For more information, visit www.focushope.edu.

Follow the City of Detroit on Facebook, Twitter, or NextDoor to get the latest news on what's happening across the city and in your neighborhood.

Learn about and enroll in Detroit's first income-based water affordability plan by attending today's citywide Lifeline Plan Enrollment Fair at Historic Little Rock Baptist Church.

Follow the City of Detroit on Facebook, Twitter, or NextDoor to get the latest news on what's happening across the city and in your neighborhood.

Learn about Detroit's first income-based water affordability plan by attending this upcoming Lifeline Plan Enrollment Fair. Hear about the plan, share your feedback, and enroll onsite. https://www.waynemetro.org/dwsdlifeline/

Follow the City of Detroit on Facebook, Twitter, or NextDoor to get the latest news on what's happening across the city and in your neighborhood.

We had a great picnic today in Voigt Park w/ many neighbors. Be sure to check out the photos posted on our Events Page!