“Neighbors Helpling Neighbors”
What do these words mean at Friendship House?
“Friendship House is a community resource network of ‘neighbors helping neighbors’,” starts our Mission Statement, and we are thinking about what that means for the
future. One element guiding our thoughts is empowering people to help themselves. We want to help those who are able to become independent of Friendship House to do so. Whenever possible, we wish to foster a sense of community and connectedness between Hamtramck residents. To the extent that neighbors can work together to help each other and their neighborhood, we want to support them. Of course, we strive to act “neighborly” to our Hamtramck neighbors.
Over 40 volunteers!!
Guest Speakder: Evan Albert of the Corporation for National and Community ServiceOver 40 volunteers!!
Volunteers assemble healthy snack kits as part of MLK Day of Service
Hamtramck, Michigan – Friendship House along with the Hamtramck Drug Free Community Coalition led over 40 volunteers in the creation of five-hundred healthy, after-school snack kits for students on January 16 to honor Dr. Martin Luther King’s legacy through community service. Evan Albert, State Director of the Corporation for National and Community Service gave opening remarks.
There was a great diversity of volunteers including many different races, cultures and ages with Hamtramck High School Students representing a strong contingent. The Student Action Team from the high school played an integral role in encouraging young people to volunteer.
The 2012 MLK Day of Service at Friendship House was particularly focused on health and nutritional education. Volunteers gathered with the goal of giving students both a healthy snack as well as a nutritional resource focused on healthy eating.
“Friendship House and Hamtramck Drug Free Community Coalition believe that health is the starting place to leading the full and productive life Dr. King imagined for all people and that strong minds and bodies help create pathways to economic opportunity.” said Samuel Young, Financial Services Coordinator at Friendship House through AmeriCorps VISTA. “As more families and communities need assistance, we are accepting the challenge put forth by Dr. King to make a difference.”
The snack kits will be distributed at 3pm in the cafeterias of Kosciuszko Middle School and Hamtramck High School on:
- Thursday, January 19
- Friday, January 20
Additional snack kits will be distributed at Friendship House during after-school hours on:
– Thursday, January 19
- Friday, January 20
- Monday, January 23
-Tuesday, January 24
The MLK Day of Service shines a spotlight on service as a powerful force to bridge economic and social divides – today and throughout the year. National Days of Service provide each of us with an opportunity to join neighbors and local leaders to tackle community challenges and strengthen the
Laugh away your winter blues on Thursday evening, February 16, 2012 at Mark Ridley’s Comedy Club, 310 S. Troy, Royal Oak. Doors open at 7:00 p.m. and the show starts at 8:00 with two “warm up” comics followed by headliner Rocky LaPorte. You might want to check Rocky out on You Tube from his many appearances around the country. Tickets are $25 and available through Friendship House. $20 of the $25 ticket cost will be tax-deductible.
Send checks with “comedy” on the memo line to 9540 Conant St., Hamtramck, MI 48212. Proceeds will be shared with Camp Lael, a Christian camp located in Lapeer, MI.
Questions? Call 313-871-7443.
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was one of the most revolutionary leaders of our time; he believed in a nation of freedom and justice for all, and encouraged everyone to live up to the purpose and potential of America. Friendship House continues to hear the call of Dr. King [and is responding through the care of those who live in
Hamtramck and beyond.
Friendship House has helped its neighbors since 1929, through various programs and ministries of service. We have empowered our neighbors to help each other by volunteering, donating, and spreading the word about what Friendship House is, and what we are here to do: caring for those in our neighborhood.
To honor of Dr. King, Friendship House will host its first ever MLK Day of Service. Our focus this year will be to provide healthy snacks to the students of Hamtramck schools. On Monday, January 16, at 12 noon, Friendship House is calling for 25 volunteers to come and create 500 snack kits. The snack kits
will provide healthy snacks, as well as a youth-friendly nutritional guide.
Poor nutrition, leads to poor health. According to the Corporation for National and Community Service, “Health is the starting place to lead a full, productive life. Fit bodies and strong minds are critical t healthy development that begins in childhood and last through our senior years. When we work with young people to foster
healthy habits, we create pathways to economic opportunity by building strong minds and bodies, and a population less prone to disease, has higher academic
achievement, and greater independence through our senior years.” How can we expect people to treat each other well, if we don’t treat ourselves well?
If you would like to help, Friendship House is seeking your help in assembling the healthy snack packs on January 16. Contact Sam Young at the office (313) 871-7443, he’ll be more than happy to sign you up.
Call today.
The First Baptist Church of Tekonsha (located 110 miles west of Hamtramck) brought us 118 gift wrapped shoe boxes designed specifically for homeless children. Friendship House took a bunch of them over to the Hamtramck Public Schools headquarters because schools usually know who the homeless kids which attend their schools. Here is what one of the principals wrote in response.
I wanted to drop you a short line before leaving for the holidays to thank you and the folks at Friendship House for your wonderful generosity. The students were so surprised by the Christmas gift boxes as school dismissed today. Everyone who received one walked out of the school with huge smiles on their faces. The Holbrook Elementary staff really appreciates the work you do in our community. Best wishes for a most blessed holiday season and a prosperous New Year!
Russell Robinson Principal Holbrook Elementary School
Your generosity at work … See Photos & Videos to share the smiles of our Holidays
Because of the tremendous generosity of individuals, families, churches and companies, Friendship House is able to provide Christmas meal ingredients to over 400 households this year. Harvest Food Pantry clients have a choice of turkey or ham, while the residents of Hamtramck’s Senior Plaza will receive a Cornish hen. All also receive bags containing the ingredients for traditional holiday meals.
We put the word out via newspaper articles, our annual appeal letter, and postcards asking people to be generous about year-end giving. It is true that many served by our pantry decide whether to pay the rent or utilities, whether to fill a prescription or grocery shop. They depend on Friendship House to get by month to month, and they certainly would not be able to afford the makings of a sumptuous Christmas dinner.
Twenty three families were adopted this year in our Adopt-a-Family program. Each donor was given first names, ages, sizes, genders and suggestions for gifts, and applicant families can only be adopted once in a lifetime.
All I can say is thanks a million to all who supported these efforts to show the love of God to our needy neighbors at the time of year that we celebrate Emmanuel–which means “God with us.” If you have not yet donated to Friendship House, you can do so now via this website, or send a check to 9540 Conant Street, Hamtramck, MI 48212. Donors will receive thank you letters and receipts for tax purposes.
Have a most blessed Christmas and New Year. Thanks again for caring about the people living on the edge in Hamtramck and Detroit.
Linnea Berg
Executive Director
SEE “PHOTOS & VIDEO” FOR PICTURES OF OUR HOLIDAY 2011 EVENTS !
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