Canton Observer (Canton, MI)

Donation drive aims to help the needy

Got some old clothes you'd like to get rid of? Are there extra boxes and cans of food in your kitchen that you could spare? And have you been wondering what you can do with that old cell phone? Local charities always need these items to give to people in need - but it can be a hassle to figure out where to bring them.

On the evening of Thursday, Aug. 4, donating all of those things to charity will be fast and easy, thanks to an event sponsored by a local chapter of the national group Democracy for America.

Called "Drive Up, Drop Off & Donate," the event will allow local residents to simply drive up to a convenient Hines Drive location and drop off clothes, non-perishable food items, prepaid phone cards, cell phones, toiletries including larger-size baby diapers and women's sanitary products, household paper goods and cleaning supplies.

DFA members will bring all of the items to three charities that serve people in need throughout southeast Michigan: Gleaners Community Food Bank, Vietnam Veterans of America and First Step of Michigan, which serves victims of violence and their families.

From 5 p.m. until dark Aug. 4, anyone can drive up to the Wilcox Lake Picnic Area on Hines Drive, located between Haggerty and Northville Road in Plymouth Township. DFA members, all of whom live in the 11th Congressional District in western Wayne County and southwestern Oakland County, will collect the donations from vehicles in a "drive-through" manner. Donations of any size are welcome, but cash can't be accepted under Hines Park rules.

For donors who want to stop for a while, or help out, a potluck picnic will run throughout the evening. All are welcome to stay.

Democracy for America is a non-profit grassroots organization that grew out of the presidential campaign of Howard Dean. DFA is not affiliated with any political party. The 11th District DFA's group has a Web site, www.dfa.meetup.com_579, with more information. Members meet once each month.

"We know the current economic downturn is hurting many of our neighbors in the 11th District, and we wanted to take direct action that would help them," says Don Jones of Northville, one of the local DFA members who helped organize the event. "Food, clothing and communication are basic needs that always need to be met. We also hope the event will help more people from Plymouth, Canton, Northville, Livonia, Novi, Redford, Westland, Milford, Commerce Township, Belleville and Garden City learn about our group and consider joining."

The three charities chosen to receive donations from the event, Gleaners, VVA and First Step, provide services throughout the 11th Congressional District and beyond. First Step, based in Plymouth, was founded in 1978 to help victims of violence and their families, and serves more than 6,000 families a year. Its 24-hour hotline is (888) 453-5900. Vietnam Veterans of America is a service organization serving the needs of veterans of the Vietnam War era throughout the nation; its Web site is www.vva.org. Gleaners Community Food Bank of Southeastern Michigan collects, warehouses, repacks and distributes millions of pounds of food for over 300 local member agencies. Last year, this food was used in nearly 24 million meals. Gleaners' Web site is www.gcfb.org and its help-line is 1-800-552-1183.

Link