My husband and I are donating in memory of my sister, Teresa Manning who died from corona virus. Her Story:
My sister, Teresa Manning, died last Wednesday, April 22, in Beaumont Hospital in Royal Oak, MI from coronaviris. She was 67 years old and is survived by four children, four step children and seven grand children. She is also survived by four sisters and three brothers. Also by our spouses, and the spouse of one of her sons. Also by her dog Boomer and her cat Bella. And also by many friends.
She had been waiting for a knee transplant for over a year (in great pain), but they kept postponing it because something in her blood work was wrong. Also, she was still coping with the loss of her oldest son Larry from ALS last summer. Finally, they figured out she had bone cancer. They amputated one of her legs last fall. She was learning to use a prosthesis, and gaining back a little hope when on her third round of chemo in April, she told us her reaction to the chemo was "different" this time, "worse." She tested positive for coronaviris, and you know the rest.
I cannot attempt to explain the sadness, the heartache, the loss we will always feel. I know that we are not alone. As of this writing, I know there are almost 70,000 deaths in the US from his virus, and that their families are suffering just as mine is, some even more because they do not even have decent healthcare or nutrition or shelter. So we are trying to help provide a little of that.
Thanks for all you do,
Angie and Bill Cavalieri
A wonderful organization: the cleanest facility imaginable; careful, frugal management of resources; hard-working staff; good use of volunteers; excellent collection and distribution of life-saving food supplies. A Detroit treasure.
Gleaners does a terrific job collecting surplus food, repackaging fold into snack and meal boxes for schools in economically challenged area, providing practical food preparation demonstrations/lessons, and nutrition education. They even had a vegetable garden on a vacant lot adjacent to the warehouse, Their conversion factor for cash to meals is phenomenal and overhead is low, An excellent model to follow. As a Sodexo employee I am a frequent supporter of Gleaners to meet our common gaol of stopping hunger, and especially children hunger.
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I had worked as a Clinical Social Worker for almost 30 years. I worked in Protective Services in Detroit, MI; schools in Algonac & Rochester, MI; treatment homes in Grosse Pointe Farms, MI; and a children's hospital in Pontiac, MI. In all, I serviced both rich and poor; in all places, I saw the need for services, especially food, before any treatment could begin. I find that Gleaners is a well established, overwhelmingly volunteer-based agency that distributes to all areas in all parts of the world. These past years in Michigan have been very very tough financially and the need for food has become epidemic. Job loss, foreclosures, financial problems all have contributed to a sense of hopelessness in my area for many people. I cannot begin to think about celebrating Christmas....either the secular or the religious .... without giving something to share for my fellow humans. I donate to other places but this one seems so 'down to earth'.. over 30million pounds of food distributed per year. Whether you have much or little to give.....just give.... please. It is so needed. Pass the 'will work for food' signs and contribute to where you know your dollars will be properly distributed. These double donation days, like today are terrific! You can donate for someone as a gift or in honor/memory of.... Please help. In all my days of service as a social worker, I have never seen so many so needy....and admitting it and sometimes feeling bad for accepting help. Please help so they can feel hope. I can no longer work due to physical problems but I can still help. I hope there are many, many more HELPERS out there today. thanks. Gail
I have served on the Board of several non-profits, but never before have I been part of an organization as well run as Gleaners Community Food Bank. I marvel at how the Gleaners team leverages 20,000 volunteers to distribute over 30 million pounds of food a year. There are less than 50 employees, yet Gleaners is at the forefront of countless programs in our community to help alleviate hunger and improve nutrition. The organization is filled with individuals possessing extraordinary skills and deep commitment to improving the lives of those in need. I am consistently awed and humbled by their accomplishments.
Gleaners fills a community need that has become more significant in the wake of the floundering economy. The staff is proactive, dedicated, and equally open to the support of one person or a small army. They always respond to requests whether they are need based or inquiries to support on a volunteer basis.
Gleaners makes miracles! They have a tireless staff, and army of volunteers and an amazing impact on the Metro Detroit area! They operate at an amazing cost and spend every available penny on helping people in need. Gleaners people are good people doing great things! I have volunteered with them at numerous events, and it's a great chance to help out in the community. So often, "helping a charity" means simply pulling out the checkbook, but Gleaners allows you to help at ground level. Meals on Wheels, the food bank, stuffing holiday boxes, are all great opportunities to get directly involved with some of the great things Gleaners does.
Gleaner's is an amazing organization and truely provides a helping hand to Southeastern Michigan. Their leverage is outstanding: $0.95 of every dollar donated goes directly to food programs and every dollar provides 3 meals -- NOW THAT'S RESULTS! We've raised money and food donations a number of times, and volunteered at their distribution centers (which is actually alot of fun!).
It was an incredible experience working with this organization. I have worked for many nonprofits, but this the best of the best. They are extremely organized and professional, as well as making us feel like we are part of the business. I can't wait to volunteer again. It is a great way to spend an afternoon; you meet new people and help an efficient organization serve so many people in need. I have to say thank you for making my life experiences even richer.
I often tell my friends that if all non-profits were run like Gleaners, our world would be in a much better state. They are efficient and resourceful, nothing goes to waste. They truly care about the dignity of their clients, they cherish and respect their employees and everyone I know who works there really works their fingers to the bone to get things done. It is a happy place, their employees love what they do. When you walk into the warehouse, you really feel the love. I would say that in this economy, no one is doing better work for our country than Gleaners.
I have been doing Social Work for 11 years and regardless of the population of people i assist, Gleaners has always been an option for those less fortunate. They have provided food for homeless teens and teen mothers, the elderly, foster care homes and organizations, the mentally ill, low income, 1time or new unemployed families....EVERYONE. I am truly proud to have associated my work and effort with an organization who's is focus is on the community. They are still located on the east side of Detroit and see first hand how their generosity and charity affects people. i wish them years and years of service.
There is so much love in this organization. I've volunteered making food bundles and the facility was neat and clean. The staff and the others who came out that afternoon were so friendly. And on the other end of things I have seen the Gleaners trucks out in my community. What a life saver to so many.
I volunteered at Gleaners several times a long time ago and saw that they were making a difference in people's lives. As a result, I donate s small amount from my paycheck every month to the non-profit as doing so would be the right thing to do so they can continue their good work.
My family was able to help stock the shelves at one of the Gleaner's Pantry locations. I like the fact that the people that are served by Gleaners get to pick their food and go shopping for a more dignified and less wasteful approach to distribution. They can take their kids and feel like they are in a normal grocery store. It was a good experience for my family/children to stock the shelves with some of the items we donated and get a sense for the limited meals that needy families would be eating. The volunteer staff that assisted us was fantastic in making the experience meaningful.