Page 10 - Our Hands Spring 2020

COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS

CHRISTMAS It ‘twas truly the season of giving and Christmas Wish was in full swing with an outpouring of generosity
from our community and corporate partners across the state! To learn how you can get involved with our
WISH Christmas Wish program, contact Lauren Brosch at lbros@samaritas.org DEWITT
STUDENTS
Foley & Lardner LLP Christmas Wish BLOOMFIELD HILLS VARSITY B-BALL TEAM
We are so grateful for Foley & Lardner The Bloomfield Hills High School Boys Varsity MAKE AN
LLP in Detroit! Their generous donations Basketball team joined our seniors at Samaritas IMPACT
brought big smiles to so many of our Senior Living of Bloomfield Hills on Martin
foster youth and refugee children as Luther King, Jr. Day for a day of service. The boys BY KAYLA PARK
they supplied loads of gifts for Christmas indulged in an ice cream social by scooping and
AND created a festive space in our Foster serving up ice cream, socializing and enjoying
Care visitation rooms! the company of our residents bringing younger
and older generations together.
While Samaritas relies a great deal on foster blankets to refugee children and request extra money, they collected games, such as
OLD NATIONAL BANK homes to help care for the young refugees donations to support their cause. They ended up puzzles and cards, to give children a fun way to
Right before the holidays, our friends at Old we serve, you don’t have to own a home to raising a whopping $600 from family, friends, and spend time with their new foster families while
National Bank dropped off a truck load of make a difference in the life of a child. In fact, the community! still learning English. They were also able to
presents for a family in preservation. This family you don’t even need to be out of school — as Next, the girls hit the stores to dig up the best purchase some gift cards to help foster families
had lost almost all of the contents of their home demonstrated by Madison, Hailey, and Lauren, deals on materials, and then spent a total of 3 fill some of those immediate “new placement”
due to a disaster. The employees of Old National 8th grade students of Dewitt Junior High School, days together making blankets for kids in refugee needs.
Bank collected housewares, linens, and much whose health class challenged them with foster care. They were joined in blanket-making After all of their work, these girls not only got a
more helping this family through a touch situation the assignment of making an impact on the by a 5th grade class from Herbison Woods hard-earned 100% on their project — they also
making their holidays feel a lot brighter. community. Lauren, whose mother works at Elementary School — showing how different provided a voice of welcome, love, and support to
Samaritas Refugee Youth Services, knew exactly groups in a community can come together to refugee youth from around the world, showing us
where to go to fill a great need.
support a single cause! all what it means to “Be the Rock!”
The three girls decided to donate hand-made After hitting their blanket goal, they still had A home cooked meal also was provided to the
blankets for the transitional foster children plenty of money left over. The girls’ shopping foster youth at the ILP home on Christmas day,
coming through Samaritas’ program. But, as seemed blessed by good deals, stretching their which was fun and memorable for all involved.
with everything in life, this goal required money donation further than they could have expected
— money these girls didn’t have. So they took (a “loaves and fishes” kind of situation). With the
to Facebook to announce their desire to supply

MITCH ALBUM – JANUARY SERIES
Samaritas Nation was proud to underwrite Mitch Albom’s
lecture about his latest book, “Finding Chika,” at Calvin
MEDTEST DX CHEMICAL CARES DAY University’s January Series in Grand Rapids! It was a full
MedTest Dx spread their ripples in a BIG way and supported The Samaritas Family Center with an Over 20 volunteers from Chemical Bank Business house, with over 40 friends from Samaritas. We shared
employee toy drive during their staff Christmas party! tears and laughter as Mitch spoke to some of his favorite
Client Services in Troy, Michigan volunteered
their time at multiple Samaritas locations for a lessons he learned from his adopted daughter Chika.
Thrivent Financial CHEMICAL BANK spectacular Fall Clean Up!! They organized a new Children change our notion of time, they give us a sense
Koine Advisor Group Chemical Bank Wish Room for foster youth and families, raked of wonder. Family is what you are born with but family is
A huge thank you generosity continues leaves, pulled weeds and planted the seeds for a also what you create. Foster families, adoptive families,
to Thrivent Financial to grow. The Business spring bloom at our ILP homes. blended families; family is bigger than you think.
and the Koine Advisor Client services group
Group for mastering a hosted a winter coat and “One of our Samaritas team members, Jackie Perry, recently saw a local doctor and
60-day challenge to boot drive, volunteered during her visit she proudly shared with him where she worked. Well I received a call from
its members to shop by sorting gifts during Dr. Bruce Ruben on Friday who shared that information and that as part of his faith he saves
for the kiddos and Operation Good Cheer $20 a day and when it gets to $840 he gives it away to bless someone else and he’s selected
families in our care and provided loads of the Family Center as the recipient. Additionally, he and his daughter (who is also a doctor) came
this Christmas. So gifts to support our all of yesterday to drop off the donation and also served dinner to our families! My team said that he
many gifts spreading our foster care programs! was very moved about the work we do here and promises to continue working with us!
so much joy! You guys rock!!! MISSION 14 – I think the very nature of this is just beautifully awesome!!”
SHEPHERD’S GATE CHURCH
Pastor Beth Birkholz and Kelli Dobner — Tamieka Andrews, Director, Samaritas Family Center
Rightpoint Drive joined the celebration as Shepherd’s Gate
Rightpoint came through Church in Shelby Township turned 40.
this holiday season and Thank you for continuing to give back to
donated a ton of wish Samaritas through mission outreach and VIETNAMESE AMERICAN COMMUNITY - GRAND RAPIDS
list items for our foster volunteerism! Samaritas was at the Vietnamese American Community — Tet Lunar New Year Celebration in the
care visit rooms and city of Wyoming, Michigan where Joel R. Lautenbach, Executive Director of Development and local
Independent Living Plus Gateways for Growth — Grand Rapids/Kent County leader gave a keynote on the contributions of
homes the Vietnamese Community and how refugees and immigrants make our communities stronger!

UAW LOCAL 163 FAMILY CENTER Tyler
The generous members of UAW Local
163 Hall invited our families from
the Samaritas Family Center to participate in Get your track shoes on to keep up with Tyler. This active young lad loves riding
their Christmas party with lots of food, games, his bike, going hiking and swimming and anything else outdoors. Tyler takes
a magician and even photos with Santa!
Special thanks to UAW Local 163 President, time to slow down, too. He enjoys playing card games, building things with
Ralph Morris Jr., Vice President for Community Legos and putting puzzles together.
Services, Alfreada Wallace and all the Women’s
Committee members for their work planning and For more information visit samaritas.org
presiding over the festivities!

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