Make an Impact - Volunteer!

As citizens of the state of Michigan, we are inundated by sorrowful and negative news on a daily basis. From the Big 3 woes, home foreclosures and homelessness, many families and individuals in the mitten state feel like there is no light at the end of the tunnel.

There are so many amazing organizations throughout southeast Michigan that work diligently to help those in need. With the holidays sneaking up on us at lightning speed, many people will be seeking assistance. So what can you, as one single person, do to make a difference? Volunteer.

I, along with my gal pals Lauren (@metrogal84), Sarah (@sarshie) and Kendall participated in Panera Bread and United Way for Southeastern Michigan's Impact Your Neighborhood program on Saturday at Gleaners Food Bank in Warren, Mich.

DISCLAIMER: If you read my blog or know me well, you know that Panera is my client. I am not writing this to promote or publicize Panera. I am writing about this because volunteering and giving back to my community makes me happy :)

Impact Your Neighborhood is a regional initiative aiming to build stronger communities in metro Detroit. The program offered one-time volunteer projects on select Saturdays in September, October and November. The Gleaners volunteer day was the last project this year, but due to overwhelming interest in the program, we're hoping to expand it next year...so be on the lookout for more details in the future!

So what did we do to make an impact? We helped sort a variety of goods into boxes, then packaged individual boxes for families to take back home with them. Simple, right? All it took was a few short hours and what we did will give happiness to people who are suffering. It was so great to see how many volunteers got up early on a Saturday and took time out of their precious weekend to make a difference.

As I previously mentioned, there are a TON of organizations throughout metro Detroit aiming to help struggling families and individuals that I'm sure are in need of volunteers now and throughout the holidays. Here are a few:

• The Salvation Army Eastern Michigan Division and The Salvation Army of Washtenaw County
• Food Gatherers
• Lighthouse of Oakland County
• Food Bank of Eastern Michigan
• Spaulding for Children
• Vista Maria
  

That's just a snippet, so feel free to comment about different organizations that you feel passionate about or ones that need volunteers.

Next up on the volunteer schedule -- ringing bells for The Salvation Army. More to come on that...