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24 November 9 • 2017 jn H igher Hopes! is gearing up to once again raise money and donations to prepare 1,000 complete Thanksgiving meal kits. These contain everything from snacks, a turkey, all the sides and delicious desserts to plates, roasting pans and cutlery for families with children enrolled in the Early Head Start Child Care Partnership Programs. The programs encompass the Early Head Start, Head Start and Great Start Readiness programs in Detroit. Families are chosen on a financial need basis and those who are the neediest will receive the complete meal kit to make a Thanksgiving feast in their own homes. Started by Bill Birndorf of Commerce-based Apple Marketing Company in 2014, Higher Hopes! has provided more than 260,000 pounds of food for Thanksgiving and 199,500 pounds of food for sum- mer meal programs — more than a quarter-million meals — to underserved families in Detroit throughout the year As a partner agency of Gleaners Community Food Bank, Higher Hopes! will use Gleaners to help with the pro- gram. They will store all food donations, handle delivery logis- tics and allow Higher Hopes! to use the Gleaners facility for packing meal kits. Pack-Up Day will be held at Gleaners on Saturday, Nov. 18, at its Warren location, 24162 Mound Road in Warren. Distribution Day will take place with the use of Gleaners' four semi-tractor trailers on Monday, Nov. 20, at four Head Start sites in the city of Detroit. Some 350 volunteers will assist in packing and distribut- ing more than 65,000 pounds of food for the Thanksgiving holiday. The new 2017 Higher Hopes! website has a button for donations directly through PayPal, using credit or debit cards. Monetary donations may also be made via checks made out to Higher Hopes! and sent to 8898 Commerce Road, Suite 5C, Commerce, MI 48382. Birndorf came up with the idea the night of Thanksgiving 2013 after seeing a news story about people in the city who were struggling to buy food for the holidays to feed their families. "This project has really helped a lot of families who strug- gle with food insecurities in the city of Detroit. We're here to help and let people in the city know we've got their backs," Birndorf said. "We also receive quite a bit of support from more than 30 corporate sponsors, 100 individuals and charitable foun- dations like the Dresner Foundation and the William and Audrey Farber Foundation." For information or to make food or monetary donations to help this year's cause, call (248) 360-9300, email volunteer@ higherhopesdetroit.org, or visit www.higherhopesdetroit.org. • Hope Through Meal Kits Bill Birndorf and Karen Rubenfire jews d in the Impact. When you become a Laker, you look outward, focusing on others instead of yourself. With professors' caring guidance, you learn how to make a meaningful, lasting difference. Then, as you go forward into the world, you're ready to tackle challenges and make meaningful contributions. Like Michigan itself, your positive impact will be far reaching. That's the Laker Effect. gvsu.edu e Law Firm of Barris, Sott, Denn & Driker, PLLC mourns the recent passing of our beloved founding partner, mentor and friend, We will forever miss David's wit, wisdom and warm smile. who had retired to Upland, California. David L. Denn The Law Firm of Barris, Sott, Denn & Driker, PLLC mourns the recent passing of one of our beloved founding partners, mentor and friend,