It's the season of giving, when people give of themselves, their time, their talents and treasures. And now it will be experienced in abundant ways before Thanksgiving, Hanukkah and Christmas arrive, as it did Saturday for hundreds of struggling Detroit families.
On the basketball court, Earvin (Magic) Johnson has recorded many once-in-a-lifetime moments — NCAA and NBA championships. But at Detroit's Second Ebenezer Church in northeast Detroit on Saturday, the superstar athlete said in a tweet to some 2.3 million followers he recorded another personal best.
"Today is the best day of my life the @MagicJohnsonFDN was able to feed 8k people in Detroit! #MJFHolidayHope"
Johnson and his wife, Earlitha (Cookie), were on hand as the Magic Johnson Foundation, which teamed up with Oklahoma-based nonprofit Feed the Children and several corporate sponsors, distributed Thanksgiving turkeys, food and winter coats to about 2,000 metro Detroit low-income families.
Johnson tweeted out photos from the church and thanked 400 volunteers who helped pass out packages. The families were identified ahead of time, and are in need, with incomes that fall at or below the poverty level. And Johnson, the Lansing native who led Michigan State University to the 1979 NCAA championship and won several NBA championships with the Los Angeles Lakers, explained why he was there.
"My purpose on this Earth is to give back!" Johnson tweeted. "Seeing all the smiles and receiving so many hugs was amazing!"
Across the area, this coming week will be marked by many efforts to help the less fortunate.
Bill Birndorf, an executive who operates Apple Marketing Co. in Commerce Township, started the Higher Hopes nonprofit this year to provide food packages for 1,000 impoverished families, with enough fixings to serve a holiday meal for eight to 12 people.
Birndorf, 56, of West Bloomfield partnered with Detroit nonprofits and ministries to identify 1,000 underprivileged households in the city. On Monday, Birndorf and his partners are expected to distribute the makings of a fine Thanksgiving dinner to selected families. Higher Hopes raised money online in a GoFundMe.com campaign and received donations from corporations of funds and goods, including corn muffin mixes from Chelsea-based Jiffy Mix and specialty cupcakes from Just Baked, said Birndorf.
"I'm just really happy to contribute to the revival of Detroit and help people and families stay together for Thanksgiving. This is what it's all about, the families," said Birndorf. "It just makes me feel good to be able to do this and be part of this. It's gone from nothing to feeding 1,000 families in a very short period of time."
Contact Patricia Montemurri: [email protected]
