I hugged her, and Kay quietly whispered in my ear, “Thank you.” That was right after Jamal hugged me and said, “God, I feel like a new man.”
That is how my day started last Tuesday morning at Capuchin Services in Detroit, where people were lining up for free showers and towels.
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Towels donated by our Local 4 viewers. By the end of my day, after visiting a bunch of non-profits and our Go 4 It Campaign helped; I lost track of the number of hugs, the stories everyone wanted to share, and the feeling of really, really helping and changing lives.
I set out to follow where some of the donations landed and find out who was helped by the items and dollars we collected over the past 12 months. I had no idea how emotional I would be feeling.
I called coworkers, friends, my brother, and my daughters to share the news. THIS IS WORKING!
I always say when you go small, you go big, and yes, it was SO BIG the number of shoes, books, dollars, blankets, towels, sports equipment, and personal items we collected over the year.
We also taught our Local 4 viewers about CPR and Narcan training, made blankets for the Gift of Life, and helped with property tax assistance and home repairs.
Basically, we had a mission to Go 4 It, and it worked.
"Words truly cannot express how much it means to partner with you and the entire WDIV team. We have received so much recognition from that event. I was speaking tonight to a group of Eagles in Rochester and they mentioned it.
Thank you for shining a light on our work, but most importantly the survivor stories. Our communities generosity was such a blessing and the connections that have come from this event have been fantastic!
I look forward to what’s next 😉"
Haven spokesperson Jennifer Porter
I stopped at a preschool in Inkster, where some of the children received new shoes we collected.
DeAire, Christopher, and Jayce all wanted to show me how fast they could run with their new shoes.
They were jumping for joy because of their new shoes. Their parents were so grateful for the help.
I said sometimes something little like a pair of shoes can be a big deal.
Tamika Jones, a mom of twin three-year-olds, said shoes are not a little thing; they are a big thing, and you all made such a difference.
“WDIV’s Go 4 It Campaign had a huge impact on the community and Lace Up Detroit. This year we donated over 3400 pairs of shoes and boots to those in need.
Because of the Go 4 It campaign, Lace Up Detroit was able to help 8 new organizations and build a new shoe closet.
We are grateful to WDIV, for introducing us to 600 new donors that will allow us to reach so many more kids out there that need our help. We also saw how much WDIV cares on a personal level.
The WDIV Team was totally committed to helping our cause, coming out to volunteer even when you were not working. Thank you!"
President Lace Up Detroit Suzanne Seitz
I hugged her and felt so happy to see the children’s faces, to feel the hugs, and to know this was just the beginning.
To all who showed up and dropped off items or donated dollars, you made a difference!
I’ll be sharing these Go 4 It stories in the coming weeks on Local 4 - Expect More!