It takes a small step to change something big

Milford community members are always looking to help those in need; this year is no exception, and a group of students recently started a project to do just that.

In cooperation with the Motor City Mitten Mission, 35 student council members began working to provide meals for homeless people in Detroit. Once a month, the students meet and prepare a meal for 50 people who don’t always have something to eat. In Michigan, 8,351 homeless people were counted this year, according to the Detroit Free Press. Of those, the majority, 7,452, were in shelters or transitional housing.

Darline Garrison, a MHS staff member, came up with the idea to be a part of the community service program.

“I presented the idea to the student council,” said Daniel Reschke. The students were excited about the idea, and have worked on turning it into a reality since last summer.

Senior Sophia Huszti joined the project because it is a good cause, which means a lot to her. “Sometimes it’s hard for students in our area to put themselves in the shoes of  someone in great need,” said Huszti. “We’re pretty fortunate to live the lives we do without worrying about food or shelter. So to be able to help in any way, large or small, I think could make a difference in someone’s life.”

In addition to meal preparation, the students make mats out of plastic bags, these mats provide inexpensive alternatives to mattresses for those without a roof overhead, and serve as a layer between the ground and protection from harsh weather.

To make as many as possible, members meet once a month to prepare the food and make the mats. The whole project is based on donations. Reschke wants to give a special thanks to all the students who are participating and a special thanks to the sponsors: Hugh Felt, Melissa Wagester, Carrie Eby, Dave Browne, Emily Meinkwic, and the student council. The donations make the whole idea possible and give the students the chance to improve the difficult lives homeless people often have to experience.

“Our hope is to spread out community feeling, here in Milford and Detroit, to feel and see the love and support of Milford,” said Reschke.

The group has already seen success, seeing the donated meals they prepared on the streets a couple days later, and seeing how appreciative and thankful the recipients were, was so far the best moment Huszti had.

The team is looking forward to many other moments, which show that even a small project can make a big change. If you want to donate your time or money for the cause, the group welcomes everyone with open arms, so don’t be shy and try to do a little bit for a big change. You can contact Mr. Reschke or the student council if you are interested