PLYMOUTH, Mich. – Two Plymouth business leaders are coming together for the third year to provide a Thanksgiving dinner for families of kids facing food insecurity who attend Livonia elementary schools.
They’re called Blessing Baskets. It’s a vision that started three years ago with Plymouth business leaders Cheryl Pozek and Colleen Donakowski. But, the story really begins long before – all the way back when Cheryl’s mom lost her job when she was a kid.
“So, when I was younger, my mom, when she was 36, had to have surgery. Back in the day, they didn’t leave, or sick leaves. They actually, they let her go,” Pozek said.
Her mom had to rely on available affordable resources to have a holiday. Now, Pozek wants to make sure no family misses out.
“I believe leaders, business leaders, in the community should actually give back to the community and that’s where my heart is,” she said.
So she came up with an idea – three years ago.
“It’s a basket for those who are food challenged,” she said. “It’s an entire basket for somebody who wants a Thanksgiving dinner but can’t. Maybe they are going from paycheck to paycheck and this Thanksgiving meal would put them under. ))
In each one, there is a full Thanksgiving dinner with canned goods, sides, desserts, soup, bread and a gift card for a protein. They are in laundry baskets so that each family can reuse it.
But, they needed to know where exactly they should go.
The two founders reached out to Livonia Schools to ask how many Thanksgiving baskets the schools could use.
It started with 27 baskets, but didn’t stop.
“I think the next year we had 66, or something,” Donakowski said. “I remember thinking, ‘I don’t know how we are going to get this done’ but we did and I said ‘God’s going to provide’ and we’re going to do it.”
People started really catching on.
Baseball teams, businesses, churchmembers – all sorts of people started creating baskets and even adding additional items for families into the baskets.
“For me, again, it goes back to my childhood, where my mom did not know where our next meal was going to come from and I don’t think anyone should have to have a fear like that,” Pozek said. “A lot of people don’t want to go to a pantry, because they are like, ‘Ok, if I go to a pantry, then everyone will know I am hurting.’ This way, it’s not required all the time, if they are just paycheck to paycheck, then they can just have that and that makes their Thanksgiving.”
If you want to be involved, scan the QR code in the flyer attached below.
Plymouth leaders come together to create ‘Blessing Baskets’ (Cheryl Pozek)
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Dining and Cooking