The holidays are filled with joy and love. Many people spend time with their families and are grateful for the gifts they receive. While it is wonderful to be able to give gifts to your loved ones, it is in the holiday spirit to give to those who need it most. Below is a list of places you can get involved with in order to give back to our Berkley community.

Yad Ezra
First is Yad Ezra. Yad Ezra is a charity food bank located on Eleven Mile Road in Berkley, MI. They provide their recipients with kosher food, health care items, and household goods every month. You can donate money to the organization, volunteer in the food pantry, volunteer to assist clients with shopping lists, help out in their garden and greenhouse, and lastly, you can deliver items to clients’ doorsteps. There are many different ways to get involved at Yad Ezra. You can sign up to volunteer or donate at yadezra.org.

Brilliant Detroit
Next is Brilliant Detroit. Brilliant Detroit is a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping kids up to 8 years old who live in Detroit by providing them with the resources they need to be ready for school. You can donate school supplies, clothing, toys, and much more. You can also donate money for these supplies and even become a tutor to students involved in the program. For more specific information about what to donate, you can find a list at: https://brilliantdetroit.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/General-and-Books-Wish-List-8.12.20.pdf. You can sign up to volunteer or donate at brilliantdetroit.org. This organization is a great way to help out your local community and provide support to people who need it.

Forgotten Harvest
Forgotten Harvest is located on Eight Mile Road in Oak Park, MI. Their goal is to relieve hunger and prevent food from going to waste in the metro Detroit area. They say that every $10 donated will provide $70 worth of groceries or 40 meals to metro Detroiters! Forgotten Harvest delivers around 144,000 pounds of surplus food per day to local pantries, shelters, and soup kitchens in the Detroit area. Over 542,000 people in Macomb, Oakland, and Wayne counties live in poverty, so donating to help feed them could make a huge difference. You can donate directly on their website forgottenharvest.org or sign up to volunteer to help distribute food.

Oakland HOPE Food Pantry
This organization is another great one. This pantry serves all residents of Oakland County, MI who have food insecurities. Other than donating money, you can also show your support by volunteering. You can help shop for pantry clients or load boxes of food into client’s trunks! You can donate or sign up to volunteer at oaklandhope.org. You can also find their Amazon and regular wish lists on their website.

New Beginnings Animal Rescue
New Beginnings Animal Rescue is another wonderful 501 © 3 nonprofit organization located in Royal Oak, MI. This organization focuses solely on cat rescuing and finding the best care and homes for these animals. In order to help this organization you can volunteer to be on the cleaning crew, fundraising/ event assistant, and care for pregnant/ nursing moms and orphaned kittens. You can also donate money or supplies. Your donation can be a variety of things ranging from a bag of cat food to a lifesaving emergency treatment. To get more information about volunteering and wish list items you can go to nbarmichigan.org. If you are an animal and cat lover this organization is a perfect way to get involved with your interests while giving back to your community.

Haven Domestic Violence Shelter
Lastly, we have Haven Domestic Violence Shelter. This organization seeks to eliminate domestic violence and sexual assault from all of Oakland County. Haven helps victims of domestic and sexual violence on the road to recovery by providing them with shelter, counseling, advocacy, and educational programming. You can help by donating items or volunteering your time. Some items to donate include toilet paper, pots and pans, sheets, and boxed cereal. To do this, go to haven-oakland.org. You can find lists of what to donate as well as their Amazon wish list. This is a great organization that has truly impacted and helped the lives of many people.

No matter where you donate to or volunteer at, you will help someone in need in this community. During this holiday season grab a friend or family member and do something, whether little or small, and it will make a difference in someone’s life.