Contact: Cathy P. Russell
11101 Morang Drive, Grosse Pointe, MI 48224
Website: http://www.tgoahhctbuildingandtoyfund.org
E-mail: cathyprussell@tgoahhctbuildingandtoyfund.org
Phone: (313) 499-1263
Fax: (313) 468-1476
Tax ID: #38-3640111
Dear Grant Administrator/Contribution Department:
On behalf of The Gift Of A Helping Hand Charitable Trust and its board members, we are
submitting our proposal to be considered for funding for the funding to improve the capacity and
infrastructure of The Gift Of A Helping Hand Charitable Trust emergency food pantry.
Amount of Fund Requested
$25,000.00
History
The Gift Of A Helping Hand Charitable Trust was founded on January 10, 2002. The
organization was formed to serve the needy, child abuse, underprivileged, domestic violence
victims, veterans, underserved, child abuse, economically disadvantaged, racism and povertystricken families and individuals residing in distressed communities in southeastern Michigan.
Purpose
The purpose of The Gift Of A Helping Hand Charitable Trust is to serve the underprivileged,
domestic violence victims, veterans, underserved, child abuse, economically disadvantaged,
poverty-stricken and low-income families and individuals in metropolitan Detroit, Michigan and
other Wayne counties with support, assistance and resources in which our programs, services and
activities offers on a day to day basis.
Needs Statement
The Gift Of A Helping Hand Charitable Trust is addressing poverty, hunger and homelessness in
Michigan. Four of the key factors leading to the cause of poverty, hunger and homelessness in
Michigan are:


High unemployment rates. The unemployment rate in Wayne county, Michigan has rose
to 11.3%
Lack of jobs. The number of job loss increased by 5.1% in Michigan.

Lack of educational training and educational background for hundreds of families and
individuals crippling them to live at or below the poverty-rate.

Bad economy
Mission statement
Our mission is to assist in lifting our voices against illiteracy, providing foster care for seniors,
and putting an end to poverty, domestic violence, hunger, racism, child abuse, and
homelessness in southeastern Michigan and other Wayne counties, Northern Toledo, OH,
Lucas counties and America.
The Gift Of A Helping Hand Charitable Trust mission is to provide basic human needs for
thousands of families and individuals requesting our assistance during these challenging times.
Program Summary
The Gift Of A Helping Hand Charitable Trust has been a community food pantry since 2004.
We provide food boxes for needy individuals in southeastern Michigan requesting food
assistance. We have distributed food boxes to thousands of families and individuals in
Michigan. Our top priority at this time is to help families and individuals to survive through
these tough economic times.
In Michigan, 1 in 5 residents is receiving some type of assistance from the Department of Health
and Human Services (DHS).

The number of people going through DHS has increase by 50% since 2008. 54,000 more
people received state assistance in September 2009.

By May 2010, it is projected that 93,000 families in Michigan (50,000 in metro Detroit)
will have exhausted their unemployment benefits and may find themselves needing
emergency food.

Michigan is the only state where poverty rates rose last year.

450,000 residents who were to exhaust unemployment benefits between July 2009 and
January 2010 have received an extension and are expected to seek services later in 2010.

3.5 million individuals in Michigan will seek food assistance in 2013.

Michigan has been one of the states hardest hit by the country’s recent economic
recession, with Detroit experiencing a 16.7% unemployment rate.

The poverty rate in Michigan is 14.4%; in Wayne county, where Detroit is located, the
rate is 20.5%.

1.75 million Michigan residents receive Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program
(SNAP) benefits.

In Detroit, over 500,000 residents live in areas with limited or no access to nutritious
food options.

The number of job loss increased by 5.1% in Michigan. Michigan lost an additional
13,000 more jobs in 2012, leaving these individuals to rely on organizations such as The
Gift Of A Helping Hand Charitable Trust.
On June 1, 2010, More than 100,000 people have applied for food assistance online
at www.michigan.gov/mibridges, giving them access to healthy food and their local economies a
shot in the arm, Michigan Department of Human Services Director Ismael Ahmed said today.
"We are dedicated to providing food assistance to as many eligible Michigan families as
possible," Ahmed said. "The online application is a big help, to us and our clients, as we work to
meet that goal."
Already, almost 1.8 million people in Michigan receive food assistance - a figure that's growing
by about 30,000 people per month. More than 106,000 people have submitted their applications
online since the option was launched in August 2009.
Food assistance serves as a stop-gap measure to help people maintain nutrition during tough
times, Ahmed said, adding that the average person receives food assistance for less than two
years.
Almost 190 community partners have been identified across the state that has computers people
can use to access the application. DHS also now has about 60 computer stations in 30 local
offices that people can use to access the application.
In Michigan, about 162,000 exhausted their 99 weeks of benefits between January 1, and
November 30 of this year, said Norman Isotalo, spokesman for the Michigan Unemployment
Insurance Agency. He said the number for the first two weeks of December is not yet available.
Update December 22, 2010: On December 17, 2010, President Obama signed into law legislation
extending the ending date for the federal Emergency Unemployment Compensation (EUC)
program to January 3, 2012, from November 30, 2010. However, the legislation does not add any
new benefits. The maximum number of weeks for which the Unemployment Insurance Agency
can pay state and federal unemployment benefits remains at 99 weeks.
In 2011, more than 11,000 families were cut off from Public Assistance, leaving them to rely on
organizations such as The Gift Of A Helping Hand Charitable Trust. The Gift Of A Helping
Hand Charitable Trust is now serving a large percentage of these individuals, and it is more a
major priority that we purchase a building to continue to meet the needs of families and
individuals. We urgently need more space to accommodate more families and individuals.
During the three consecutive year, the 2013 through 2015 Gift Of Giving Food Drive will
provide over 6 million pounds of food to launch our campaign to help support Gift Of Giving
Feed The Hungry Program project, and we look forward to the possibility of your partnership in
our cooperative efforts to help us providing over 3.5 million pounds of food to support the 2
million needy individuals in Michigan that will seek food assistance.
We provide temporary emergency food assistance for these individuals, once they have
exhausted their unemployment and have not other source of income. We will also recommend
these individuals to other food resources programs, which provide food assistance for individuals
that do not meet the low-income requirements and are not eligible for food assistance.
The Gift Of A Helping Hand Charitable Trust plans to purchase and distribute package foods to
families and individuals. We distribute food boxes to those individuals requesting assistance.
We distribute food vouchers and gift cards for individuals and families to be able to purchase
food. We recommended these individuals to support groups that offer financial training and
education in budget their weekly income to leave from a crisis and become self-sufficient.
The grant help us improve our processes and distribution systems to provide food where and
when it is needed. Your support will help us improve the variety and nutritional quality of the
food distributed throughout southeastern Michigan to 2 million needy individuals.
The grant will help support us and increase the number of new clients in need of food assistance
and give these individuals the opportunity to receive assistance through our program. The grant
will improve our infrastructure and expand the underlying framework of our organization and
program.
The grant will provide resources needed to remove any barriers by providing job training, skill
training and other placement services to help our clients to become self-sufficient and selfreliant. More financial education training is needy to help individuals budget their income in
these tough economic times. More job training and educational training is also need to help
them individuals to seek better careers in order to become self-sufficient and self-reliant.
We need more food assistance programs to help these individuals through tough economical
times. More agencies providing resources that will help assist the needy and those who never
before required food assistance.
The program will make available job training, counseling, placement services including job
readiness, literacy training and skill training.
SOUTHEASTERN MICHIGAN STATISTICAL REPORT

In southeastern Michigan 62,400 different people received assistance in any given week.

77,949 children in southeastern Michigan are served through the food bank.

71% living at or below the poverty level

46% are single person households

13% are homeless

11% include an elderly person

40% have no car

29% include children

Poverty level is $19,200 for family of four

Average annual household income is $11,260

36% choose between food and utilities

33% choose between food and housing

29% choose between food and medical care

37% of households include at least one employed adult

15% of clients held managerial or professional jobs

41% of clients completed high school and 24% have some college or a two-year degree

26% of households have at least 1 person in poor health

48% of clients have unpaid medical bills

69% of the households reported that sometimes or often they could not afford to eat
balanced meals.

25% have no medical insurance

38% use food stamps

29% participate in W.I.C

59% free-reduced school lunch

41% free school breakfast
There is a great increase in demand of 68% of pantries, 69% of kitchens, and 76% of shelters
reported an increase since 2001 in the number of people requesting food. 39% of pantries, 21%
of kitchens, and 37% of shelters turned away clients last year because of lack of resources.
WAYNE COUNTY STATISTICAL REPORT

In Wayne County, 45,200 different people receive assistance in any given week

48,231 Wayne County children are served through the food bank

75% live at or below the poverty level

55% are single person households

17% are homeless

11% include an elderly person

51% have no car

22% include children

70% are between ages 18 and 64

Average annual household income is $8,910

30% choose between food and utilities

27% choose between food and housing

26% choose between food and medical care

33% of households include at least one employed adult

13% of clients held managerial or professional jobs

39% of clients completed high school and 26% have some college or a two-year degree

26% of households have at least 1 person in poor health

44% of clients have unpaid medical bills

70% of households reported that sometimes or often they could not afford to eat balanced
meals

30% have no medical insurance

41% use food stamps

69% free-reduced school lunch

51% free school breakfast
There is a great increase in demand of 66% of pantries, 79% of kitchens, and 78% of shelters
reported an increase since 2001 in the number of people requesting food. 45% of pantries, 25%
of kitchens, and 39% of shelters turned away clients last year because of lack of resources.
Accomplishments for 2012

The 2012 Food Collection Drive distributed food boxes to 6000 families and individuals in
2012. Our 2012 Food Collection Drive received in-kind donations and monetary donations
in the amount of $59,752.63. Thanks to donors such as Panera Bread, Entenmann’s Bakery
Outlet, Sweetheart Bakery, Jelly Belly Company and other national and local businesses
which help made our 2012 Food Collection Drive a huge success.

The 2012 Toy Collection Drive distributed new toys to over 2500 needy children in
metropolitan Detroit, Michigan, including Wayne, Macomb, Washtenaw, Monroe, Oakland,
Hamtramck, Highland Park and other Michigan counties, during the holiday seasons and
throughout the year. Our 2012 Toy Collection Drive received great support and received
$1,567.34 in in-kind donations of toys to help support our 2012 Toy Collection Drive.

The Gift Of A Helping Hand Charitable Trust 2012 Building Fund collected monetary
donations and auction items all year round to help with the general operating support,
fundraising activities and programs and services of The Gift Of A Helping Hand Charitable
Trust. Our 2012 Building Fund received monetary and in-kind donations in the amount of
$1,434.22.

Our 2012 New Clothes & New Shoes Collection Drive distributed new clothing & new
shoes for 2500 youth during the holiday seasons and throughout the year. Our program
serves youths residing in homeless shelters, transitional housing, domestic violence
facilities, foster care agencies and low-income communities. Our 2012 New Clothes &
New Shoes received in-kind donations in the amount of $3,584.76 to help support our
program.

The Gift Of Giving Children Literacy Program host three book distribution three time per
academic year and distributes one free book per at risk child to increase the awareness of
reading and improve a child’s self-esteem. The program provides free books to over 1500 at
risk children residing in distressed communities in metropolitan Detroit, Michigan and other
Wayne counties.

Our 2012 Backpack & School Supplies Collection Drive distributed backpacks & school
supplies to o9ver 500 low-income youths in Michigan for back to school. Our 2012
Backpack & School Supplies Collection Drive received in-kind donations in the amount of
$2500.00. Our 2012 Backpack & School Supplies Drive was a great success for 2012.
Long-Term Outcomes

Ally with other community food banks and Public Assistance agencies to help provide
food assistance for families and individuals requesting basic human needs.

Provide basic human needs for millions of families and individuals requesting assistance
during these tough economic times.

Create more jobs and provide job training to enhance an individual standard way of living
in order to sustain self-sufficiency.

Provide educational training to help individuals to improve their life skills that will assist
them in achieving a higher education, and help them get a better career.

Open the passage way to allow others to become entrepreneur in a society that offer
many opportunities to own your own businesses and create more jobs, while paving the
way for others to take a stand in ending poverty in America.

Implement more community centers that offer financial budgeting classes and community
gardening that will train families and individuals in growing their own food to main selfsufficiency.

Lower the percentage rate of poverty by 12%.

Provide assistance for additional 5,000 families and individuals.
Target Audience



A resident of Michigan
Homeless individuals
Welfare Recipients






Having an income of less than 200% of the federal poverty level.
You must be a low-income person (below 50% of the Area Median Income).
Seniors
Veterans
Unemployed individuals
Disable individuals
Demographics
Ages
56 percent Pre-K (0 through 4) and Kindergarten
30 percent 6 through 9
10 percent 10 through 14
4 percent 15 through 17
56 percent 18 through 50
4 percent 51 through 65
Gender
44% Male
56% Female
Ethnicity Background
90.7%
5.1%
3%
0.8%
0.3%
African-American
Hispanic
White
Asian
Native American
Location
78 percent southeastern Michigan
22 percent Wayne counties

Budget Allocation - Include a description of the total project budget with a detailed
breakdown itemizing
Submitted with proposal

Post Funding - Indicate how program activities are to be sustained after funding from the
foundation
Our organization will continue to solicit other public and private foundations, corporations,
individual donors, businesses and host fundraising events to continue the financial funding of
the organization’s project. The project will provide volunteering opportunities for volunteers to
donate their time and funds to the project.
Program Dissemination - Outline program plans for dissemination and replication
The project dissemination will be made through volunteers, community leaders, license
contractors and board members of the organization. The project will be disseminated to any
individual seeking food assistance throughout southeastern Michigan, including Wayne,
Oakland, Macomb and Hamtramck counties.
The project will be replicated by providing more food pantries and disaster relief programs to
match the unmet needs of individuals seeking food assistance in metropolitan Detroit,
Michigan and other Wayne counties. The project will be replicated by our organization
collaborating with other organizations serving the same needs to our target constituency as we
serve our communities as a hold.
Evaluation
Indicate how program outcomes and effectiveness are measured, and include findings from
previous evaluation efforts, if available.
The program outcomes and effectiveness will be measured by use of an Evaluation Report. The
evaluation report will be used as a research tool and an examination report of the clients we
have served, and the clients that still needs assistance from our programs, services and
activities. The evaluation report will also be used to report the areas in the communities where
the needs are still unmet.
The Evaluation Report will be disseminated to research institute requesting information about
our clients and communities. The evaluation report will be disseminated to the organization’s
board members and staff.
Current list of members and their affiliations
Submitted with proposal
Copy of most recent audited statement
Submitted with proposal
Copy of organization’s current general operating budget
Submitted with proposal
List of current public and private investors, including their levels of support
Sam Club
Wal-Mart Foundation
The TJX Companies Inc.
Ronald McDonald House of Charities
United Way of Southeastern Michigan
Bank of America Charitable Foundation
Family Dollar
Leadership Toledo
Southeastern Michigan Area Combined
Federal Campaign
The Feinstein Foundation
Payless Shoes 4 Kids Program
Entenmann's Bakery Inc.
501 (c )(3)
Submitted with proposal
$1000.00 - Committed
$2000.00 - Committed
$5000.00 - Committed
$3000.00 - Committed
$5000.00 - Committed
$5000.00 - Committed
$750.00 - Committed
$1000.00 - Committed
$300.00 - Committed
$290.00 - Committed
$1500.00 - Committed
$24,000.00 - Committed