Founded by Detroit Chesed Project in 2014, Tomchei Shabbos (“Supporters of Shabbat”) is a program in which anonymously provide essential Shabbat food to needy Jewish families in our community.
The process is conducted with the utmost discretion, care and privacy. Potential recipients are referred to our program by their local rabbi who informs the Tomchei Shabbos coordinator of their need and family size. The coordinator is the only one who knows the name of this recipient. The recipient is then identified with an anonymous letter and size of family. The meals are prepared by a local community caterer and are delivered to the Tomchei Shabbos coordinator’s home on Friday where it will either be picked up or discreetly delivered to the recipient’s home.
Each Tomchei Shabbos meal consists of a minimum of fish, chicken soup, two side dishes, chicken, and two types of salad. The meals have generous portions so leftovers can be used for additional meals.
The current cost per meal is $10 and we serve a fluctuating amount of meals per week. We currently delivery an average of 90 meals every Shabbos.
Detroit Chesed Project initiated Gesher in 2015. Gesher is a cost-efficient answer to local families in need. We seek to collaborate with local organizations to provide Jewish Detroit families access to benefits and government programs they are eligible for. By helping eliminate cultural barriers and leveraging strong partnerships, we ultimately help families overcome the challenges of financial hardship.
We help families live better and maintain their self respect by offering household items free of charge. New and very gently used clothing, shoes, outerwear, and accessories are offered. We regularly also offer cookware, small appliances, bed linen, vacuums, irons, and other house wares. We are open Tuesday nights from 7-10 pm.
