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Shelby Township is collecting items for Samaritan House through its annual Giving Tree program.
Photo provided by Shelby Township
SHELBY TOWNSHIP — Shelby Township is celebrating the 11th anniversary of its annual Giving Tree program, an initiative to spread holiday joy to those in need.
“The Giving Tree reflects the generosity of our residents and employees,” Township Supervisor Rick Stathakis said in a press release. “It’s inspiring to see the support, as each donated item helps support local families facing challenges.”
The Giving Tree program, a tradition in the township to support the Samaritan House food pantry, has garnered widespread support from residents and businesses alike. Since its inception in 2015, the community has donated more than 23,000 items to Samaritan House through the Shelby Township Giving Tree. In 2024, the township collected more than 2,900 nonperishable food items, household goods and personal care products.
“Since 2015, the residents and employees of Shelby Township have never ceased to amaze me with their generosity,” Samaritan House Executive Director Kathy Wojcik said in a press release. “Samaritan House assists 127 families in Shelby Township on a monthly basis primarily with groceries, which include dairy, meat, fresh fruit and vegetables as well as personal hygiene and cleaning supplies. The items collected go a long way in helping us help those right here in our community.”
Samaritan House is expanding next year.
“Each month we spend at least $12,000 to stock our shelves, refrigerators, and freezers,” Wojcik said in a press release. “We are pleased to announce that next spring we will be breaking ground on a 2,000-square-foot building at the rear of our property. This will free up much-needed space in our current building, enabling us to streamline our interaction with clients as well as sorting and packing of food. Mike Magnoli, from Michaelangelo Construction, is helping spearhead this project. We are very excited.”
Samaritan House is located at 62324 Van Dyke Ave. in Washington Township. The nonprofit program operates as a local food pantry serving northwest Macomb County.
The brainchild of the Township Supervisor’s Office and Human Resources Department, the Giving Tree invites individuals to place items from the Samaritan House wish list under the Christmas tree in Township Hall. Township staff members deliver items to Samaritan House in January to restock its shelves.
This year’s wish list from the Samaritan House includes soup, coffee, crackers, condiments, pasta, rice, salad dressing, tomato sauce, canned beans, tea bags, jelly, canned tomatoes, tissues, toilet paper, dish soap, paper towel, laundry soap and liquid hand soap. The Samaritan House staff requested items not be donated in glass jars.
People also can support the Giving Tree and Samaritan House through the Amazon Wishlist linked at shelbytwp.org/Christmas.
“We launched the Amazon list when access to Township Hall was restricted during the pandemic, and it’s become very popular,” Stathakis said in a press release. “In that first year with the online option, donations totaled more than 10,000 items for the Samaritan House. Now, anyone with an Amazon account can log in, purchase items, and ship them directly to Township Hall. We place them under the Giving Tree until our mass delivery to Samaritan House in January.”
Residents can participate in the Giving Tree program by visiting Shelby Township Hall, 52700 Van Dyke Ave. The deadline for Giving Tree donations is Dec. 23.
