Skip to content
HelpBLESS
MoneyFood & hunger

Weekly meals for students and shift workers in Detroit

Help keep a free food pantry open for students and shift workers in Detroit.

Anywhere in the world1,831 views
Sophia R. Ruiz
Email verified
Detroit
Since 2020, our volunteer team has run the Second Helping every Wednesday from the back of the mosque courtyard. We started with 16 families, and now we feed 236 each week. Donations have dropped by about 31% this rainy season, while the line has grown every single week. We rely on volunteers - 7 of us - and keep no salaries or overhead. I buy staples at wholesale prices at the Detroit market and keep every receipt. Each $30 feeds a family of four for a week. All of the funds go to groceries, fresh produce, and cold-storage costs. Where the $3,950 goes: • Rice, beans, flour and oil (wholesale): $1,850 • Fresh vegetables and fruit: $1,200 • Baby formula and diapers: $540 • Refrigeration and electricity: $360 I'll pay this kindness forward the moment I'm able to. - Sophia

Updates from Sophia

No updates yet. Supporters are notified when the owner posts one.

  • Violet F. Gilbert 🇳🇿 · $5

    “From my family to yours. Gave what I could this week. - Auckland”

  • Shota Kaito Sakamoto 🇯🇵 · $56
  • Hugo N. Macías 🇲🇽 · $30

    “Sending love. From Zapopan with love. - Zapopan”

  • Miguel Macaraeg 🇵🇭 · $5
  • Vishal T. Gupta 🇮🇳 · $50

    “Be well. My brother told me about this one. - Coimbatore”

  • Theodore W. Reyes 🇺🇸 · $5

    “All the best. Only $5 but hope it helps. - St. Petersburg”

  • Irene N. Delgado 🇲🇽 · $200
  • Pamela M. Boyd 🇺🇸 · $75
  • Marie Ingrid Schmid 🇩🇪 · $25

    “Hope this helps. Hope this covers a bit of it. - Leipzig”

  • Vijay N. Kurup 🇮🇳 · $50

    “Thought of Sophia all day after reading this. - Mumbai”

  • Haider Shoaib Naqvi 🇵🇰 · $10
  • Lily T. Austin 🇬🇧 · $68.50
  • Xia Li Fan 🇺🇸 · $15
  • Alp Kaplan 🇹🇷 · $15
  • Tiago Heitor Brito 🇧🇷 · $10
  • Victoria K. Richardson 🇺🇸 · $25
  • Micah K. Gibson 🇺🇸 · $10
  • Camila C. Muñoz 🇦🇷 · $25
  • Kiprop Athumani Ssebuliba 🇰🇪 · $200

    “Take care of yourselves. Hope the April deadline works out. - Nairobi”

  • Halima Florence Ouma 🇰🇪 · $25

    “Praying for you. This is from my last paycheck, glad to do it. - Likoni”

Reviews

3.5(6 reviews)

Only people who gave to this need, or whose offer to help was accepted, can review it.

  • Lourdes F. Pascual🇵🇭Verified donor
    Outstanding person

    I was struggling and didn't know where to turn. This person stepped in without hesitation and provided exactly what I needed. Their compassion and expertise made all the difference in my life.

  • Lanre Daniel Yusuf🇳🇬Verified donor
    Reliable and compassionate

    I was skeptical at first, but this person proved to be reliable and genuinely interested in helping. Their response time was incredible and their solutions were practical.

  • Alexandre Baptiste Riviere🇫🇷Verified donor
    Reliable and compassionate

    I was skeptical at first, but this person proved to be reliable and genuinely interested in helping. Their response time was incredible and their solutions were practical.

  • Dorcas Achieng Rashidi🇹🇿Verified donor
    Went above and beyond

    I was going through a tough time and this person's support was invaluable. They didn't judge, just helped. That kind of genuine compassion is rare these days.

  • Pooja R. Bajwa🇮🇳Verified donor
    Trustworthy helper

    This helper is honest and transparent about what they can do. They didn't overpromise, but they did deliver excellent results. I would definitely trust them again.

  • Serenity A. Ayala🇺🇸Verified donor
    Exceptional service

    This experience has restored my faith in the goodness of people. The helper was professional, knowledgeable, and genuinely cared about my outcome.

Questions & comments

Ask before you give. Email-verified members can comment and ask questions - no donation needed.

Sign in or create a free account to join the conversation.

  • Hope it all works out, Sophia. Projects like this are what make a place worth living in. Don't give up.

    • Thinking of you, Sophia. Hope you get there. Sent it to 33 people at work.

      • Hang in there. It takes guts to ask. Well done. Our whole street has been following this since the weekend. Blessings.

        • hang in there, Sophia. Reading this made my day a bit heavier but I'm glad I did

          • Sending strength. More neighborhoods should do this. My husband and I read this together.

            • Everyone deserves a bit of help sometimes. Love from Ibadan.

              • Best of luck, Sophia. Shared it with a few friends

                • thinking of you and your family. Hope this works out for you. Love from Johannesburg.

                  $2,528.50 raised of $3,950

                  Give

                  More people who need help