Detroit convent sets up charity that helps local businesses, families stay afloat

Local convent sets up food-raiser to support local businesses, families

DETROIT – The pandemic changed the course of ministry for a Detroit convent in spring when more than a dozen nuns lost their lives in about a month.

The nuns found a way to protect themselves from COVID-19 while still serving their community, but they’re now asking for help for a special project.

For a growing number of people, coronavirus has been a humbler -- those who’ve never needed help before have found courage to ask for it. Deo Gratias Ministries, who operated a food bank on Detroit’s east side during the beginning of the pandemic and have a free food café are doing a Food-Raiser to provide a big holiday meal to anyone who needs it. It’s called The Habit of Kindness Food-Raiser.

The nuns aren’t asking restaurants for food donations but instead are raising funds to actually pay for the meals to help keep area eateries open. Because the nuns are paying the restaurants, it helps them stay afloat because the restaurants can pay to bring back some of their workers.

More information can be found on the official website here.

Watch the video above for the full story.


About the Author:

Paula Tutman is an Emmy award-winning journalist who came to Local 4 in 1992. She's married and the stepmother of three beautiful and brilliant daughters. Her personal philosophy in life, love and community is, "Do as much as you can possibly do, not as little as you can possibly get away with".