Focus:HOPE, the iconic civil and human rights organization that emerged from the ashes of the Detroit riot in the 60s hosted Acts of Kindness (A-OK) Sunday, September 11th on the tenth anniversary of the memorial of the terrorist attack on New York, Washington, D.C., and Pennsylvania.
It was all conversation while cleaning, serving and sprucing up a community garden near Oakman Boulevard where Focus:HOPE was situated by the late Father William Cunningham and Eleanor Josaitis near Madonna Catholic Church on Oakman Boulevard.
Exchange students from the University of Michigan included Chinese and South Americans working side by side with Arab Americans and Caucasians Sunday afternoon, and more.
President Barack Obama requested that the 9 11 01 day be turned from mourning to one of national service and remembrance of the thousands of victims killed a decade ago on September 11.
Josephine Dare of Royal Oak, MI., was sprucing up the community garden at Kendell and Linwood, while other Christians, Jews and Muslims labored with Muslims and Buddhists, among other faith traditions of diversity. They talked while they worked and learned much.
The evening before, and earlier Sunday morning, people gathered at SS. Peter and Paul Jesuit Church in downtown Detroit, and at Madonna Catholic Church next to Focus:HOPE to remember the late co-founder of Focus:HOPE, Eleanor Josaitis who died Aug. 9th, with a Month's Mind Mass, a customary Catholics practice.
Action and engaging conversation with diverse groups of all faiths of young and old alike came together. CEO William Jones, Jr., estimated that 800 volunteers took time to pack food for low income elderly, fill backpacks with school supplies for youngsters, and work at the scraps and arts area, and attend table dialog sessions to conclude the six hours of service.
Focus: HOPE.
A fruitful sucess story for over 40 years now.
Visit http://www.focushope.edu/ to contribute, serve and be informed, or call 313 494 4270 to join the Oct. 9th 4-mile trek to benefit services of Focus:HOPE.
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