Love Thy Neighbor: Volunteers Keep Detroit Families Fed During the Holidays

Photo Credit: RDNE Stock project (Pexels)

Cars awaited in anticipation in a long line wrapped around several blocks on the East Side of Detroit on Nov. 18 as the Capuchin Soup Kitchen on Mt. Elliot St. hosted its annual Thanksgiving meal giveaway.

Founded in 1929 by the Capuchin friars during the Great Depression, the organization’s long-standing mission has been to serve the community’s basic needs while working towards lasting, meaningful change. 

Brother Fred Cabras, the director of social services, welcomed the volunteers and led a prayer. Before briefing volunteers on the event’s task.

Volunteers from various non-profit organizations and Comerica Bank are surrounded by boxes of canned corn, mixed vegetables and other pantry items stacked to the height of an average person.

June Montgomery, a Detroit native, waited patiently in a long line with families to receive a box of fresh ingredients to feed her family during the holiday season.

Legally blind and disabled, Montgomery said she struggled with the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services’ income requirements and paperwork.

“I’m on Social Security right now [...] I had to redo my paperwork this year, and they said I was over my cap,” Montgomery said regarding the amount of Social Security funding she receives. “I get child support for my grown kids since my ex-husband owes so much, they (MDHH) know that sometimes he pays for six months, sometimes a year or two, and then it's over.”

The recent SNAP benefit pause earlier this month, amid the nationwide government shutdown, has left families across the state struggling.

Montgomery said her situation became difficult when her rent increased, and food assistance was reduced.

She asked in frustration, ”How do you (the US government) take my food stamps, and my bills went up?”

Despite standing in the cold weather, Montgomery and her family turned to their community. In Michigan, 43% of families with children faced uncertainties about their next meal, and 51% of households included people with a disability. (See more: MDHHS directs SNAP vendor to resume issuing full payments for November )

The constant updates during the pause eventually became an emotional rollercoaster for families and individuals. Montgomery said she often avoids using community resources even while receiving small amounts of food assistance because she wants to leave them for families with more urgent needs.

At the same time, Brother Gary Wegner, the executive director, quietly told another staff member, “There are a lot of people waiting to have a meal this holiday,” adding he was concerned there might not be enough boxes to distribute.

“There were some cars that had been waiting since 4 a.m.,” Wegner said to the staff. “One of the cars had a mother and a daughter.”

Due to the height of the SNAP benefits pause, Wegner said other local food pantries, such as Gleaners Food Bank, brought food items earlier than their usual scheduled date. He added that the low pantry is an example of how quickly someone can experience food insecurity.

Weeks after the pause, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer announced that $4.5 million was provided to the Food Bank Council of Michigan, which distributes food to local pantries across the state. Wegner said the Capuchin Soup Kitchen is currently stocked, thanks in part to support from the Gleaners. (See more: State of Michigan Announces $4.5 Million to Food Bank Council of Michigan, Additional Resources to Feed Families Before SNAP Pause Caused by Federal Government Shutdown )

The volume of food distributed demonstrates the importance of community involvement. In 2024, the Capuchin Soup Kitchen provided 3,399,794 meals of food to Detroit communities, a 23% increase from 2023. The pantry served 123 households and 328 people daily, which equates to 13,544 pounds of food each day. (See more: Capuchin Soup Kitchen Ministry Statistics )

During his time at Capuchin Soup Kitchen, Wegner said he came across many people who formed connections by showing up at the Meldrum St. and Conner St. kitchen. He said he would often hear heartwarming conversations between guests, and it was really joyful to witness. 

Behind the scenes at the soup kitchen, volunteers from local businesses helped make the event run smoothly. As the soup kitchen opened its doors at 9 a.m. for the giveaway, volunteers and staff worked side by side—packaging vegetables, coordinating the flow of cars and communicating back and forth.

Mike Cheatham, a volunteer, said he decided to give back to his community to pay it forward, reflecting on the times when others stepped in to help him.

Cheatham, an external affairs market manager at Comerica Bank, said the company has a long history of partnering with Capuchin Soup Kitchen, and he’s fortunate to work with a company that aligns with the same core values.

Cheatham emphasized that community support is key in any crisis, but especially during the food insecurity crisis. 

“This is one of the many things that we do out in the community to be supportive […] this was a no-brainer for us to step in.”

Although SNAP benefits have now fully resumed in Michigan, some are still recovering from the weeks of uncertainty. Volunteers are still giving their time to show the power of community by offering support and connection to those in need.

“I think one of the most gratifying situations is when people recognize you later […] like years later, ‘I remember when Comerica came out and did its thing, and my family was helped by them’,” Cheatham said. “So that’s one of the great things about the work we do, we get to see the residual effects and benefits of what we’ve done.”