DETROIT (WXYZ) — This is the season of giving and many people across metro Detroit spent Christmas Day giving back to others.
“I love to help in any way I can,” Marni Millard of Berkely said.
Millard volunteered at the Detroit-based nonprofit Cass Community Social Services on Wednesday. She was a part of a group that came out for Mitzvah Day, which is a volunteer project created by the Jewish Federation of Detroit.
“Being Jewish, you don’t always get to wake up to the presents and Santa coming to your house, so this is a good way for us to give back and be a part of the community,” Millard said.
Cass Community Social Services helps those experiencing homelessness with housing, food and more.
“We house over 400 people a night in emergency and permanent housing,” said Faith Fowler, executive director of Cass Community Social Services.
She says the volunteers that help out on Christmas allow for her staff to take the day off.
“They work hard every day pumping out about 700,000 meals a year so to have one day off to spend with their family or whatever their doing… we appreciate having the help,” Fowler said.
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Giving back to those in need was also top of mind for music producer and Detroit native Filthy Rockwell.
He brought gifts to kids at Peggy’s Place, which is a part of Detroit’s Coalition of Temporary Shelter.
“This is our sixth year doing it, so we're back again spreading some love and peace and positivity to the community,” Rockwell said.
He said seeing the kids smiling opening presents is a great feeling.
“It feels great… This is the dream. It’s always what I imagined it would be like,” Rockwell said.
