Focus: HOPE handles holiday surge for seniors in need, but need for volunteers is year-round

Focus: HOPE needs volunteers not only for holiday surge, but to help year-round

Frank says the program and its volunteers are important to help feed our seniors this holiday season - but everyone is just as important, all through the year.

FOX 2 (WJBK) - Focus: HOPE is preparing to serve more than 1,000 Metro Detroit seniors so nobody goes hungry.

In July, FOX 2 visited Focus: HOPE on Detroit's west side. Food Program Director, Frank Kubik, spoke about their Food for Seniors program - a massive effort to help senior citizens in Wayne, Oakland, Macomb and Washtenaw counties - who need it most.

Now the holidays are here - and volunteers are needed more than ever.

"It's a great time of the year - but not a great time of the year for everyone," said Kubik.

Which is why Focus: HOPE is here.

"I've been here 42 years and we've been doing it ever since I've been here- and we adopt seniors for the holidays - for Christmas.

Fourteen hundred of their lowest-income seniors are matched with volunteers who will deliver boxes of turkey, produce, and canned goods on December 16th.

"A lot of times some of the volunteers will bring additional gifts and stuff for the seniors," Kubik said. "It's a great time to kind of bond with our seniors who are by themselves - so it brings back the holiday spirit - the way things were."

Frank says the program and its volunteers are important to help feed our seniors this holiday season - but everyone is just as important, year-round.

"We service 42,000 folks a month in our four-county area - and we know there's more we can reach," he said. "Hunger is a 12-month-a-year situation for so many folks - it doesn't end Jan. 1st, Dec. 31st or January 2nd - so we'd like you to volunteer year-round - remember those who are in need."

Because those in need could be our family, our friends, our neighbors.

"You knock on someone's door and you realize - 'Wow, this could be my mother, my father, my aunt, my uncle, brother, sister," he said. "So I think it's just a great time to raise awareness."

And Frank wants seniors in need to reach out - because they are there to help.

"If you need food - don't be afraid to call," he said. "You've worked all your life - you need help - call us."

And as we gather with family, friends or colleagues for Thanksgiving - it's a good time to talk about getting together again - to give back.

"Let's make it a group activity - whether it's with your family - your office - your business people you're around - your neighborhood - just come on by," he said. "It's a feel-good for everyone but it helps to remind you that there are folks in need right now and if you can help and bring some of the holiday spirit back - that's great."

Log on to focushope.edu - to volunteer to deliver food, or donate, or pack up boxes or all of the above. You can also call 313-494-4270.