Volunteering for the Forgotten Harvest 

At our plastic surgery office, caring for people goes beyond the clinic. On June 20th, our team had a free day in our schedule and decided to take the opportunity to give back to the community. 

In the past, we have partnered with other charities such as Turning Point, a nonprofit that helps survivors of domestic violence and their families, for our adopt-a-family for Christmas. We sometimes overlook how fortunate we are. No one should ever have to go hungry, and this opportunity reaffirmed how essential it is for us to stay involved in our community.

We spent the morning volunteering with Forgotten Harvest, a Metro Detroit nonprofit organization dedicated to fighting hunger by rescuing surplus food and distributing it to those in need. This was our first time partnering with them and it certainly won’t be our last.

Our team helped stock the Community Choice Market, a refrigerated truck that holds food donations for client shopping. Before the market opened, we helped unpack everything from egg cartons to Starbucks cafe items. We prepared the space for the shoppers by creating an environment that was welcoming and easy to navigate. Once the market was opened, we walked the clients through and helped them with their selections then loaded their cars with their groceries. 

The best part of this experience was meeting the clients. We were nearly brought to tears when one woman tried to tip us. We were deeply moved by her kindness and appreciation. We were so touched by her gesture as it reminded us of how impactful simple kindness can be. We don’t know who was more grateful for the experience, the clients or our team.

Volunteering with Forgotten Harvest reminded us how easy it is to take everyday things for granted, like having a full fridge. Just a few hours of our time can make a big difference in a community. We left feeling inspired and full of gratitude, and already planning our next visit!