TUDENT IN OUR FAN CHOICE AWARDS.
JASON?
JASON? >> Jason: FOR MORE THAN 90
YEARS, ONE ORGANIZATION IN OUR
COMMUNITY HAS BEEN CHANGING
LIVES.
LIVES. OUR SPONSOR, THE CAPUCHIN SOUP
KITCHEN, HAS BEEN FEEDING THE
HUNGRY SINCE THE GREAT
DEPRESSION OF 1929 AND THEY DO
MUCH MORE THAN THAT.
IN THESE UNCERTAIN CHALLENGING
TIMES, THEY NEED YOUR SUPPORT TO
CONTINUE HELPING THE GROWING
NEED.
NEED. WE WANNA WELCOME BROTHER JERRY
JOHNSON WHO JOINS US FROM THE
"ON THE RISE" BAKERY IN DETROIT.
>> GOOD TO SEE YOU, THANK YOU
FOR HAVING ME.
>> Jason: LET’S START WITH WHERE
YOU ARE AND WHAT HAPPENS AT ON
THE RISE BAKERY.
>> I’M HERE AT ON THE RISE
BAKERY, ONE OF OUR TWO
RESIDENTIAL PROGRAMS.
RESIDENTIAL PROGRAMS. IT’S A TRAINING PROGRAM DESIGNED
AROUND PRODUCTION BAKERY.
NORMALLY WE HAVE 10 GUYS IN THE
PROGRAM.
PROGRAM. BUT THIS YEAR, DURING THE COVID
CRISIS, WE REDUCED THAT NUMBER A
LITTLE BIT SO THAT THE GUYS CAN
BE SAFE WHERE THEY WORK AND KEEP
PHYSICAL DISTANCING AND HERE
WHERE THEY WORK AND WHERE THE
RESIDENCE IS THAT WE HAVE THE
GUYS STAY.
GUYS STAY. IT’S A YEAR-LONG PROGRAM.
AGAIN, FOCUS ON PRODUCTION
BAKING AND, YOU KNOW, SINCE THE
BEGINNING OF MARCH, ALL THROUGH
THE COVID CRISIS, WE’VE
CONTINUED THE PRODUCTION OF THE
BAKED GOODS THE WHOLE TIME.
THE GUYS HAVE BEEN A BIG PART OF
THAT.
THAT. AND INSTEAD OF DURING THIS
CRISIS, INSTEAD OF SELLING THE
BREAD TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT
WE NORMALLY DO, WE MADE THE
DECISION TO GIVE THE BREAD AWAY,
THE BREAD, THE BRAN MUFFINS, TO
GIVE THE PRODUCTS AWAY ALONG
WITH THE MEALS WE SERVE AT TWO
SOUP KITCHEN SITES.
>> Jason: DURING THE PANDEMIC,
CAPUCHIN SOUP KITCHEN HAS HAD TO
PIVOT ALONG WITH EVERYBODY ELSE.
HOW ARE YOU CONTINUING TO HELP
FEED THE HUNGRY IN OUR
COMMUNITY?
COMMUNITY? >> WELL, IT WAS AT THE BEGINNING
OF MARCH, YOU KNOW, CLEAR BACK
AT THE BEGINNING WHERE THIS WAS
ALL STARTING TO HIT, WE DECIDED
TO CONCENTRATE OUR EFFORTS ON
THREE FUNDAMENTAL AREAS.
FIRST OF ALL TO CONTINUE
DISTRIBUTION OF OUR MEALS AT TWO
SOUP KITCHEN SITES AND PANTRY
FOODS IN OUR BIG FOOD PANTRY.
WE WANTED TO HELP PEOPLE HAVE
ACCESS TO SOCIAL WORKERS.
WE FELT THAT WAS CRITICAL
BECAUSE THE NEEDS GO BEYOND FOOD
TO MANY OTHER AREAS.
AND WE WANTED TO KEEP OUR TWO
RESIDENTIAL PROGRAMS RUNNING AND
KEEP THEM SAFE.
THOSE TWO RESIDENTIAL PROGRAMS
ARE JEFFERSON HOUSE, WHICH IS
OUR SUBSTANCE ABUSE TREATMENT
PROGRAM, AND THE OTHER PROGRAM
IS WHERE I AM RIGHT NOW, ON THE
RISE BAKERY.
RISE BAKERY. >> Jason: WE SAW A SIGN THAT
SAID CAPUCHIN SERVICES, LIKE
SOCIAL SERVICES.
SOCIAL SERVICES. WHAT DO YOU DO BEYOND FEEDING
PEOPLE?
PEOPLE? >> WE TRY TO KEEP A BALANCE OF
TRYING TO SUPPORT PEOPLE IN
THEIR SHORT-TERM GOALS THIS A
LOT OF TIMES MIGHT BE FOOD,
CLOTHING, SHORT-TERM GOALS, BUT
ALSO WHAT ARE THEIR LONG-TERM
GOALS IN LIFE.
AND THAT’S WHERE THE OTHER
PROGRAMS COME IN, LIKE ON THE
RISE BAKERY, JEFFERSON HOUSE.
OUR SOCIAL WORKERS CAN WORK WITH
PEOPLE TO FIND HOUSING AND
LONG-TERM GOALS THEY MIGHT HAVE.
WE HAVE EARTH WORKS URBAN FARM,
AND WE HAVE THE ROSA PARKS
CHILDREN’S PROGRAM.
CHILDREN’S PROGRAM. SO WE HAVE A LOT OF DIFFERENT
ACTIVITIES AND PROGRAMS AND CHAB
LYNNS AND HOW TO SUPPORT PEOPLE
WITH LONG-TERM GOALS THEY MIGHT
HAVE.
HAVE. >> Jason: WHY IS IT -- AND
OBVIOUSLY ANY TIME IS A GOOD
TIME TO BE CHARITABLE BUT WHY IS
IT SO IMPORTANT TO ACT NOW?
>> I THINK PEOPLE KNOW JUST THE
GENERAL STRAIN THAT’S HAPPENING
RIGHT NOW, ANXIETY, PEOPLE
WORRIED ABOUT LOSING JOBS, THE
STRAIN ON FAMILIES WITH THE
SCHOOLS BEING VIRTUAL.
I THINK EVERYONE CAN FEEL THAT
STRAIN, AND THAT’S PARTICULARLY
DIFFICULT RIGHT NOW.
I DO THINK METRO DETROIT REGION
CAN BE PROUD THAT A LOT OF
PEOPLE AND ORGANIZATIONS WORK
TOGETHER THROUGH THIS AND
CONTINUE TO WORK TOGETHER TO
PROVIDE A PRETTY GOOD FOOD
SECURITY PROGRAM THAT’S PRETTY
ROBUST AND PRETTY STRONG AND HAS
HELP A
START SOME ONLINE BIDDING THAT STARTS TODAY.
STARTS TODAY. >> Jason: ALL RIGHT, AND THERE
WE SEE IT ON THE SCREEN.