On Dec. 13, Santa, his elves and Stellantis volunteers visited Tau Beta School in Hamtramck. During the event, students received new mittens and gloves, just as they have for the past 13 years thanks to Mittens for Detroit. The organization was founded in 2010 and collects, purchases and distributes mittens and gloves to children, teens and adults in Detroit and surrounding communities.
“Warm and durable mittens and gloves are essential basic needs,” said Wendy Shepherd, executive director of Mittens for Detroit. “When children have warm mittens or gloves to wear to school, they arrive ready to thrive and learn.”
In total, Mittens for Detroit has distributed more than 330,000 gloves over the past 15 years, including to approximately 250 students at Tau Beta.
“The demographics of Hamtramck are such that many of our families are at or below the poverty level,” said Christopher J. Wilinski, special education/resource room teacher. “As a teacher, I observed that many of my students were coming to school without anything to keep their hands warm.”
During the morning event, students greeted Santa and were matched with mittens or gloves in the appropriate size by volunteers from Stellantis and Mittens for Michigan. They ended by taking a photo with Santa and receiving candy canes from Santa’s elves.
“The students loved being able to pick and take home a new pair of mittens,” said Tau Beta Principal Alia Hamka. “They also loved seeing Santa and his helpers! The students were very thankful for this experience.”
Mittens for Detroit works with nearly 100 distribution partners including schools, shelters, seniors centers, veterans’ organizations, food pantries, medical facilities and more. Most partners are located in Detroit with some in Pontiac and Hamtramck. Partner organizations include Alternatives for Girls, Capuchin Soup Kitchen, Matrix Head Start, Michigan Veterans Foundation, Pope Francis Center and more.
“Imagine a child trying to hold a pen, turn the pages of a book, type on a keyboard or play an instrument when their fingers are cold, “ Shepherd said. “There are tens of thousands of kids, teens and adults in Detroit who need mittens and gloves.”
According to Mittens in Detroit, people can get frostbite in as little as 30 minutes in temperatures of 0 degrees Fahrenheit. Those without mittens or gloves may resort to using socks, plastic bags, coat sleeves or pockets to keep their hands warm, but these methods will not keep people safe in the cold.
The donation of mittens and gloves also benefits schools and teachers. Often, teachers spend their own money on gloves for their students. With donations from Mittens for Detroit, teachers don’t have to purchase these items and can use funds on learning tools instead.
The organization is accepting donations of new, warm and durable mittens or gloves now through Jan. 10. Public collection boxes are listed at MittensForDetroit.org/Locations. Additional collection boxes are available at the Detroit Zoo during its Wild Lights event, now through Jan. 5. Financial donations can be made online at bit.ly/Donate_MFD.
Many local companies also partner with Mittens for Detroit to donate mittens and gloves, raise money, volunteer, and other efforts.The organization’s biggest volunteer effort is The Big Sort, a series of sorting parties that run from September through March each year. Teams of individuals come together to sort, count and box mittens and gloves for distribution partners to pick up. More information about volunteering is available at MittensforDetroit.org/volunteer/.
All of the donations and volunteer work are put to good use during the winter season, benefiting students, families and the community.
“We want families and the community to know that we (the educational community) are more than just about academics,” Wilinski said. “We care about the whole child and their needs.”
