By Melanie Deeds
Legal News
Though it’s still the dog days of summer, with picnics and beach outings dominating everyone’s thoughts, some Macomb County folks already are preoccupied with the holiday season four months away.
In the forefront of that group is attorney and intrepid party planner Steve Steinhardt, who steadfastly refused to let the pandemic ruin the holiday spirit last year.
He’s been busy for a while now, doggedly phoning, texting and e-mailing the movers and shakers in the legal and business community to make the upcoming “Feed Those In Need” event the best ever.
“We want everyone to join in,” said Steinhardt, whose energy and enthusiasm is infectious and energizing. “All people of goodwill are invited to participate.”
The date is set — Sunday, Dec. 19 from 1-5 p.m. The site is the same as the inaugural event in 2019 — The Rec Bowl in downtown Mt. Clemens.
Other parts of the plan, among them collecting financial donations, recruiting volunteers, and finalizing the menu will be taken care of over the next few months, according to Steinhardt.
When Steinhardt came up with the idea for the dinner, the focus was to provide a holiday feast for veterans and the growing number of people in the area who needed a helping hand. He said his inspiration was an area restaurant that publicized free meals to those who were down and out.
Steinhardt got down to business, reaching out to those he knew and those he didn’t. He even succeeded in persuading some judges and council officials to sign up as servers and members of the clean-up crew.
The kickoff event was wildly successful — a feast that attracted a crowd of 250 people of all ages with a menu that included turkey, ham, pizza, mashed potatoes, corn, and cornbread.
It was such a hit that the Macomb County Bar Foundation honored Steinhardt with a special service award. Then, leaders of the organization voted to make the occasion an annual event.
Then came the party-busting pandemic.
Not to be deterred, Steinhardt and his crew early on in 2020 figured out a way to switch gears and wound up delivering hundreds of pot pies from Boston Market to the homeless at various shelters across Macomb County. Steinhardt and his team collected such an abundance of food and funds, in fact, that they found they needed to reach out and find additional places to help.
The extra funds — $1,000 — were given to Grace Episcopal Church, a Mt. Clemens fixture known for its outreach program, regular dinners for the homeless, and food pantry.
“Last year really showed how much goodwill there was,” said Steinhardt. “We did pretty well last time and I knew we could reach out a little bit more and really do something special this year.
“There is a great need for this especially with the pandemic and all that we’ve been through. We’ll never fully get over everything but this is a good time to do this and some people are in a position to help and really want to do something.”
Steinhardt learned about just how much is needed last year when he connected with Grace Episcopal and shelters throughout Macomb County in an attempt to do something despite all of the restrictions imposed by the pandemic. On account of that, this year’s holiday initiative also will include collecting items — winter hats, gloves and scarves along with toiletries such as toothpaste, tooth brushes, deodorant, and soap — for care packages to be distributed by those involved in the Grace outreach effort.
“We will be speaking to people at shelters to get information on what to ask for and what people really, really need,” he said.
As the project gains steam and expands, the need for funding and volunteers increases.
One of people Steinhardt has depended upon for help with recruiting and fund-raising the past two years is fellow Macomb County attorney Laura Polizzi.
She’s back as a member of the team and anxious to get the planning and fund-raising underway. That will start in earnest in the fall as she resumes her regular hectic schedule following the birth of her first child in July.
“Come September, we’ll really get going on this,” she said. “There is such a need in the community.”
Polizzi knows how to get things done and readily admits she doesn’t mind one bit reaching out to raise funds for a good cause.
And she’s got connections.
Polizzi recently finished a term as president of the Women Lawyers Association of Michigan – Macomb Region and wrapped up as well a year as Macomb County Bar Association Young Lawyers Section chair.
In addition, she serves on the human resources committee for Turning Point — a women’s shelter in Mt. Clemens — and is a member of the MCBA?board of directors as well as the State Bar of Michigan Representative Assembly.
Polizzi has every intention of reaching out to everyone she knows. She’s confident of the response, based on how the community has shown its support in the past.
“If you ask an attorney to donate, I’ve never heard the word ‘no,’” she said. “This legal community is just fantastic.”
Also on board in the early planning stages is John Hogan, who recently completed a three-year term as commander of the Veterans of Foreign Wars post in Fraser.
His organization donated some hams and canned foods to the MCBF initiative last year and is excited about being a part of it again this year.
“Oh, we will absolutely be involved,” he said. “It’s a wonderful project and we’re happy to be a part of it.”
Hogan had a 26-year career in the Air Force — including time in Afghanistan — and feels “an obligation to pay it forward and take care of my brother and sister veterans.”
Said Hogan: “There was a time when I really needed help and was too stubborn to ask for it.”
The primary goal of the VFW is to help out other veterans’ groups, Hogan said, and then reach out to other service organizations that assist those in need.
“This is my passion,” he said. “I’m happy we could help last year and excited to do what we can this time around.”
Those interested in volunteering or donating to “Feed Those In Need” are encouraged to call the Macomb County Bar Association at (586) 468-2940.
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