Meijer teams support Friendship Circle
Meijer teams support Friendship Circle
Meijer's West Detroit Market Director Joe Chandler’s leadership team recently participated in a volunteer event at Friendship Circle, a nonprofit in suburban Detroit. The organization’s Weinberg Village is a “mini-city” that serves as an environment to teach children with disabilities about budgeting resources.
Centered in the heart of the 20,000-square-foot Ferber Kaufman LifeTown, Weinberg Village comprises a quarter of the space for its true-to-life cityscape where students from more than 200 schools representing more than 50 school districts annually participate in the Lessons for Life program. The program fills the gap between classroom learning and real-world experiences by teaching life skills and providing the opportunity to confidently assume responsibility and independence in the outside world.
Store directors each had an opportunity to run a retail operation, working with the student customers who were each given $12 to budget. Some got their nails painted, others visited the ice cream cart and others rented bicycles. The Meijer team’s enthusiasm for their roles made an impression.
“We loved having them,” said Shayna Shemtov, adult volunteer coordinator at Friendship Circle. “The Meijer group was so fun and got really into it. They were very proactive and engaged. They wanted to learn and came with a positive attitude.”
The volunteer project stemmed from Natalie Stacey, store director of the Waterford Township, MI, Meijer.
“We each played the part of a community professional or shop owner in the Friendship Circle’s mini-city,” Stacey said of the nearly three-hour volunteer shift. One store director even dressed as a police officer to help students learn how to safely operate their rented bicycles and follow traffic signals.
For some students, it was the first time they ever held real money in their hands — an experience that flooded many with emotion.
“The kids were just amazing,” Stacey said. “We helped them make their own choices and count out their own money.”
In that short period, the team made strong connections with the children.
“They kept coming back to our stations, holding hands, asking us to take a walk with them to the pet store,” Stacey said. “The lessons are intended to help promote self-sufficiency. It’s really rewarding to be able to help people do that.”
