Comerica Charitable Foundation Gets in the Kitchen with SOC

GROSSE POINTE - Services for Older Citizens (SOC) has partnered with The ARC of Grosse Pointe and Harper Woods and their young people with intellectual and developmental disabilities for a number of years to provide job coaching opportunities in an area where few opportunities exist for this special population.  In the past, the students have provided baked goods and other items for SOC events.

As SOC prepares to move into their new home on Ridge Road in Grosse Pointe Farms in the spring of 2013, this collaboration will be greatly expanded.

“We are so excited about expanding our relationship with The ARC of Grosse Pointe and Harper Woods through the Grosse Pointe Public Schools and our Meals on Wheels and Food & Friendship programming,” Sharon Maier, Services for Older Citizens’ Executive Director said.

“In addition to the much needed job readiness and retention training the program will provide for disabled youth, expansion will also allow SOC to capitalize on a long standing dream of providing fresh, wholesome meals prepared on-site for our seniors.”

As part of the program, seniors will receive high quality, nutritious lunch options daily while young people with disabilities are provided on-the-job training that is virtually impossible to find in the geographic area.

Disabled students and young adults will be trained through the use of job coaches and volunteers from SOC to manage and maintain SOC/Full Circle Foundation’s Urban Garden and Community Kitchen.

They will receive real world training that will prepare them for jobs in the food service and urban agriculture fields. 

Services for Older Citizens (SOC) was started in 1978 by a group of concerned local residents. A 501(c)3 non-profit, SOC’s is dedicated to helping older citizens in the Grosse Pointes and Harper Woods maintain their lives in independence and dignity. For more information on SOC, please visit www.socservices.org.