News

20 Nov, 12:35 PM

Volunteers assist with Thanksgiving box distribution, sorting rescued groceries, assisting families shopping at a food pantry and organizing food items donated from a local high school food drive.

 

• Oakland County employees are volunteering at four nonprofit locations for the 2025 Day of Service.
• Volunteers assist with Thanksgiving box distribution, sorting rescued groceries, assisting families shopping at a food pantry and organizing food items donated from a local high school food drive.

Pontiac, Mich. – Oakland County employees are rolling up their sleeves Saturday, Nov. 22, 2025, as part of the county’s annual Day of Service, volunteering at four nonprofit organizations that provide food assistance to families across Southeast Michigan. From sorting groceries to distributing Thanksgiving meal boxes, employees are spending the day supporting neighbors in need ahead of the holiday season.

“With so many families experiencing food insecurity, Oakland County employees are stepping up in a meaningful way,” said Oakland County Executive Dave Coulter. “Their generosity reflects the best of public service, and I’m grateful to our nonprofit partners who work every day to ensure no one in our community goes hungry.”

County employees filled volunteer slots quickly this year, with several others placed on a waitlist as the county works with partner organizations to explore additional volunteer openings. The volunteer activities taking place across the county are:

• Hospitality House at 2075 E. West Maple Road in Commerce Township from 9:30 a.m. - 2 p.m. Employees are assisting with the distribution of Thanksgiving food boxes to local families.
• Forgotten Harvest at 15000 Eight Mile Road in Oak Park from 1-4 p.m. Volunteers are sorting and repacking rescued grocery items on the box line to support Forgotten Harvest’s efforts to fight hunger across the region. 
• Oakland HOPE at 20 E. Walton Blvd. in Pontiac from 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. County staff are helping load food, assisting clients with pantry shopping and providing additional support in the organization’s thrift store.
• Neighborhood House at 1720 S. Livernois Road in Rochester Hills from 9:30 a.m. - noon and 12:30-3 p.m. Employees are labelling and organizing thousands of donated food items from a local high school food drive.

Launched three years ago by Oakland County’s Equity Council and organized each year by the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, the November Day of Service has become a signature component of the countywide Season of Giving campaign. Along with a second Day of Service held annually on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, the initiative transforms what would normally be employee days off into “days on” where staff volunteer their personal time to support the community. Through the Season of Giving, employees contribute in multiple ways including donating food and pet supplies for fellow employees and for partner organizations like Children’s Village, the Animal Shelter and Oakland HOPE, and giving time through volunteer service.