MCMM CHARITY GOLF INVITATIONAL

The MCMM Charity Golf Invitational is to benefit the Motor City Mitten Mission, a Michigan 501c3 Non-Profit Organization dedicated to helping the homeless, the needy, the sick, and those striving for a better way of life while educating, partnering, and collaborating with a number of other organizations, schools, churches, clubs, and businesses.  As homelessness continues to be a chronic issue for so many Americans, resources to help these people are seriously lacking. The Motor City Mitten Mission Street Outreach Team and DHOT team has become a vital resource throughout metro Detroit in providing compassionate and necessary services for our unsheltered population.  We are a co-response team working directly with law enforcement agencies, city municipalities and mental health organizations to ensure that those struggling with homelessness are able to receive services that will lead them on a more stable and sustainable path.  MCMM provides approximately 100-150 individual meals daily in addition to clothing, blankets, personal care products, mats and pillows as well as pro-actively engages people in housing navigation and mental health/substance abuse treatment.

In addition to our 6 programs (Mats & Pillow Project, Street Outreach, Transitional Support Services, Emergency Motel Shelter Program, H2H-Homelessness to Housing & DHOT-Detroit Homeless Outreaech Team), the Motor City Mitten Mission operated the Macomb County Winter Shelter for the first time.  The MCMM staff far surpassed expectations for the shelter by servicing 558 individuals with an average of 76 people nightly. We provided direct services and assistance to 475 of these individuals, assisted 112 individuals into either temporary or permanant housing and we helped facilitate substance abuse treatment to 73 of our guests.  The MCWS closed for the season on April 1st, however MCMM is offering a once a week Drop-In that provides food, showers, clothing and additional resources for housing, medical and mental health assistance, substance abuse treatment, document restoration, job assistance, etc.

Last year's MCMM golf outing was so much fun as well as a tremendous success thanks to the support and generosity of so many of our donors, volunteers and staff.  Our goal is to surpass last years accomplishments so that we can continue our much needed work with our unsheltered and housing insecure. Your participation and generosity will make a direct inpact on those that MCMM service.

This year's MCMM Charity Golf Invitational is in honor of the late "Chef Pappa Ross" Hoffman who was part of the MCMM H2H Program in which he was our Head Chef and Kitchen Manager.  MCMM first met Ross while he was homeless and sleeping in Hart Plaza.  We visited his site daily and were humbled as each encounter he opened up more and more about his personal life and experiences.  There was another individual who was also living in Hart Plaza that Ross befriended who had been having trouble with his health and he bagan looking after him and asking us for medical supplies and eventually was able to talk his friend into going to the hospital...you could tell that he was a "father figure" and "caretaker" to those that were missing that in their life.  As we got to know Ross, he asked if we had any work available and soon after we brought him on board to our H2H Program and made arrangements for him to stay at a three quarter house. Initially he was going to be helping with our donation pick-ups and deliveries but I soon learned that his background for almost 30 years was working in the kitchen.  Turns out Ross worked at a variety of restaurants from diners to 5 star venues.  Within days, Ross quickly got our MCMM kitchen organized and pumping out 100-150+meals per day almost single-handedly. We had almost zero food waste and he made creative use for almost any food donation that came in.  Soon after he garnered the name Chef Pappa Ross as he became an inspiration and mentor to some of our younger H2H team members. Every Thursday night Ross would go grocery shopping with his own money and make a full three course meal for our Thursday night H2H Support Group.  Thursday nights became our favorite days around the office as we looked forward to a great meal and lots of great sharing with one another.

Sadly, on August 28th, 2022, Chef Pappa Ross passed away unexpectedly.  Our MCMM family was devestated.  Our MCMM kitchen will never be the same without him.  On a positive note, when Ross passed away...he was not homeless, he had a job, he had reconnected with his family and he had tons of people that loved him.  He forever made his mark at MCMM and all of those that worked with him and knew him.  Last year he was so excited to be able to work at our inaguarual golf outing...we thought it would be appropriate to honor him this year!

REGISTER