SHELBY TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WXYZ) — “Basically, we just wanted to show our gratitude from the Michigan community as a whole," Kristin Valenza said.
Kristin and Michael Valenza, of Shelby Township, live next door to an I.C.U. nurse and see the long hours she’s putting in.
As many restaurants are donating meals to hospital workers, she came up with a new idea that she could do to help her community.
“There wasn’t anyone or any type of dry goods being facilitated to the nurses in the Macomb County area,” Kristin said.
Her plan? Make healthy snack bags for workers on the frontlines. So, she reached out on her social media asking for donations.
“I ended up getting enough donations in about two hours that accumulated to 500 care packages,” she said.
With help from an Eastern Market produce company and the Shelby Township Costco managers, she was making it happen.
“We all came together as a community and just seeing the generous donations pour out from friends and family is surreal," Kristin said.
Assembly line style, the Valenzas packed up the gallon bags with things like Propel water, a protein bar, fruit snacks and veggie straws.
"Basically, we just wanted to show our gratitude from the Michigan community as a whole, not just from my husband and me; it’s from everybody,” Kristin said.
With every bag, a note of thanks signed from your Michigan community.
“I think for us, it was mainly just to let them know what a life saver they are, for us. That what they chose to do for a living is a work of heart and just how appreciative we are of them,” Kristin said.
The Valenzas started with one donation drop at Troy Beaumont which blossomed into two more fundraisers, providing snack bags for two more hospitals, giving a little boost to the frontline workers.
