Today, I’m going to stray away from the usual PR, journalism, marketing, etc., topics I’m interested in, and go OT (off-topic).

To clean up the city of Detroit for the flock of football fans and VIPs going to the city for the Super Bowl, the city plans to sweep up the homeless for a few days. They will be rounded up, and placed in a shelter, given food, a place to sleep and be able to watch TV and the Super Bowl.

Then, after Super Bowl weekend, they will be put back on the streets. In early February. Still very much in the dead of winter.

I heard about it on WJR’s Mitch Albom’s 5-7 p.m. program on Thursday. For the most part, I like Mitch Albom. He’s a very talented writer on a lot of levels, and can make a huge impact when he is involved in a project.

His current project is the “Super All Year” Detroit project (SAY Detroit).

Well, on Thursday’s program, Albom announced an effort to try to raise $60,000 so that Detroit’s homeless won’t be put back onto the streets by the city in cold of winter. That $60,000 will enable the Detroit Rescue Mission Ministries shelter to stay open 24 hours a day, seven days a week and provide much-needed services and help for the homeless. From Albom’s column in Friday’s Detroit Free Press, here’s what that $60,000 will do:
> Keep the shelter open 24 hours.
> Add 30 new beds.
> Get a 24-hour-a-day van with a trained staff member to respond to any phone call and pick up a needy individual.
> Add a mental health worker to the staff — and mean the mission would be the first homeless shelter in Detroit with a full-time MH worker on staff.

According to Albom:

I know we can do this. With all the money floating around this city next week, it seems a sin if we don’t. People will spend $60,000 in one night on shrimp and booze. How can we not keep the least of us warm until spring?

As of 5 p.m. Friday, more than $18,000 had been raised (including Albom’s $6000 contribution). That amount was raised in less than 24 hours.

My wife and I will also donate.

And, I’m asking you to help. If you do want to help, that’s great. If you don’t, that’s fine. I cannot pass judgment on others in instances like this.

If you want to help, here are the details:
> Detroit Rescue Mission telephone number: 313-993-4700. They take credit cards. Yes, it is tax deductible.
> Address (if you want to send checks; include SAY Detroit on the check): Detroit Rescue Mission, 150 Stimson, Detroit, MI 48201
> Mitch Albom’s home page, with the above noted address and telephone number of the mission.
> Detroit Rescue Mission Ministries Web site. Click on the Mitch’s “S.A.Y. Detroit” Project! link for the secure donation form.

Thank you.
Mike