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| About Christmas in Detroit |
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"Christmas in Detroit
" was born out of the idea that during the Holiday
Season we could help others in need and use the power
of music to reach people all year.
A Christmas
in Detroit Story
A composer was once so in love with where he lived,
he wrote a symphony inspired by the scenery.
When a friend came to visit, the composer played him
the music.
The friend then went to look out the window.
“Don’t
bother” the composer said “I’ve already
shown you everything out there.”
So it is with the songs in this collection. On one level,
it’s simply marvelous music.
On another level, it is our city. Detroit is often maligned,
but never by the people who live here. We know the spirit
and resilience of our town, its endurance, diversity
and unswerving belief that this is still the best place
to call home.
Is it any wonder then, that when the call went to help
our neediest citizens, the response was overwhelming?
Guitar players, drummers, singers.
Writing new songs. Arranging classic songs. No money.
No promise of fame.
Just great talent, great music, and a reason: because
someone needs help.
We did it once. We did it twice. And this year, we did
it again.
The music on these discs is a sparkling array of talent
and performances that covers a 16 year span of Detroit
love. The music will brighten your holidays and the
proceeds will brighten the days of others.
Sit back. Enjoy.
And don’t bother looking out the window
We’ve just shown you where we live
Mitch
Albom
This is true: the 2009 unemployment rate in recession-ridden
Detroit rocketed to a staggering 22percent, nearly three
times the national average. This is also true: according
to The Chronicle of Philanthropy, Detroiters annually
donate a higher share of their discretionary income
to charity than the inhabitants of any other major American
city.
How can both of these true statements co-exist? Because
this is Day-twah, home biscuit, where Hart is the name
of the downtown plaza and heart is the quality that
powers the actions of every devoted citizen. In Detroit
, part of the residency requirement is that you give
until it hurts. We look after each other, because no
one else is going to. Caring is embedded in our DNA.
During the holiday season, our compassion quotient ratchets
up to its highest level. Christmas in Detroit is a very
special time, and this is a very special project you
are holding in your hands. This collection of songs
represents the united contributions of a lot of creative
people who willingly volunteered hours of their time
and talent to make this year’s Christmas in Detroit
charitable effort the most impressive and memorable
ever.
Proceeds from the sale of the CD and associated items
will go to the nonprofit S.A.Y. Detroit organization
which, among its numerous initiatives, operates the
nation’s first free health clinic devoted exclusively
to homeless children and their mothers. The “S.A.Y.”
stands for “Super All Year.” If we can maintain
the holiday spirit of giving, of empathy, of kindness
and love all year long, wouldn’t that be super?
-
Jim McFarlin
‘09 |
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(SUPER ALL YEAR
DETROIT)
A Non Profit Charity to Help Improve the Lives of Detroit
's Homeless
S.A.Y. Detroit was formed by author and columnist
Mitch Albom as a result of a story he read during
the Detroit Super Bowl week in February, 2006. The
story noted that the homeless in Detroit would be
given a special Super Bowl “party” to
keep them off the streets for the big weekend, but
would be put back on the streets come Monday morning.
Albom was disturbed by this and went public with a
plea to do as much for the homeless the rest of the
winter as the city was willing to do for a weekend.
He spent a night in a shelter to call attention to
the issue. The response was overwhelming, and enough
money was raised to increase hours of shelter operation,
buy a van, hire a medical professional, purchase beds,
and much more.
Soon, S.A.Y. Detroit (which stands for Super All
Year Detroit) was a fully formed 501© (3) charity.
It now distributes money to shelters in Detroit for
projects specifically designed to help the plight
of those in need. Its projects to date include the
building of a state-of-the-art kitchen at the Michigan
Veterans Foundation shelter and a day-care center
at COTS for children of homeless women. The new Medical
Clinic is its latest undertaking, and was made possible
largely through the generosity and hard work of Cooper
Standard Automotive and its CEO, Jim McElya.
Donate to S.A.Y. Detroit at www.saydetroit.org |
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