Dearborn Education Foundation Executive Director Chastity Townsend (left), Amal Ghazi, Tobi Walker, Mike Esseily and Hassan Melhem prepare to shop for coats.
Mike Esseily (left) Hassan Melhem take coats to the checkout counter.
DEARBORN – Dearborn Public Schools special education students will better fend off winter’s chills thanks to a partnership between the Dearborn Education Foundation and Comerica Bank.
Representatives from both organizations purchased coats and other personal products from area Costco and Target stores Dec. 4 for distribution to selected students and homeless families. The purchases were paid for by a $1,600 donation from the bank.
DEF Executive Director Chastity Townsend said Comerica officials were provided with a list of needed coat sizes and were eager to shop with her for the items.
“Investing in those in need with Comerica is crucial as our community prepares for the long winter season,” Townsend said. “Through this partnership, the foundation is able to give back in a different way, yet still positively impact the lives of individuals and families in our area.”
Townsend was joined by Hassan Melhem, Amal Ghazi, Tobi Walker, and Mike Esseily in purchasing 35 coats at the local retailers. An additional 40 coats donated by Comerica Retail Banking Centers employees in Dearborn and Detroit will also be given to the district’s special education students.
“Dearborn Public Schools and the Dearborn Education Foundation have a lifelong, positive influence on the youth of the community and help create opportunities for brighter futures,” said Hassan Melhem, Comerica Bank vice president, External Affairs manager, and Middle Eastern American business development manager. “They strive to reduce and eliminate challenges students face that could disrupt their educational paths, and helping provide winter necessities is among the ways that eliminates barriers to learning.”
The Dearborn Education Foundation’s mission is to fund innovative programs and tools, ensuring that all Dearborn Public Schools students reach their potential. Through a private donor base of individuals, businesses, and foundations, the dollars raised cover classroom and extracurricular materials and projects, including books, musical instruments, microscopes, computers, athletic equipment, art projects, and student competitions that would otherwise go unfunded.
For more information, go to www.dearbornedfoundation.org.