James H. Cole Legacy Foundation Blog

Posted on January 20, 2022 by jhcfadm

The James H. Cole Heroes Calendar for 2022 Is Here!

The James H. Cole Legacy Foundation, in collaboration with James H. Cole Home for Funerals, decided to shine a light on our Detroit, Michigan community by honoring the heroes, particularly frontline and vital workers, whose relentless efforts kept the city safe throughout the pandemic. As a response, we created Love Thy Neighbor, an effort that recognizes and honors our Heroes’ incredible accomplishments.

We decided to develop an annual calendar – which has become something of an annual tradition for James H. Cole Home for Funerals – that honors the people in our community who have gone above and beyond to aid others.

Creating the Heroes Calendar

Choosing who to put on the calendar was a difficult task in and of itself, especially given the large number of people to consider. Our internal staff compiled a list of individual’s and information to present their stories. Our photographer, Annistique Photography, met with each person in a private location of their choice to take the best photographs possible while maintaining personal comfort and following state safety regulations.

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Honoring Our Heroes

The James H. Cole Legacy Foundation intends to keep this calendar tradition going to recognize people across Detroit who work persistently to make everyone’s lives a little bit simpler. We have no words to express our gratitude to these unsung warriors.

Want to see what’s on the inside? The list of our 2022 heroes is below. We sincerely appreciate your service and the genuinely extraordinary things you accomplish.

• Rochelle Riley – Director, Arts and Culture, City of Detroit Author, Public Speaker
• Mike Dorsey- Chairman of the Board of Directors, Esteemed We/Detroit Possible Elder, The Open-Door Church of God in Christ – Detroit
• Natasha Lee Maxwell- Founder, Make Your Dreams Come True (MYDCT) and Being That Girl (That Girl)
• Alison Vaughn – President and CEO, Jackets for Jobs
• Kori C. Fields- Founder, High School Glam Suite, and Product Development Manager for The Lip Bar, Inc.
• Paul Riser, Jr.- Platoon Leader, B.O.M.B. Squad Detroit
• Jerry Ann Hebron- Executive Director, Northend Christian CDC, and Oakland Avenue Urban Farm
• Jedonna Dinges – Member Grosse Pointe Park Citizen Advisory Board for the Grosse Pointe Police Department
• Marvin Skipper – CEO Youth Are Bigger Than Life
• Karen Buscemi- President and CEO Detroit Sewn, Inc.
• Michael Williams- President and CEO Orchards Children’s Services
• Kenneth Donaldson- CEO, Black United Fund of Michigan

Looking for a Heroes Calendar?

Would you like to have one of our 2022 Heroes Calendars? Come visit us at either of our two locations to pick yours up (while supplies last). A digital PDF version of the calendar is also available and can be downloaded here. The calendar is absolutely free, our gift to the community.
Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to stay up to date on our future James H. Cole Legacy Foundation efforts.

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Posted in Latest News, Other

Posted on January 12, 2022 by jhcfadm

Holiday Food Giveaway

The James H. Cole Legacy Foundation in partnership with the Youth Are Bigger Than Life organization hosted a relief effort for Detroit residents on December 18 where they welcomed nearby residents and community members at their James H. Cole Home For Funerals West Grand Blvd. location.
Attendees braved the snow and rain to stop by to pick up food packages that were delivered right to their vehicles by one of the many volunteers adorned in scarves in the James H. Cole signature gold color. Beyond the event attendees, food donation packages were also distributed to several organizations and neighbors such as Detroit Rescue Mission, Canine Companions Rescue Center, and residents of Young Manor. In all 500 boxes were distributed.

The event partner, Youth Are Bigger Than Life, is a non-profit organization founded by former Eastern Michigan University and Pershing High School basketball player Marvin Skipper six years ago. Skipper and the organization are dedicated to assisting youth identify with their personal strengths to develop a successful future and offer a range of different services such as educational and recreational field trips, tutoring, academic and financial workshops, healthy meal planning, and mentorship. A loyal Pershing “Doughboy,” Skipper regularly hosts food giveaways to help citizens living near his east side high school, and this collaboration with The James H. Cole Legacy Foundation is his first west side endeavor. “This relief effort is all about giving back to the community,” said Marvin Skipper. “Many people are struggling out there and we want to do all we can to make it easier for them. So don’t be afraid to come out. All are welcome!”

“My family and I established the James H. Cole Legacy Foundation in 2019 as a way to commemorate our 100-year anniversary, and to thank the community for its continued support” states Antonio Green, Foundation president. “The Holiday Food Giveaway is an initiative of the Foundation’s “Love Thy Neighbor” program, which identifies community “neighbors” that may need a helping hand,” Green continues. The program has more in store for 2022 to assist our neighbors and show our appreciation.

To keep abreast of the Foundation programming be sure to visit our site often, and to learn more about Youth Are Bigger Than Life visit www.youtharebiggerthanlife.com.

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Posted in Events, Programs & Initiatives

Posted on January 12, 2022 by jhcfadm

12 Days of Giving

During the 2022 holiday season the James H. Cole Legacy Foundation once again honored some of our community’s finest “Everyday Heroes” with our “12 Days Of Giving” initiative, which is a part of the Foundation’s “Love Thy Neighbor” program.

Twelve local heroes from educators to nurses were nominated by their fellow community members for their dedication to making a difference and going above and beyond to do so.

The Foundation partnered with local Beasley Media Group radio stations to put out a call for nominations and 12 “heroes” were selected to be awarded the honor and receive a $100 gift card as a thank you for their local efforts. During the 12 days prior to Christmas the honorees were also announced each day on the radio stations. Among the honorees were founders of organizations that assist underserved youth, educators that make extra efforts to care for their students and their families, and healthcare workers that care for others even as they battle their own health struggles.

These cherished community members truly embody the mission of the “Love Thy Neighbor” program, which strives to lend our neighbors in need of a helping hand.

2022 12 Days of Giving Honorees:

• Orlando Bogins – Principal, Golightly Elementary/Middle School
• Dolletta Cash – Engineer/Pershing High School Youth Support Leader
• Shaketa Chapman – Registered Nurse, Henry Ford Health System
• Michelle Davis – Dean of Students, Davis Aerospace High School
• Layna Gardner-Lott – Workforce Development Professional/Chapter President, Twelve Days of Christmas, Inc.
• Chetrice Gillon – CEO, Making It Happen Foundation
• Kimberly Johnson – Founder, Developing K.I.D.S.
• Ericka Page – Director of Youth Services, Detroit Employment Solutions/Detroit at Work
• Rhonda Reynolds-Williams – Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. Pi Tau Omega Chapter Youth Committee Leader
• Althea Norfolk – Registered Nurse, Sinai Grace Hospital
• Mary Topp – Registered Nurse, University of Michigan Hospital
• Shecara Vardiman – Founder and CEO, Esteem We, Inc./Detroit Possible, Inc.

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Posted in Events, Latest News, Programs & Initiatives