If you’re headed to Sports & Social Detroit for lunch, dinner, drinks or to watch a game, bring a coat and soap with you. Just huddle up and help out.

The restaurant, located within The District Detroit, has teamed up with the Neighborhood Service Organization (NSO) to collect new and gently used items to help keep the downtown Detroit homeless community warm during the winter freeze.

All donations are welcome, and the Neighborhood Service Organization has identified these items as a top priority:

• Adult men’s and women’s coats – most needed sizes are L/XL/XXL (all sizes accepted)
• Sample size body wash and bar soap
• Laundry soap
• Socks of all sizes
• Weather shoes
• Tennis shoes

“While the generosity of the holiday season is behind us, the need is very much still here in our community,” says Scott Sadoff, director of operations, Detroit Arena Ventures. “At Sports & Social Detroit, and our sister restaurant, Mike’s Pizza Bar, we believe it is important to reach out, leverage our networks, and do good at all times of the year.”

The NSO provides critical services, outreach and assistance to children, youth, adults and families in Detroit. 100 percent of donations collected will benefit a homeless person in need, providing basic essentials they might not have otherwise.

“We all feel the deep freeze that has taken hold of Michigan, but Detroit’s homeless population, especially the sheltered, feel the worst of the chill,” says Dean Carpenter, family nurse practitioner at the NSO Tumaini Center. “Proper, warm clothing and footwear are essential to protect against health complications, but are often the most difficult to obtain. Every donation matters.”

Collection boxes will be located inside Sports & Social Detroit, located at 28 Henry St., now through February 18.

Sports & Social Detroit is located within The District Detroit, at 28 Henry St. The entrance is located at the Comerica Entry of Little Caesars Arena (Southeast corner of Woodward Ave. and Henry Street).

For more information about Sports & Social Detroit please click here.

  Detroit Arena Ventures, helping the homeless in Detroit, Sports & Social Detroit, The District Detroit