SOUTHFIELD, Mich. – Last year the Southfield Goodfellows distributed thousands of pounds of food and more than $10,000 in gift cards to more than 1,000 people in 383 households.

Now their efforts are in jeopardy, troubles have hit the group but they intend to forge ahead. The Southfield Towne Center provides three large business suites to the Southfield Goodfellows that they annually fill with donated toys, clothes and about 10 tons of food.

Southfield Goodfellows website

The clothing and toys will come, but the food likely won't because the charity's taken a hit. One of its most effective longtime volunteers, Joan Bouffard, who spearheaded the newspaper sales and donations died earlier this year.

"She (Bouffard) was a very special lady. A very dedicated woman to this organization and to the families in this area. She was amazing and she will be greatly missed," said Iris Thompson, Southfield Goodfellows' president.

A few months later the good folks at Forgotten Harvest made a decision to only provide food to larger food distribution programs operating year round.

Thompson holds no ill will there, she's just pushing forward and at the same time hoping to find a kind Metro Detroit heart who might step in and fill that need.

"I am a woman of faith and I believe that even if we are not able to provide actual food this year my hope is that donations will be such that we could provide additional gift cards to make up the difference from the actual food," she said.

Contact the Southfield Goodfellows:

They have a 24 hour phone line 248-788-5899

Mailing address: PO Box 2336 Southfield, MI 48037

