More than $5,100 was raised from the 10th-annual "Eat for Heat" fundraising dinner, which was held Jan. 24 at St. Matthew Church in Livonia. A total of 78 volunteers donated 407 hours toward cooking, setting up, serving dinner, cleaning up and other details related to the event. Several parishioners donated desserts as well, and 177 spaghetti dinners were served.
Eat for Heat was begun in 2006 and is supported by numerous church communities and civic groups. Funds collected, which are derived from ticket sales and a silent auction, assist the Livingston Emergency Assistance Fund (LEAF) that is administered by Catholic Charities of Livingston County. This initiative provides emergency heating assistance to area residents in need, so that they don’t have their heat shut off during the coldest months of the year — particularly during this past winter of record-setting cold temperatures. Many supported by LEAF are unemployed, underemployed, single parents and senior citizens.
