click to enlarge 
GoFundMe
Charmane Neal, founder of Hey Y’all Detroit, with books for children.
A grassroots organization
launched a fundraiser Tuesday after its truck packed with books and school supplies was stolen on Detroit’s east side last month.
Hey Y’all Detroit planned to distribute the back-to-school supplies to children in need.
The group relied on the “Hey Y’all Mobile” to provide lower-income people with nutritional food, hygiene kits, clothes, books, school supplies, and rides to doctor appointments.
“Almost everything we need to run our org was in that vehicle,” Charmane Neal, founder of Hey Y’all Detroit, said on GoFundMe.
Neal was hoping the truck would show up discarded, but that has not happened.
The goal of the fundraiser is to reach $25,000, which will pay to replace the truck books, tables, tents, crates, and other equipment.
“There will be no discouragement, we will create a better display, we will build back our entire library, it will be filled with new books, and we will continue to service our community no matter what,” the group
posted on social media.
Hey Y'all Detroit describes itself as “a physical love letter to inner city residents of color through acts of kindness and community initiatives.”
It has been a bad month for Hey Y’all Detroit. One of its volunteers was fatally shot on Aug. 7, forcing the organization to briefly suspend grocery deliveries.
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