Bloomfield Hills Schools hosts Oct. 24 drive for homeless families

Bloomfield Hills Schools volunteers are scheduled to pack boxes of emergency supplies for homeless families at South Hills Middle School on Saturday, Oct. 24, according to the district’s event announcement.

The district's annual Make A Difference Day event runs from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. and is open to volunteers of all ages. This year's partner is Kids Empowered On The Move (KEOTM), a nonprofit that provides emergency shelter and housing assistance to families across Oakland County.

KEOTM's core service is emergency hotel shelter for families who have nowhere else to go, the district said. Lighthouse’s family emergency shelter has 18 private units and more than 60 beds, according to its 2025 impact report. The district says KEOTM supports about 500 families each year through hotel stays, first-month rent and security deposits, Adopt-a-Family programs for Christmas and Easter, and emergency food, clothing and furniture.

The organization’s website identifies Kimber Bishop-Yanke as its founder and executive director and as chair of the Oakland County Task Force on Homelessness and Poverty. She started the nonprofit in 1998 under the name Girls Matter, originally focused on empowering young girls and their parents through educational conferences that grew to 700 attendees at their peak. The organization later evolved into KEOTM.

At the Oct. 24 event, volunteers will assemble "Boxes of Hope" filled with essentials for families in crisis. Some go to families without housing. Others go to families at risk of losing their homes.

The district's announcement described the effort as a chance to remind Oakland County families that they are not alone, adding that every contribution helps a child stay warm, safe and supported.

Residents who cannot attend can drop off donated items at Eastover Elementary School or order supplies through an Amazon Wish List linked on the event page. Financial donations go through a Givebutter campaign with an $8,000 goal.

Volunteer sign-ups are available through SignUpGenius at the link on the district's event page.