Compuware Volunteers Package Food and Hope for the Hungry

Compuware employees and their families rolled up their sleeves and went to work packing food for Focus: Hope.

Compuware teamed up this spring with Focus: HOPE, a Detroit social welfare organization, to bring nutritious meals to homebound seniors.

Fifteen Compuware employees, along with their family members, helped pack 825 boxes of food, including beef stew, dry milk, peanut butter, fruit juice, canned vegetables, cheese and spaghetti.

“Compuware was a tremendous help,” said Bill Wenzel, manager of volunteers and community outreach for Focus: HOPE. “Every box they packed represents a senior who is in need. The boxes supplement the food the elderly can get from food stamps and other sources.”

Wenzel says the organization distributes 10,000 boxes to seniors per month. The packing is all done by volunteers. Without the assistance from companies like Compuware, needy seniors would suffer even greater lack.

Sudheer Akkisetty, a Compuware systems architect, volunteered and brought his wife, mother and father along to help out.

“My mother and father were always involved in community events back home in India,” he said. “They motivated me to be involved in these types of activities because they allow us to spend time together as a family and do something good that assists those in need.”

He added: “My parents were very happy to see that folks of different ages were participating in the event.”

Susan DesChenes, Covisint client manager, brought along her son, William, 14, to help pack food.

She says, thanks to Compuware, William has performed a lot of community service with her, whether it’s working at Focus: Hope, Gleaners Food Bank or Crossroads of Michigan Soup Kitchen.

“His recognition of the value of giving back is being built through opportunities to participate,” DesChenes said. “And sometimes it is even fun!”