Hollis Grant lives just two blocks away from the Imperial Fresh Market on Schaefer and Lyndon, and was not sure what he was going to do for Thanksgiving dinner. The 56-year-old is on a restricted income, and usually eats at his church for the holidays. But thanks to Detroit Pistons forward Tobias Harris and the market, he was able to make his own dinner.
Harris, Imperial Fresh Market co-owner Ryan Shina, the Detroit Police Department, and local community organizations, passed out over 500 turkeys to Detroit families in need, and Grant was a recipient of one.
“Now all I need are some sides to go with the turkey,” Grant said. “I didn’t want to eat at my church for Thanksgiving, but ironically, they are the ones who gave me the voucher for the turkey so that I wouldn’t have to. This is truly a blessing.”
Harris’ parents, Torrel and Lisa, were on hand to assist in the giving. He recalled growing up in New York, and being able to eat holiday dinner with his family, so it was important to make sure those less fortunate had the same opportunity.
“As you see, there are so many people here who needed turkeys,” Harris said. “And now they’re going to be able to cook it, enjoy it, and have a good Thanksgiving with their families. That’s what it’s about: giving back, and making sure others can eat with their families, and enjoy each other’s company.”
Shina and Harris met at a previous event, and brainstormed an idea to help Detroiters for the holidays. It was also imperative that they did it in the heart of the city, where some areas lacked quality grocery stories. And since the market is in one of the rougher zip codes in the city, there was no better place to serve the people.
“That was the biggest thing: doing it in this area where we knew were in need of turkeys,” said Harris. “Imperial has made a big impact in this community, by giving people jobs, offering fresh organic and products, and a different vibe when you shop here. That was one thing I was intrigued by when I was talking to Ryan, and we formed a great relationship.”
Detroit Police Chief James Craig was also on hand with number of his officers, and thanked Harris for his service to the community.
“Wherever I’ve worked, the cities that did so well were the ones that had special athletes get involved in the community,” said Craig. “So we want to thank Tobias Harris and his family, and Imperial Fresh Market for providing these turkeys for those in the community. We will continue to push unity in our communities, and we hope we can come back next year for this.”
Harris had his worst game of the season the night behind against the Cleveland Cavaliers, scoring only 11 points. The Pistons lost by 28, but he was still able to bring a good spirit to the event, and bless others with his presence and generosity.
“When I was kid, and I met NBA players, I knew what that meant to me,” said Harris. “I never let that go, and I understand what it means for others to meet NBA players. I’m thankful for being able to use my platform to show that there is more to life than just shooting a basketball and running up the court.”