dinner with a hero

As the weather gets colder and we dive into the holiday season the importance of spending time with the people around us becomes more apparent. Whether it’s family, friends, a neighbor, or a co-worker, sharing the season's joy and spreading warmth within your community feels like second nature as those Christmas lights go up. Meijer strives to be a beacon within their community and every year the Meijer super center’s “Shop With a Hero” event was reimagined this year as “Dinner with a Hero” at the Meijer Rivertown Market location. A collaboration between Meijer and Centers for Family Development, Inc, with the goal of making a positive impact for the communities in the Wayne and Oakland counties. This event was a year in the making and finally came to fruition with Elizabeth Clement, the store director of Rivertown Market at the helm, partnered with Kenyatta Stephens, the chief executive officer of Center for Family Development,Inc.

The Dinner With a Hero event had ten families randomly matched up with ten hero’s, each hero being either local business owners, artists, corporate leaders, and pillars within the local community. Ice breaker questions for the families to ask the hero’s kickstarted the event as a way to bring everyone together and set the tone for the rest of the night. As the event progressed, everyone sat down and shared a meal together furthering their connection with each other. Finally, the children of each family received gifts from their heroes, bringing a sense of joy, gratitude, and warmth that carried through the space.

As the evening drew to an end, it was clear that Dinner with a Hero was about far more than a shared meal. It was about connection, representation, and the power of showing up for one another. For the families, it offered a moment of celebration and recognition; for the heroes, it was an opportunity to inspire and give back in a deeply personal way. As the holiday season comes to a close, events like this reflect the shared commitment of Meijer and Centers for Family Development, Inc. to strengthen the communities they serve—creating space for meaningful relationships, shared experiences, and lasting memories that extend well beyond the season.