Matthew Wollack, VP of Strategic Development, Wolverine Human Services was our speaker on July 11th.
 
WHS was founded in 1987 by Robert Wollack.  How Mr. Wollack, who was born in New York, came to Michigan is an interesting story involving Serpico, prison time, and the Gambino crime family.
 
The organization supports diverse treatment needs such as juvenile delinquency, substance abuse, rehabilitation, foster care placement, adoption, and high security residential treatment.  It operates in all 83 counties and is funded through the state of Michigan.
WHS operates a community center and soup kitchen on Dickerson in Detroit.  The surrounding area is only 3% populated and, the organization not wanting to contribute to the decline, has formed Core Orchards Detroit, the city’s first u-pick apple orchard.  350 trees have been planted so far, with the hope to raise that number to 5,000.  The apples will be 100% organic with the trees bearing fruit in 2020.
 
The ultimate plan is for the orchard to generate a profit to contribute to the services WHS provides and to be a centerpiece for the neighborhood. 
 
To learn more, please visit www.wolverinehs.org and www.coreorchards.com.