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Community Corner

Local Hindu Temple Awards One-Year College Scholarship to Woman in Grace Centers of Hope After-Care Program

On Monday, June 30, representatives from the Bharatiya Temple of Metropolitan Detroit donated a one-year college scholarship to a Grace Centers of Hope program participant during a formal reception at Fellowship Hall, 210 N. Perry St., Pontiac. The scholarship recipient, Virginia “Ginger” Levy, received a check for $4,300 that will cover the cost for her to attend her first year at Oakland Community College. 

“We are so thankful that The Bharatiya Temple of Metropolitan Detroit has decided to honor and support one of our brightest program participants with this award,” said Pastor Kent W. Clark, CEO of Grace Centers of Hope. “The scholarship will cover Ginger’s first year of tuition, fees, books, supplies and transportation to and from school.  It is gifts like these that truly make a difference in someone’s life, which helps open doors for new opportunities and personal growth.”

The Bharatiya Temple, which is located at 6850 Adams Rd. in Troy, has been an integral part of the Hindu and Indian community in metro Detroit for nearly 40 years.  With more than 400 devotees, the Temple offers a variety of religious, community and cultural services, including a multi-purpose hall with a kitchen, dining facility and small apartment for priests or guests.  A number of religious services are performed during the week with the most notable on Sunday mornings. 

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“Ginger demonstrates herself as a woman who is not afraid to accept her past, but holds the strength to overcome every obstacle in life,” said Bharatyia Temple President Jagdish Karira.  “She perfectly encapsulates the courage and perseverance that is necessary to retaliate against great hardships.  She not only pursues opportunities to enhance her life, but also holds the passion to enrich the lives of others who are in similar situations.”

Levy, who is 27 years old and is a graduate of Pontiac Northern High School, has been enrolled in programs at Grace Centers of Hope since 2012.  She is currently enrolled in the Grace Centers of Hope After-Care Program, which allows participants to live in the organization’s housing community while they maintain employment, go to school and learn to give back to society.  She plans to earn an associates degree in applied science with a focus in mental health and social work. After graduation, Levy’s goal is to become a counselor at Grace Centers of Hope and give back to the organization that helped save her life. 

For more information regarding Grace Centers of Hope, to make a donation or provide a scholarship gift, please contact Development Director Michelle Atwell at 1-855-HELP-GCH. 

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About Grace Centers of Hope

Giving hope to the helpless since 1942, Grace Centers of Hope is considered one of the leading faith- based organizations in Southeastern Michigan, daily confronting issues of homelessness, addiction, poverty, abuse and spiritual emptiness. On any given night, Grace Centers of Hope provides transitional and emergency shelter to 150-200 men, women and children, in addition to serving more than 100,000 meals each year. Grace’s $5.7 million yearly budget is maintained solely through corporate and private donors, exclusive of any government assistance. To learn more about Grace Centers of Hope or to make a donation, please visit www.gracecentersofhope.org.


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