Come rake in the FUN at this family-friendly volunteer event on Sunday, November 1 at Congregation Shaarey Zedek. Whether you come with a group or on your own, you’ll help to winterize homes of older adults served by Jewish Family Service. This isn’t your average day of yard work – it’s a chance to make a real difference in your community!
Frequently Asked Questions
Since 1996, JFS has mobilized community volunteers to help homebound older adults and adults with disabilities prepare the outside of their homes and properties for the winter weather. This is JFS’s largest single day of service (and one of the biggest in the community), coordinating several hundred volunteers to winterize client homes.
November is not the height of the cold weather, but we hope most leaves have fallen in time for this day of service. The welcoming portion will take place indoors, but the service project itself will take place outdoors. Volunteers should dress in layers to be weather-appropriate.
2026 marks the 30th annual Fall Fix Up, which will take place on Sunday, November 1, 2026!
It varies from year to year, but on average, Fall Fix Up volunteers visit between 30-50 homes!
Depending on the size of the house and property, as well as the needs of that particular home, volunteer team sizes range from 4-15 people.
Assigned homes belong to established clients of Jewish Family Service.
Registration officially opens on Thursday, September 17, 2026 and runs until October 23. Just click this link to register yourself and co-volunteers, or contact Stephanie Appel at sappel@jfsdetroit.org or 248.325.953 if you need help signing up.
Fantastic! Groups come in all shapes and sizes. We have work teams, school groups, families, house of worship committees – you name it, we are excited to match you with a house! Please appoint someone in your group as the designated contact for smooth communication
Great and no worries! We will assign you to a house with other individuals or group members. We are so grateful for your participation!
Just like with most of JFS service programs, you do not need to be Jewish to participate. All are welcome and we appreciate all the many hands that want to help others!
Volunteers will gather at Congregation Shaarey Zedek starting at 9:30am for registration and sign-in. There will be light breakfast on-site before the program starts promptly at 10am. We will share messages of welcome and appreciation, instructions and reminders, then groups should be off to grab their pre-sorted supplies from our supply truck by 10:15am. Volunteers will then drive in their cars to their assigned home. By no later than 1pm, we anticipate groups will be ready to wrap and designate a driver to return supplies to either Congregation Shaarey Zedek or the West Bloomfield Jewish Family Service building. Finally, volunteers are free to head home and feel great about making a difference!
Fall Fix Up is a rain or shine–or snow–event. Unless weather conditions are severely inclement or unsafe, count on Fall Fix Up taking place and don’t forget to dress comfortably, in layers so you are weather appropriate. In the case of cancellation for any reason, we will notify individual volunteers and group contacts ASAP.
Please let us know if you can’t make it as soon as you are able. We may need to move teams of volunteers around, make alternative arrangements for client homes, etc. Obviously, your health, wellness, and safety are a priority, so we understand that life happens.
Reach out as soon as you are able. We will need to make sure that everybody is checked in, accounted for and has filled out a waiver. Because of last-minute cancellations and other moving parts, we will do our best to fit you in with an already existing team.
Anyone is able to participate. There are a variety of roles and tasks to choose from. Many parts are physical, like raking or cleaning flower beds, planting bulbs or moving furniture. There are less physically rigorous tasks, such as sweeping or wiping windows. It is up to each family or group to decide what age is most appropriate for participation.
For young children, we ask or require there to be 1 adult per 3-4 volunteers. For older youth and teens, we ask or require that there to be 1 adult per 10 volunteers.
Security will be on-site at Congregation Shaarey Zedek.
You can drive on your own or carpool with others – both to and from Congregation Shaarey Zedek and to and from assigned client homes. Volunteers will drive their own personal vehicles, but you may also arrange to ride with others in your group. There is parking on site at Congregation Shaarey Zedek and street parking upon arrival client homes.
We will provide supplies on-site. Depending on the needs and requests of a given home, volunteers will be provided with rakes, lawn bags, leaf blowers, paper towels, Windex, trowels, garbage bags, brooms, and plant bulbs. If volunteers have leaf blowers and would like to bring them, great!
The total event runs from 9:30am-1pm start to finish. Volunteers can earn 3.5 service hours for participating in this event. Letters are available to take and use as needed.
To learn more about the many ways you can get involved JFS, visit jfsdetroit.org
