DEARBORN HEIGHTS — A local nonprofit is working to bring the community together during a time of need for its second annual Friendsgiving event.

Thrive by any Means Necessary (TMN) is a nonprofit organization founded in 2022 by community activists with the goal of striving to eliminate barriers for those in need while establishing a community that flourishes by removing poverty and attaining social justice.

TMN’s Friendsgiving event is aimed at raising awareness of food insecurity and homelessness during the Thanksgiving season.

Leslie Windless, co-founder and board president of TMN, said the organization worked tirelessly to plan this year’s Friendsgiving.

“This is my first year as president and I am happy to have changed the event to be more of a potluck community dinner and project,” she said. “This allowed local businesses to partner by offering food for the potluck. We also partnered with our friends at the Dearborn Heights Community Food Pantry to host a mutual aid pop up store with gently used and new clothes, shoes, books and more.”

Sponsors for this year’s event include Dearborn Heights Community Food Pantry, Dearborn Heights Firefighters Union, Wayne County Commissioner David Knezek, Councilman Mo Baydoun, From the Hood for the Hood, La Shish in Dearborn, La Pita in Dearborn, The Honey Baked Ham in Taylor and Jaime’s Kids.

The event is open to the public, no questions asked and will be held on Saturday, Nov. 18 from 4 to 6 p.m. at the O.W. Best Middle School Cafeteria, 22201 Powers Ave. in Dearborn Heights.