DEARBORN — Midwest Recycling is partnering with the American Red Cross of Southeast Michigan to benefit women, children and families in crisis. 

Since November, the Dearborn-based Midwest Recycling has donated more than $17,000 to the American Red Cross – Southeast Michigan Chapter through the partnership. 

Founded in 2007 by longtime humanitarian and Bloomfield Township businessman Abe Hachem, Midwest Recycling collects, distributes and donates used clothing and shoes to women, children and families throughout the world.

A key hallmark of the partnership between Midwest Recycling and the Red Cross is the placement and maintenance of clothing donation bins in communities throughout Southeast Michigan. Currently, there are nearly 400 such bins throughout Southeast and West Michigan. The Red Cross receives quarterly donations from Midwest Recycling, based upon the poundage collected and processed by its staff of more than 30 people.

“I cannot think of a better organization to partner with than the American Red Cross Southeast Michigan Chapter,” Hachem said. “It is the ongoing mission of Midwest Recycling to help women, children and families by making available clothes and shoes to those who most need them. Our donations to the Red Cross advance that mission by helping to underwrite blood drives, disaster relief, shelter and other Red Cross programs for people in crisis.”

Midwest Recycling recently made a commitment to donate an additional $25,000 to the Red Cross on June 2, which is Red Cross Giving Day, during a reception at the Southeast Michigan Red Cross Chapter’s Detroit headquarters on Mack Avenue. 

 “We are thrilled with the extraordinary donations and ongoing commitment made by Midwest Recycling to the Red Cross in the brief amount of time that we have been working together,” said Judy Muhn, corporate gift officer for the Southeast Michigan Red Cross. “We look forward to a lengthy relationship with Midwest. The greater number of clothing collection bins that are placed, the greater the donations to the Red Cross to support the work that we do for people in need and in crisis.” 

Midwest’s headquarters and 60,000 square foot main warehouse are located in west Dearborn. Midwest specializes in the placement and maintenance of its bins in partnership with Greater Detroit and West Michigan communities, businesses, public schools, houses of worship and – notably, since November– the American Red Cross Southeast Michigan Chapter. 

To that end, Midwest Recycling welcomes communities and businesses to work with it and the Red Cross in placing bins.  Midwest collections take place as often as three times per week,15 with collection sites carefully policed, cleaned and cleared of debris and unwelcome items.  

“We want to add more bins in supermarkets and we encourage business owners to contact us and ask about how they can get a bin placed at one of their businesses,” Hachem said. 

Hachem has a history of donating free footwear to people living on the impoverished continent of Africa. He previously visited the region on  business trips. Africa’s needy are often spotted walking around without shoes, because they’re not financially stable to purchase any. 

“The feeling, I can’t explain it; you have to do it to know what I’m talking about,” Hachem said regarding his humanitarian efforts. 

Hachem could have donated to any organization, but chose the Red Cross because its charitable work helps needy people around the world.

“It is an organization that is helping people all over the world,” Hachem said.