Good Afternoon Lutz Staff, Teachers, Families and Friends,

As we begin our fifth week home with our students and the fourth week of the mandated “Stay Home, Stay Safe” order, it amazes me how this new norm still feels like a bad dream. As much as I love having Zack home with me all day, the challenge of filling the void left from the time he spent at Lutz and work as well as trying to help him cope with the loss of his friends, teachers, staff, and his Completer year, makes every day difficult at best.

I’m sure we are all coping in our own ways, some better than others, but the longer this goes on, the harder I believe this will get. Very often the longer something goes on, the more people accept it, become complaisant, or get used to it. I don’t believe this will be the case here. All of us, especially our students, are going to be scarred by this and the fear of losing aspects of our lives that define us will weigh continually on our minds for years to come.

Dealing with all the loss that has already been endured, not just by our family, but by the entire Lutz family, our community, our state, our country, and yes – our world, and knowing there are more dark days ahead, I began to wonder what we can do to possibly make some sort of difference for the future of our students and the community that plays such an important role in their lives. We can’t change that the schools are closed, but when this is over, the school doors will open and students will once again flood the halls and reconnect with staff and friends. The one aspect of the Lutz experience that is not a given, are the job sites where our students gain invaluable experience, preparing them for life beyond Lutz.

Lutz families have always been encouraged to support these local businesses, but during this economically challenging time, your support is needed even more. I heard a statistic (I can’t give you specifics because with all the information being thrown at us, I don’t remember where it came from) that stated 70% of all the small businesses here in Michigan, regardless if they are open and considered “essential” or were forced to close their doors four weeks ago, will not survive the extension of the “Stay Home, Stay Safe” order. Hearing this is devastating enough for those of us not necessarily “directly” impacted by it, but for those facing the continuing struggle to survive during this horrible time, it is life-changing.

Although many of the businesses that have supported Lutz School and the students there have already been shut down, there are still many that continue to serve the community. Now is the time for us, the families, friends, and patrons of these businesses to step up and do our part to help ensure that when this is over, hopefully sooner rather than later, they will still be there to continue their support of our students and community.  At the bottom of this post/email is a list of the partners as listed on the Lutz School official website (Lutz Website). This list does not reflect all the businesses that have played a key role in our student’s enrichment, but it is a beginning. A few missing include: Printing by Johnson’s and Pet Smart.

One business not listed that is a current Lutz School supporter and that our family has personal reasons for wanting to support is Little Caesars. Zack began working at the Cass and Groesbeck location more than two years ago through Lutz and was hired there as a part-time employee in September of 2019. Many students have gained invaluable experience at this job site and a little over a month ago Jeff Silverman, the owner brought the Pizza Love Truck to the school and fed all the students, staff, and teachers. Click HERE to see a clip from a video of that very special day. Little Caesars stores owned by Jeff include locations at Cass and Groesbeck, Garfield and Metro Parkway, and 22 Mile Rd. and Van Dyke.

Jeff is just one example of the generous business owners that support our students. Other businesses I know of first hand where our students have been or are gainfully employed either while at Lutz or after completing include: Nino Salvaggio’s, Kroger, Pet Supplies Plus, Burger King, and McDonalds. Although some of these businesses may not have been part of the Lutz School-to-Work program, they do support many of our students after they left Lutz.

I am a true believer in reciprocity. The pride and purpose that working has given Zack through the years is something we will never be able to repay. Still, if by encouraging others to patronize the businesses that have helped Zack become the person he is today as well as all the businesses that support Lutz and the students there, it is the least we can do. So, if you are in the mood for some pretty awesome pizza, why not head over to Little Caesars; if you are in need of some pet supplies, why not head over to Pet Supplies Plus; if you need some fresh vegetables, bread, or other grocery items, Nino Salvaggio’s is an excellent choice; and Kroger is absolutely there for grocery needs too. Many of you may look at Burger King and McDonald’s as “large corporations,” but did you know that these are typically independently owned and operated. These owners are also “small business” owners and need our support as well.

In closing I’d like to acknowledge that many of us have our own struggles that we are facing at this time and heading out to buy a pizza or a McFlurry might not be a priority. Completely understandable. It is my hope, however, that maybe the next time you are planning on picking up a pizza or carry out or in need of groceries or pet supplies, you would consider to support the businesses that have supported our school and our students through the years.

Take care and be safe.

Lisa Dukicin, LPG VP