On November 6, hundreds of Detroit-area business and community leaders will gather at MGM Grand Detroit for Night of Warm Hearts, an annual celebration that supports a mission extending far beyond the ballroom: helping Michigan families keep their heat and electricity on.
Hosted by The Heat and Warmth Fund (THAW), the event comes as colder temperatures bring renewed attention to utility affordability, an issue affecting working families, seniors, and veterans statewide. THAW board member Patricia Alexander sees the evening as an expression of a belief she has carried for years: helping a neighbor through a difficult period can change the trajectory of a family’s life.
PATRICIA ALEXANDER
“We want people to come to us when they’re in crisis, and then go on to grow and thrive,” she says.
Alexander grew up in a family where helping others was part of everyday life, whether through volunteering, donating clothing or offering financial support. That experience shaped her belief in the impact of even the smallest contributions.
“Every small thing you do grows, and it’s amazing how many people can benefit from a mustard seed,” she says.
She was drawn to THAW because of the direct connection between utility assistance and household stability. She says access to heat and electricity supports the everyday routines families depend on.
“When a home is safe and at an adequate temperature, a family can thrive,” she says. “Meals can be provided, food can be refrigerated, children can complete their homework and sleep at night.”
That stability is increasingly difficult for some Michigan households to maintain. Rising costs of food, housing, transportation and utilities can leave families with little financial flexibility. A reduction in work hours, unexpected medical expense or other setback can quickly create an overdue bill that becomes difficult to resolve.
In its most recently reported year, THAW distributed more than $8.6 million in utility assistance to over 11,000 Michigan households. Approximately 70% of the households it serves include children, seniors, or veterans.
Alexander says one of the most persistent misconceptions about utility assistance is that it primarily serves people who are unemployed.
“So many working parents come to us,” she says. “The high cost of maintaining a household means deciding what bill gets paid today versus what can’t be paid. That’s one of the biggest things I’ve come to recognize, how many working families are struggling to meet their basic needs.”
The need for assistance extends beyond the winter months. Families who fall behind on utility bills during colder weather can carry unpaid balances into the summer months, creating a vicious cycle.
THAW has been addressing those challenges since 1985, distributing $255 million in assistance to more than 335,000 Michigan households. The organization directs 80 cents of every donated dollar toward services.
Over time, its work has expanded to address some of the circumstances that contribute to household instability. Alexander points to efforts involving job skills, employment opportunities and home improvements as examples of how the organization is working to create wraparound services.
She is particularly encouraged by the number of households that need assistance only temporarily. Some recipients, she adds, eventually become donors themselves.
That progression from receiving assistance to helping others is part of what makes Night of Warm Hearts meaningful to the organization. The annual event brings together corporate supporters, foundations, public officials, community members and people whose lives have been affected by THAW’s programs.
Alexander recalls seeing a fellow church member featured in a video about the organization’s impact and learning for the first time that the woman had once received assistance.
“I never knew her story,” she says, explaining that the woman had since become a community leader. “That’s what it’s about, helping people where they are and allowing them to move forward.”
This year’s Night of Warm Hearts begins at 6 p.m. Friday, November 6, in the Grand Ballroom at MGM Grand Detroit. The evening will feature dinner, live and silent auctions, a raffle and entertainment by D’Tour, whose Retro Rewind Show blends rock, funk and electronic influences.
Auction packages include signed memorabilia from Taylor Swift, Dolly Parton and Beyoncé, Detroit Lions tickets, a Detroit Pistons suite experience at Little Caesars Arena, Detroit Tigers Opening Day tickets, travel experiences and contributions from local businesses.
The program will also recognize five individuals and organizations for their contributions to the community and energy industry. Honorees include Evette Hollins of DTE Energy, Adam and Annie Whaley, the Michigan State Housing Development Authority’s Neighborhood Development Division, and Marc Simone of SEMCO Energy.
Alexander says the event has consistently drawn strong community participation, with attendance filling the ballroom in recent years. The financial support generated that evening is critical to sustaining THAW’s programs, but she hopes attendees leave with a greater understanding of the people those programs serve.
“I hope people come away with greater compassion for their neighbors and recognize that we’re all in this together,” she says. “You never know when you might face a financial crisis yourself.”
She also sees opportunities for businesses and individuals to become involved throughout the year, whether through donations, volunteering, partnerships or ideas for new programs.
“We need help, and we’re never afraid to ask for it,” she says. “We’re always looking for ways to do things better and make tangible changes in the communities we serve.”
Individual tickets for Night of Warm Hearts are $250, with an optional VIP reception available for an additional $100. Sponsorship opportunities and donations are also available through the event website.
As THAW prepares for another year of assisting Michigan households, Alexander hopes the November gathering reinforces a sense of shared responsibility that extends across the state.
“When I look at my neighbor, it’s the entire community, the entire state,” she says. “Everyone is a neighbor. We should always extend an arm and help.”
For tickets, sponsorship information or opportunities to support THAW, visit thawfund.org/nightofwarmhearts2026.
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