Community Corner

Another Day, Another Record Donation for Rochester Hills Teen

There's really no stopping Danielle Ziaja and her Clean Start Service Project, is there?

A Rochester Hills teen-ager whose collections and donations of toothpaste and other personal care items have made an impact on organizations across the Detroit area is at it again.

This time, Danielle Ziaja has donated another 23,000 items — bringing her lifetime total to more than 54,000 personal care items.

Danielle, a senior at Detroit Country Day High School, recently presented the Lighthouse of Oakland County, the Rochester Area Neighborhood House and CrossPoint Cares with the donated items. It's all part of her Clean Start Service Project, which she started last year to help supply homeless shelters and charity organizations with items they may need. 

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"Working on this project has allowed me to meet so many kind and caring people who give support to those in need either through the generosity of their time and/or their donations of goods," Danielle said after this recent donation. 

Read Rochester Hills Teen Helps Others Get a 'Clean Start' With Super Donation

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Read 

Danielle is the daughter of Rose and Bob Ziaja, an orthodontist in Macomb and Clarkston. She grew up seeing her dad receive nonstop samples of toothpastes. About a year ago, she had an idea to do something amazing with the toothpastes — and with other personal hygiene products that dentists and doctors received. She is a founding member of Lighthouse PATH Junior council and was recently chosen to participate in the Rochester Youth Leadership Retreat and Junior Leadership of Oakland County.  

Want to donate? 

There's a collection box for Clean Start at Hepburn’s, 120 N. Adams, at the Village of Rochester Hills.

There are also collection boxes at five Fraser Optical locations in Macomb County.

  • 32925 Grosbeck Hwy, Fraser
  • 3602 15 Mile Road., Sterling Hts
  • 51026 Van Dyke, Shelby Twp.
  • 71150 N Van Dyke, Romeo
  • 66751 Gratiot Ave, Richmond

For more information, visit the Clean Start Service Project on Facebook.


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