Go, Danielle! Teen Makes Another Super Donation to Rochester-Area Charities

In between college applications and senior year activities, a Rochester Hills teen-ager is making a difference in the lives of families across southeast Michigan.

Danielle Ziaja, founder of Clean Start Service Project, recently donated 15,000 items to the Rochester Area Neighborhood House and Lighthouse of Oakland County. That brings her lifetime total of donations to more than 69,000 items. 

Danielle, a senior at Detroit Country Day High School, organized Clean Start Service Project last year to help supply homeless shelters and charity organizations with personal care items they may need. 

Read more about Danielle in this special section on Rochester Patch.

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. Thus, a service project was born.

Bob Ziaja said Danielle received numerous items donated from a Rochester family that was moving out of state and read about Clean Start on Patch; the family donated clothing, blankets, school supplies, toiletries and cleaning supplies — things they might otherwise have thrown out. 

 "They were extremely generous," he stated.

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 or send an email to cleanstartproject@gmail.com.