Grief That Sparks Gratitude

How a lost pup united a community of givers at Zingerman’s SafeHouse fundraiser

When we lose a loved one, we grieve not only the loss of their presence but a loss of meaning and identity. We may wonder who we are without them. What matters most might not be as clear as it was before. As we search for answers, we can lean on the communities we belong to and find new ways to make meaning — and even joy — within them.

Jelly Bean Jump Up, Zingerman’s annual charity fundraiser, grew out of this quest. In addition to honoring the beloved canine companion of Zingerman’s co-founder Ari Weinzweig, this event supports Ann Arbor’s SafeHouse Center, which protects and empowers survivors of sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking. The 10th rendition of the campaign, which raised more than $21,000, included a March 25 dinner at Zingerman’s Roadhouse, donation drives, sales of pet-themed calendars and corgi cookies, and more.

Dinner attendees enjoyed a family-style meal designed by renowned chef and award-winning cookbook author Molly Stevens and cooked by Roadhouse chef Bob Bennett. Many took part in a silent auction featuring donated goodies such as a CSA share from Tantré Farm, line-caught fish from Shoreline Wild Salmon, and a pizza kit from Nueske’s Applewood Smoked Meats. Everyone celebrated the power of friendship and community by breaking bread – or biscuits, in this case – with new acquaintances.

Breaking bread, building community

Ari introduced Jelly Bean Jump Up by reminiscing about the event’s namesake, a sweet and curious corgi who was a minor celebrity on Ann Arbor’s Clark Road. That’s where she and Ari would often go for a jog, passing SafeHouse on their route. Over the years, the perspicacious pup earned nicknames such as Jelly Bean the Jogger Dog and Zinger-man’s Best Friend. Ari organized the first Jelly Bean Jump Up in 2016, a few months after she passed away.

Ari also highlighted his friendship with Molly, which began at an American Cheese Society in the late 1980s. Over the years, she has appeared at five Roadhouse dinners and Camp Bacon, a bacon-themed festival with special classes, speakers, meals, and more.

“Molly is a great cook and a great cookbook writer, which are different things. But I don’t think of her for her cookbooks, like a lot of people do. I think of her as my friend,” Ari said.

Molly’s cookbooks include All About Braising, All About Roasting, and All About Dinner. She also hosts the Everything Cookbooks podcast with Andrea Nguyen, Kate Leahy, and Kristin Donnelly. 

The menu Molly devised reflected several special moments from her life as a chef. For instance, a vegetable course dubbed a “mess of bitter greens” was a nod to Zingerman’s other co-founder, Paul Saginaw, who she cooked with during a trip to Greece.

“I would relive that trip if I could, especially the experience of cooking with other people. I find the idea of this dish so comforting,” Molly said.

The menu also featured several dishes that incorporated cultured butter from one of the event’s sponsors, Vermont Creamery. These included butter-poached shrimp with tomatoes and garlic, butter pecan gelato topped with brown butter hazelnut shortbread, and a warm dip made with artisanal olive oil, garlic, and Fishwife anchovies. The centerpiece of the meal was braciole, a pasture-raised flank steak stuffed with SarVecchio parmesan, Newsom’s country ham, pinenuts, and raisins, all of which were braised in a savory tomato sauce.

During the meal, Molly shared some of her family’s Thanksgiving traditions and quirks with her tablemates, who shared details about their own holiday meals in return. Micki Maynard, a food writer at the table, said she was excited to see Molly Stevens’ name attached to this year’s Jelly Bean Jump Up.

“I’m a huge fan of Molly Stevens. I have come to her special dinners in the past, and Molly was super helpful to me when I was writing Satisfaction Guaranteed, my book about Zingerman’s,” Micki explained, adding that the dinner’s menu was “delicious from top to bottom.”

Micki also noted the positive energy the event’s crowd brought to the Roadhouse. 

“It’s a treat to see everybody come here because they’re so fired up for SafeHouse and so generous. There are such interesting people to talk to, and there’s a real feeling of community,” she said.

Showing up for vulnerable neighbors

Christine Watson, SafeHouse’s executive director, gave a short speech during the dinner. In addition to acknowledging the generosity of Zingerman’s and several community partners — Plum Market, Tito’s Handmade Vodka, Dollar Bill Printing, Old National Bank, and Probility Physical Therapy — she thanked the audience for showing up for abuse survivors.

“You remind me we have a community around us who genuinely care. SafeHouse exists because of people like you,” she said. “There need to be places for survivors of abuse and assault to tell their stories, because we don’t always get to hear them. You help make that happen.”

In the United States, families and communities lose more than 1,300 of these survivors to violence each year. Pets also get caught in the cycle of abuse. Sometimes people stay in dangerous living situations because they can’t find shelter for an animal companion. In addition to increasing survivors’ access to counseling, legal advocacy, and temporary shelter, Jelly Bean Jump Up has helped SafeHouse expand its capacity to house pets fleeing violence.

Jelly Bean Jump Up reflects the hard work of Melaina Bukowski, Zingerman’s community giving coordinator. She’s proud that this event has benefited SafeHouse for a decade, becoming one of the center’s main sources of financial support.

“Our pets give us a sense of security and safety, and SafeHouse serves this need to feel safe in such a deep and fundamental way,” she said. “It’s such a crucial space within our community, and the people there do lifesaving work advocating for so many people.”

This relationship with SafeHouse inspired Melaina to create Nonprofit Spotlight, a blog that introduces readers to charitable organizations the Zingerman’s Community of Businesses supports. So far, more than 50 groups have been highlighted.

Jelly Bean Jump Up continues to be one of Melaina’s favorite events because it shows how pain can spark generosity and transform lives.

“It’s a remarkable thing to take the grief of loss and turn it into a big, loving act to take care of other people,” she says. “I’m always honored to be a part of it.”