October 16, 2019
Detroit’s revitalization is dependent on the future sustainability of its neighborhoods. The issues facing Detroiters vary from neighborhood to neighborhood including: limited access to transportation, limited access to grocery and other stores, blight, crumbling infrastructure, foreclosure, and a lack of community trust.
Who better to tend to the needs of the neighborhoods than the nonprofits that serve them?
The NeighborHUB community grant program is a collaborative effort between General Motors (GM) and the Detroit Regional Chamber designed to empower residents to affect change in their neighborhoods through physical presence and innovative programming. The program awards five grants up to $30,000 to nonprofit organizations that propose the most innovative and collaborative solutions to the issues facing the city’s neighborhoods.
Congratulations to the 2019-2020 awardees:
Project: Community Kitchen
Scope: This project proposes the construction of a community kitchen in Southwest Detroit to expand opportunities for intergenerational exchange, commerce, learning, and healthy meals created in the community by the community.
“Wow we are truly honored to receive this prestigious award. As a nonprofit I understand the competition that our application was a part of. We look forward to the celebration and the announcement.”
–Phyllis Edwards, Executive Director, Bridging Communities, Inc.
Project: Kids’ Grief Relief
Scope: This program will provide a safe and supportive Hub where children of trauma can begin to heal properly through education, healthy expression of grief, social interaction, and physical activity.
“We are overwhelmed with gratitude and cannot overstate how honored we are for being selected as a recipient of this year’s NeighborHUB Grant. Your support will ignite an astounding level of success that we would not have been able to achieve without you!”
–Tacara Woods, Founder, Miracles to Inspire Change and Healing After Experiencing Loss
Project: Reactivation of the Historic Red’s Jazz Shoeshine
Scope: This project focuses on the restoration of the historic Red’s Jazz Shoeshine Parlor, bringing home a family-owned business spanning three generations to its original location and activating a vacant storefront with culturally resonant programming.
“Thank you so much! We are thrilled to be supported for our work in the North End. We cannot wait to showcase our project upon completion.”
–Jerry Ann Hebron, executive director for the Northend Christian Community Development Corporation.
Project: The Homework House
Scope: This grant will help launch the Homework House, a big red brick house where under-served Highland Park children come for a kaleidoscope of creative educational activities, meals, laundry and shower facilities – a beautiful, enriching space.
“We are truly grateful to the Detroit Regional Chamber for this NeighborHUB grant. It will make a life-changing difference for the children of Highland Park and for all of us at Avalon Village. This funding will give us the final push we need to complete the Homework House, an afterschool safe haven in our self-sustaining eco-village. The house was slated to be demolished, but we have been lovingly restoring it for several years with a geothermal heating and cooling system, a solar roof and so much more. We can’t wait to open our doors to local students! Special thanks to the Wayne Metro Community Action Agency for their partnership and support.”
–Shamayim ‘Mama Shu’ Harris, Founder and CEO, Avalon Village
Project: Community House
Scope: This program will help create a community art house and gathering space to host art classes, cooking classes and reading and financial literacy training.
“Positive action not just talk is the key ingredient for a healthy community,”
–George Adams, President and Founder, 360 Detroit
