Forum/Discussions

"JOIN THE REBIRTH!"DETROIT WEEKEND OF SERVICE FROM OCTOBER 10 - 11, 2014
-- Local Detroit presidents and volunteers from across the country team up for a city-wide volunteer event to help revitalize community parks and residential neighborhoods in the city of Detroit. --
WHAT: T.R.I.P. USA, a national non-profit organization is collaborating with several civic and community organizations to host a city-wide, two-day volunteer event in the city of Detroit on Friday, October 10 and Saturday, October 11, 2014. "Join The Rebirth!"Detroit Weekend of Service is currently seeking volunteers to participate in a variety of activities; such as planting trees, neighborhood clean-up, creating garden beds, removing brush and debris, painting structures, and landscaping. The projects start at 9:00 AM and end at 3 PM.

Volunteers may choose from (5) different meaningful service projects. This weekend of service is hosted by: Arise Detroit, Detroit Future City, Detroit Housing Commission, Kendall Park Community, T.R.I.P. USA and Wayne County.

WHY: According to The Detroit Blight Task Force, there are a total of 84,641 blighted properties within the city of Detroit: 73,035 are residential structures; 6,135 are vacant lots that require clearing; and 5,471 are non-residential structures (commercial, civic, church). The Task Force believes that blight can be eliminated through several initiatives, including coordination and partnerships among residents, public and private sectors. Therefore, the Detroit Weekend of Service is a joint effort of community partners who have come together to carry out this model and work successfully in support of this goal.

WHEN: Friday, October 10 and Saturday, October 11 from 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM

WHERE: Various work sites throughout the city:
1.) Kendall Park Community - 12236 Sorrento Street
2.) George Evans Recreational Center - 13950 Joseph Campau
3.) Denby High School - Grayton Street
4.) Rouge Park - 8049 Spinoza Drive

All registered volunteers are invited to a Welcome Reception and Orientation on Thursday, October 9 from 7 – 9 PM at the DoubleTree Suites at 525 W. Lafayette Blvd. During the reception, the late Reverend Angelo B. Henderson, renowned as an award-winning journalist and community pioneer, will be honored for his outstanding service to the city of Detroit.

REGISTER: Register before Monday, October 6 at www.TRIPusa.org.

Or visit the volunteer registration portal:
http://events.r20.constantcontact.com/register/event?oeidk=a07e9uxledv7dbf6ff4&llr=5qsvarcab
(Registration includes complimentary event t-shirt, continental breakfast, lunch and beverages.)

MEDIA DETAILS: Representatives from each organization will be onsite for comments at the reception and projects. Event photos will be available after the event.

About T.R.I.P. (Travel. Rebuild. Inspire. Progress.)
T.R.I.P. USA (www.TRIPusa.org) is a 501(c) (3), non-profit organization that helps rebuild underserved communities in need. The group consists of concerned citizens from across the country who combine their love of travel and community service for the good of improving lives. The mission of the organization is to travel to predominantly low-income, African-American communities to help rebuild neighborhoods and improve the quality of life for local residents. T.R.I.P. has hosted volunteer-vacations and weekend service projects in several cities including: Atlanta, GA; Columbus, OH; Los Angeles, CA; Miami, FL; New Orleans, LA; New York City; NY; Oakland, CA; and Washington, DC; and has a network of more than 1,000 volunteers across the country.

ARISE Detroit!
Funded by the Kresge Foundation, ARISE Detroit! is a non-profit coalition of more than 400 block clubs, churches, community groups and media outlets, promoting volunteerism, community activism and positive media images to create a better Detroit. For information, visit www.arisedetroit.org.

Detroit Future City
The Detroit Future City Implementation Office was formed to be the steward of the DFC Strategic Framework Plan. It strategically coordinates actions and resources to maximize their impact and catalyze long-term capacity within all contributing stakeholders.  For more information, visit www.DetroitFutureCity.com. 

The Greening of Detroit
The Greening of Detroit is a nonprofit environmental organization committed to inspiring the sustainable growth of a healthy urban community through trees, green spaces, food, education, training and job opportunities.  For more information, visitwww.greeningofdetroit.com

Wayne County
Wayne County is the largest, most populous of Michigan's 83 counties. Comprised of 43 cities, townships and villages, Wayne County is home to 34 school districts and nearly 1.8 million residents. Wayne County is the economic development hub of Southeastern Michigan and the State as a whole. Since 2009 38% of investment and 43% of new job creation has happened in Wayne County. In the last 2 years, Wayne County has been responsible for attracting more than 1.8 billion investment to the region. For more information, visit www.waynecounty.com.