The Detroit Partnership

The Detroit Project may refer to:

Americans for Fuel Efficient Cars´ Detroit Project

It tries getting Detroit to build cars and SUVs that get more MPG and jolting our leaders into taking action to reduce nuclear-fossil dependence.

Founders

External links

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The Detroit Project at the University of Michigan

A student organization at the University of Michigan with the mission of connecting the University community with the Detroit Community through active service learning. Each year, the group holds weekly programs with over 200 students volunteering as mentors in schools, churches, and non-profits in the Brightmoor and Southwest neighborhoods of Detroit. Also, every April the group brings over 1,000 volunteers for a one-day service-learning event known as DP Day.

As of Sept. 21, 2006, The Detroit Project is applying for 501(c)3 non-profit status.

Also known as "The DP," the organization was founded in 1999 by two members of the University of Michigan Circle K, another campus service organization. [1]

History

The Detroit Project began in 1999 as one large scale day of service through Circle K. The day of service was named DP Day and took place on April 8, 2000. The Detroit Project has grown significantly from a simple idea developed in the summer of 1999 to one of the largest organizations on campus, with over 1,500 volunteers participating each year in service projects throughout the year.

The initial idea for the Detroit Project is credited to Katie Foley, who was at the time a junior at the University of Michigan and the President of Circle K, an organization on campus dedicated to service, friendship and leadership. From her experiences in Circle K, Katie saw a lack of opportunity for UM students to participate in community service projects with the nearby Detroit community. Along with Sara Rowe, a fellow UM student, Katie brainstormed lists of volunteer opportunities in Detroit. Meetings with numerous Detroit community organizations gave the pair a better sense of the types of projects that would be most beneficial to the community, and to UM students. With the help of other students, Katie and Sara began creating plans for their new idea. Along with logistical details such as a timeline, a budget, and an organizational personnel chart, the group of students worked on publicizing their idea on campus and recruiting interested students to help out.

By mid-December, an almost-complete planning team of forty members was hard at work creating a webpage for the newly christened Detroit Project in addition to recruiting volunteers through mass emails, blitzes and word of mouth. After extensive research and meetings with community organizations and leaders, the group decided to focus their work in the Brightmoor neighborhood in northwest Detroit, an area with a median income of $16,010 and 44% of its residents living below poverty level.

Even a blizzard could not stop the first Detroit Project Day from occurring. Held on April 8, 2000, over 400 UM volunteers worked at 32 different sites in Brightmoor planting trees and grass seed, cleaning parks, and demolishing homes, among other projects. It was apparent that The Detroit Project was on its way to creating a strong and meaningful relationship between Detroit and UM students.

Since the initial DP Day, The Detroit Project has expanded tremendously to become a year-round service organization. Now working in two communities of Detroit, Brightmoor and Southwest, the opportunities are endless. Members are given the opportunity to participate in a variety of programs Monday-Saturday. The Detroit Project has also dedicated itself to the idea of service-learning, incorporating a strong education component to the organization.

Every year The Detroit Project continues to expand, and strengthen its programs in order to unite UM students and the City of Detroit through meaningful service learning!

Brightmoor

The Detroit Project started working in the Brightmoor neighborhood in northwest Detroit in 1999. We have since cultivated strong partnerships with several community organizations and elementary and middle schools. The DP chose to work in this area because of geographical proximity to Ann Arbor and level of need. Also, the level of community involvement in the area is strong and it's an environment supportive to the kinds of partnerships we are developing. There exists a strong network of community organizations known as the Brightmoor Alliance (link), of which the DP is a member. The DP plays an active role in the work to revitalize this community.

Southwest

After establishing a strong model for service-learning partnerships in Brightmoor, the DP expanded its efforts to southwest Detroit in 2004. They have built strong partnerships with a number of community organizations and schools in this united and culturally vibrant neighborhood. The programs seek to address the diverse needs of the southwest community. Currently, they provide service projects that focus on youth mentorship, adult education, ESL, and immigration issues. In 2006, the DP also included sites in Southwest Detroit as a part of the annual DP day.

Awards & Honors (2000-2002)

2002

April - Outstanding Student Organization Award 2001
October - 2nd place U-M Charity Flag Football Tournament
March - Outstanding Student Organization Award
March - Program of the Year (in recognition of DP Day 2000)

2000

October - 2nd Place U-M Charity Flag Football Tourney
September - LeaderShape Palmer Award and Scholarship (awarded to Katie Foley for founding DP)
August - Circle K International First Place Single Service Award (for DP Day 2000)
March - Michigan District of Circle K First Place Single Service Award (for DP Day 2000)