Tag: Americorps

Students from Wayne State’s Urban Studies and Planning program developed a plan for Salam Peace Park that included an open green, high-quality playscapes, bike racks, and high-quality park benches. Wayne Metro jumped at the chance to support an important grassroots initiative and assist the City of Hamtramck in overseeing the park’s physical development.

Louis Piszker, Wayne Metro CEO, said that the experience was “rewarding” while Karen Majewski, Mayor of Hamtramck, referred to Salam Peace Park as a place that “demonstrates how welcoming our community is.”

When reached for comment, Karen MacDonald, Wayne Metro Department Director of Community Development said the following: “We were thrilled to have the opportunity to support the Hamtramck community in realizing their vision for a neighborhood green space not only for its natural beauty but also for social engagement. This is community action at its best.”

The park is now open to the public, so feel free to stop by and enjoy the space yourself!
Salam Peace Park, 2134 Trowbridge St., Hamtramck, MI 48212

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The Seeding Wayne County Mini-Grant program provides support to projects or organizations that may otherwise have difficulty obtaining funding. In Detroit between 2010-2015, “the majority of funding, 83.8%, went to organizations with budgets of $10 million or more,” (pg 24) while, “only 1.63% of funding went to organizations with budgets of $100,00 or less.”  Seeding is designed to fill this gap in the philanthropic field, awarding grants to organizations with operating budgets of $250,000 or less. One such organization is Operation Refuge. 

Operation Refuge Inc. is a Nonprofit 501c3- headquartered in Inkster, Michigan. Their Mission is to mobilize collaborative efforts with philanthropy, business, grassroots community organizations, and its citizens with the belief we can assist in creating an incredible future for all. The organization was awarded a Seeding Grant in 2021 to support the Camp Inspire STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics) Program.

Camp Inspire, designed for girls in grades 5-12, immersed campers in virtual STEAM learning activities for five weeks from the beginning of March through August 31st of 2021. Campers also researched, planned, and built a butterfly garden, as well as assisted Mother’s Pantry with their touch-free food distributions.

When asked how Seeding supports the work of Operation Refuge, Executive Director Pastor Jean Overman says, “The funding [from the Seeding Wayne County Grant] allows additional resources to be allocated to other projects and pushes our overall vision forward.” Pastor Overman also says that the Seeding Wayne County Grant meets its purpose by “coming back to meet the needs of the community.”

To learn more about the amazing work of Operation Refuge, visit their website at https://www.operationrefuge.org/

The 2022 Seeding Wayne County Grant RFP will be released on Monday, November 22, 2022. This year, organizations can request a higher grant amount! Learn all about this and other exciting updates to the Seeding Grant program at one of the two Information Sessions on November 23rd or November 30th.

Tyler prides himself on efficiently moving clients, making sure they are receiving quality customer service.

Tyler’s work ethic and client-centered approach to moving and “beating the bailiff” has not gone unnoticed among Wayne Metro staff. Michele Robinson, Executive Director, Program Operations, was a member of #TeamWayneMetro that appreciated everything he did for clients.

“Tyler’s mom used to be a Wayne Metro employee so he is familiar with Wayne Metro’s mission and vision. He takes great care of our clients. We started utilizing TDG Moving Services in October 2020. We reached out because we needed an emergency relocation of two families who were moving into our Freedom Village units.“

Tyler moved items out of units impacted by the June flood, as well as evicted clients’ furniture and belongings, on short notice, this summer. Another recent example of his efforts was relocating a client who was set to be evicted in mid-August. The court officer (bailiff) was scheduled to arrive at 10 AM, and the client was unable to extend their stay in the unit. Tyler’s services were secured by Wayne Metro late in the afternoon the day before the client needed to leave the unit. Tyler and his team arrived at 8 AM to assist the client prior to the arrival of the bailiff, allowing the client to move with dignity.

To contact TDG Moving Services, call (313) 428-1271.

“Grassroots organizations – many who have never received funding directly from a foundation – need access to funding for philanthropy to be truly equitable,” said Daija Butler, assistant director of planning for Wayne Metro who oversees the DRFF.

The People’s Water Board Coalition (PWBC) is a volunteer-led alliance comprised of more than three dozen grassroots organizations advocating for the human right to water and proper sanitation in the city of Detroit. The coalition works to ensure low-income, underserved residents have equitable access and affordability to both, by advocating for water security and spreading awareness to the community about available resources. This includes working to prevent unethical shut-offs and campaigning for government responses through policies and programs.

“The grant from the DRFF has been tremendous,” said Sylvia Orduño, a Detroit resident and activist with the PWBC. “It’s made such a difference for us in not only having the flexibility in how we can use resources that are available to us and how we can have a voice in the process, but also, there are often so many hurdles and so many administrative responsibilities put upon us. With groups like ours that are all volunteer-led, it’s difficult to manage the responsibilities on top of the work we’re trying to do.

One of the goals of the DRFF is to eliminate the barriers in place for nonprofit organizations like this to receive funding.

“The DRFF has been tremendous in helping us have the space to work effectively while building our capacity, and without typical funder burdens,” Orduño said. “They’ve been flexible and understand we’ve all had to shift during the pandemic, change our strategies and provide information in different ways as well. It’s been great to have that opportunity and understanding of the challenges that exist for grassroots organizations like us and the pressures we have to be effective when that’s not always the way the funding world works.”

In its fight for clean, affordable, accessible water and sanitation, the coalition works to support thousands of Detroiters who struggle with unaffordable bills and the risks of shutoffs by working alongside residents for equitable responses and outcomes. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, low-income households experienced daily struggles without essential water for drinking, bathing, cooking, cleaning and basic sanitation. The events over the last year-and-a-half only made things more dire for people in need, and the PWBC has been hard at work to alleviate some of those struggles.

“We are strong voice for those who have had to go without,” Orduño said. “With backing from the Detroit Residents First Fund, we have been going door-to-door and connecting with more than 12,000 Detroit residents in the last year to check on them, provide information about water resources, and offer reassurance that they are not alone and that they merit this fundamental human right.”