ARISE DETROIT! NEIGHBORHOODS DAY, MOTOWN’S GREAT NEW TRADITION, CONTINUES TO GROW

 More groups sign on for on Aug. 1 citywide event; Neighborhood cleanups, concerts, festivals, home builds, volunteer  projects, back-to-school fairs, garage sales, library events, community art displays, education and church programs

DETROIT – From downtown to midtown, from the far east side to the far west side, neighborhood groups from across the city on Saturday, Aug. 1, will showcase what they are doing to create a better community on the third annual ARISE Detroit! Neighborhoods Day.

Well over 100 events are already planned and it’s possible that as many as 200 events could be held,  nearly doubling last year’s total.

Established in 2006 and funded by the Skillman Foundation, ARISE Detroit! is a coalition of more than 400 non-profits, churches, community groups and organizations. ARISE Detroit! recruits volunteers and markets events and programs on behalf of local community groups trying to improve the quality of life in Detroit.

Neighborhood groups that wish to participate can register for Neighborhoods Day by going to the website, www.arisedetroit.org, or phoning, 313-921-195, by July 3.

Edsel B. Ford II, Lead Champion of the One D regional collaborative project, has announced his support for Neighborhoods Day.

“One D encourages collaboration to improve our region.  ARISE Detroit! and Neighborhoods Day is a wonderful  reflection of that spirit,” Ford said in a statement. “In neighborhoods all over Detroit, churches, community groups, block clubs and businesses will be demonstrating they are committed to creating real change. We encourage Detroiters, and all who care about Detroit, to participate in this great new tradition for the city—and to continue their efforts throughout the year.”

   The idea behind the event is to showcase the pride and spirit of neighborhoods and forge relationships that can help improve the quality of life for city residents going forward.

As in the past, community groups, block clubs and churches will host neighborhood cleanups, help build new housing, host health fairs and free health screenings, parades anti-crime events, youth concerts, school events, do community service projects and sign up volunteers for community programs.

New events being planned for this year are a special Motown-themed concert by the Mosaic Youth Theatre on the grounds of the Motown Historical Museum on West Grand Boulevard, a “Peace Park,” with art displays by young people promoting peace, a foreclosure prevention fair, hosted by the Michigan Neighborhood Partnership, a neighborhoods home tour and a bike tour of historic auto sites tied to the Ford Motor Co. by Wheelhouse Detroit.

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The Detroit Tigers will collaborate with the Boys and Girls Clubs of Southeastern Michigan to host a Tiny Tiger T-Ball tournament for six to eight year old children.

ARISE Detroit! also is partnering with the several City of Detroit’s departments for Neighborhoods Day, including Neighborhood City Halls, the Detroit Cable Commission, and the Recreation Department’s Adopt-a-Park program. Community organizations can obtain selected city parks for one year at no charge in exchange for a commitment to clean and maintain them.

The day will also feature  six community public arts projects in the Skillman Foundation’s Good Neighborhoods areas, in collaboration with the College for Creative Studies , the Kresge Foundation and the Chase Foundation.

The Detroit Public Library will have an author’s fair at its main branch and all 23 neighborhood branches will have special community events.

The Next Detroit Neighborhoods Initiative will host six Neighborhoods Day events.

Once again, Wayne State University will offer groups that register for Neighborhoods Day the opportunity to sign up for student volunteers for Wayne State’s Sept.2 Warrior Service Day.

Major Neighborhoods Day sponsorship supporters this years are McDonald’s, courtesy of The Detroit McDonald’s Operators , Comerica Bank,  the Detroit Public Library, St. John’s Health,  and Wayne State University.

Other sponsors and supporters include the Skillman Foundation, the Michigan Chronicle, MGM Grand Detroit, WWJ  Radio 950 AM, Radio One, WDET, 101. 9, FM, Waste Management of Michigan, Eastern Market, the Ribs N Soul Festival, and Metro Detroit Youth Day and YouthVille Detroit.

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