For the 16th year, block clubs, churches and community groups will participate in the annual "ARISE Detroit! Neighborhoods Day" on Saturday, Aug. 6.
Groups select projects -- blight removal and beautification of homes and businesses including painting, mowing lawns and planting trees, flowers and shrubs. There also will be art, music festivals, school supply giveaways and more.
"It’s so amazing to see how much people in Detroit love and care about their neighborhoods, even in the face of the pandemic,” Luther Keith, group executive director, said in a statement. “It is truly a day of neighborhood pride and neighborhood power. People are having fun, but also working to improve their neighborhoods and help their neighbors.”
ARISE Detroit! is a nonprofit coalition of more than 400 organizations promoting volunteerism and community activism. Since Neighborhoods Day began in 2007, ARISE Detroit! has promoted and supported more than 2,700 community improvement events and service projects.
Groups can register here for Neighborhoods Day for $50 by July 15.
Registered groups will receive custom made banners with the names of their organizations, T-shirts, cleanup bags for beautification and blight removal projects, volunteer recruitment assistance and marketing support.
Participants' projects are listed here so individuals can contact registered groups on the website to volunteer.
As in past years, groups also can register to host events throughout August and receive Neighborhoods Day incentives.
These are among possible activities:
• Blight removal and beautification of homes and businesses
• Homeowner spruce up and beautification projects, such as painting, mowing lawns, and planting trees, flowers or shrubs
• Giveaways of school supplies and food
• Front porch, front lawn or backyard parties, barbecues, picnics and celebrations of various kinds
• Music concerts and festivals
• Children’s sidewalk games, chalk drawing, or other kids’ activities at their homes
• Resource fairs that distribute information on community programs and services
• Art events featuring local artists displaying their paintings, sculptures and other works in front of homes and businesses
• Serve a Senior: Young people and others help senior citizens by painting a house, sprucing up a garden and delivering food.
