  Urbanoutdoors Member Username: Urbanoutdoors Post Number: 562 Registered: 11-2005 |
I posted this on the pan handlers forum a couple days ago but feel even more inspired by what Oakman, None and many others are doing with the streetwise initiative and about all the great work at fort wayne. I feel it would be very beneficial for everyone to post volunteer opportunities so that many who may not know about them have an opportunity to participate. Here is an excerpt from my panhandler post: "I think it would benefit us all after reading this thread as well as the other thread on homelessness to ask Lowell to maybe add a section to the forum where non profits and community members alike could post volunteer opportunities so we can all do more to benefit our community. I have always thought the streetwise type of idea would be a great thing for the homeless of the city. The forum members on this site are some of the most dedicated Detroiters there are, and thus would be some of the most inclined people to make a difference in the community. Working with existing programs and creating new ones will only benefit the city. If we had a community calendar with dates and contacts it would definitely allow for many more benefits to our community." I applaud all that are willing to make a difference! | ||
Oakmangirl Member Username: Oakmangirl Post Number: 204 Registered: 08-2007 |
Urban, This is a great idea! I'm a huge advocate for literacy. This link connects you to statewide volunteer opportunities (wanted to include the yoopers). http://www.michiganliteracy.or g/index.htm | ||
Urbanoutdoors Member Username: Urbanoutdoors Post Number: 565 Registered: 11-2005 |
Mentoring programs: Get involved: The Guidance Center in Southgate is one of several organizations throughout metro Detroit looking for mentors to become involved in the lives of young people. Others also are seeking role models who can meet regularly with children in need. • Big Brothers Big Sisters of Metropolitan Detroit. Call 248-569-0600 or go to http://www.bbbsdetroit.org/vol unteer.aspx • Volunteers in Prevention, Probation and Prisons. Call 313-964-1110. http://www.vipmentoring.org/de fault2.htm• Metro Detroit Mentor Collaboration. Call 586-294-8449. http://www.mentorcollaboration .org• The Guidance Center. Call 734-785-7700. www.guidance-center.org Found in the detroit free press article on sunday http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs .dll/article?AID=/20070826/NEW S05/708260643 | ||
The_rock Member Username: The_rock Post Number: 1940 Registered: 11-2003 |
St. John Hospital (Moross campus)is looking for a Friday morning volunteer to work as a runner in the various operating rooms. You wear scrubs, surgical gown and cap/mask. Interesting work, and looks great on your resume if you are interested in the medical field. Kind fun, too! I have been doing it for 6 years, and handle Tuesday morning, and will train the Friday applicant. | ||
Usnsubvet77 Member Username: Usnsubvet77 Post Number: 27 Registered: 07-2007 |
Urban, I cannot agree with you more about having a section specifically regarding volunteer opportunities on this forum. Perhaps a calendar which Lowell can put volunteer opportunities into the dates so everyone can see what is available. Lowell has been more than supportive about plugging our Historic Fort Wayne Coalition workdays. For this, I cannot thank him enough. Without Lowell and this forum, our volunteer numbers and hours would have been significantly less. I would venture to say that since advertising the Historic Fort Wayne Coalition workdays, DetroitYES members have contributed almost 100 hours of volunteer time at Fort Wayne in the past 3 months! I cannot thank the DetroitYES forum for all the support and hope that they have brought to Fort Wayne. I certainly would like other organizations to feel the same empowerment that the Coalition has through the opportunity to expose their organizations to everyone. Volunteer at some of these events...it does not matter which one! Find an organization that you find meaningful and make it your source of hope. Hope IS contagious. Others WILL come and together you can make a difference somewhere. Take back that which has been abandoned. Fix that which has been damaged. Rebuild that which has been destroyed. Ralph Waldo Emerson once said, "When it is dark enough, you can see the stars." Times are dark in Michigan right now. Find your star and make it the nexus of your community. There are so many stars to choose from. All you have to do is pick one. Sorry for the length of this. I just get very invigorated when I see others with hope and dreams of things that better than today. - Historic Fort Wayne Coalition Project Planning Committee Secretary | ||
Usnsubvet77 Member Username: Usnsubvet77 Post Number: 30 Registered: 07-2007 |
I completely forgot. Please check out the Historic Fort Wayne Coalition website at the following link. It is updated as often as possible. It tells quite a bit about Fort Wayne history and what we do as the Coalition. Hope you enjoy it! www.historicfortwaynecoalition .com | ||
Iheartthed Member Username: Iheartthed Post Number: 1486 Registered: 04-2006 |
I worked with this program to tutor inner-city high school kids. It initially started as a low cost ACT/SAT prep service for juniors and seniors in high school (I think the registration fee was something like $25, compared to the nearly $1100 you would pay Kaplan or Princeton Review-- and none of those services are even available at inner-city locations, btw). It branched out as an all around high school preparatory program for all high school levels and middle school during the summer. This program operates in the This is the url: www.educateall.org | ||
Johnlodge Member Username: Johnlodge Post Number: 2105 Registered: 10-2003 |
I'm looking for volunteer opportunities related to the restoration of historic homes in the city. Unfortunately Restore America is not doing any projects in Detroit this season, though they did do one last season. I know the Fort Wayne Coalition is going, but I was more interested in a house, such as a Victorian. | ||
Plymouthres Member Username: Plymouthres Post Number: 169 Registered: 02-2007 |
Johnlodge, We are in the process of restoring a few of the 1800's houses at Fort Wayne right now. There will be an opportunity to learn many restorative techniques in the future, too. The class that I taught on window re-glazing/restoration is just one example. I have been a historic preservation carpenter for over 20 years, and I am also a member of the Coalitions project committee. We are currently developing other classes as well. Many members of the forum are involved, too. You should try us out. Check out the Windows restoration thread and yo'll find my e-mail addy. Send me an e-mail and I'll include you on the distribution list. We send out a workday e-mail each month outlining classes and work schedules. In addition, I am putting together a best of the best type team to tackle the particularly bad areas of the Fort, so if you have skills and want to make a difference, stop by. PlymouthRes | ||
Yvette248 Member Username: Yvette248 Post Number: 889 Registered: 10-2006 |
Sweet. | ||
Detroitrulez Member Username: Detroitrulez Post Number: 376 Registered: 12-2006 |
Looks like it's about time for a "Panhandling Homeless in Detroit" superthread. I'm sure there are at least 5 or 6 recent threads involving this pandemic. | ||
Urbanoutdoors Member Username: Urbanoutdoors Post Number: 566 Registered: 11-2005 |
I was an intern for The Greening in 2003 and thay do a lot of noteworthy things for the community. If anyone is interested in getting involved here is the link. http://www.greeningofdetroit.c om/involve.htm | ||
English Member Username: English Post Number: 567 Registered: 10-2003 |
Best thread on the forum right now, hands down. | ||
Masterblaster Member Username: Masterblaster Post Number: 78 Registered: 03-2005 |
Don't forget about Habitat for Humanity (in the Martin Luther King & 24th Street Area), www.habitatdetroit.org/ and the Motor City Blight Busters (in the Old Redford and Brightmoor neighborhoods) www.blightbusters.org/ THE ACES PROGRAM that "Iheartthed" described is an excellent way for you to influence the youth of Detroit THRU tutoring/education. For all those who "preach to the choir" on this forum about personal responsibility and "pulling yourself up by your bootstraps", this is an opportunity to interact with and influence positively those who you criticize so much. | ||
Urbanoutdoors Member Username: Urbanoutdoors Post Number: 568 Registered: 11-2005 |
The Capuchin Soup Kitchen http://www.cskdetroit.org/volu nteer.cfm Earth Works Urban Farming http://www.earth-works.org/ Back Alley Bikes http://www.backalleybikes.org/ Focus Hope http://www.focushope.edu/about .htm#volunteer Arise Detroit http://www.arisedetroit.com/volunteer.php (Message edited by Urbanoutdoors on August 29, 2007) | ||
Goldensunshine Member Username: Goldensunshine Post Number: 34 Registered: 11-2005 |
Young Adults up to 24 (perhaps in the year immediately following undergrad), you may be interested in committing 9 months to City Year. http://www.cityyear.org/sites/ detroit/ | ||
Detroithabitater Member Username: Detroithabitater Post Number: 31 Registered: 10-2006 |
"Don't forget about Habitat for Humanity (in the Martin Luther King & 24th Street Area), www.habitatdetroit.org/" Actually Habitat detroit is now building on the east side in Morningside Commons (NE of Mack & Alter) with U-Snap-Back. The MLK & 24th location was finished after 90+ homes were built. But we still need plenty of help. We plan to build 30-40 single family homes in this neighborhood next year! We work year round During the week and saturday. | ||
Urbanoutdoors Member Username: Urbanoutdoors Post Number: 572 Registered: 11-2005 |
If people would like to get involved in their Neighborhoods this is a great way to do so. http://www.lisc.org/detroit/pa rtners/corporations_4044.shtml (I don't know if this is a complete list but is a great resource to start from) Also if your neighborhood does not have a neighborhood CDC then if you are willing to take some initiative but do not want to reinvent the wheel many of these organizations are happy to share resources to make it possible to start one. It would take a lot but what it would do for your community is amazing. Get involved! | ||
Toledolaw05 Member Username: Toledolaw05 Post Number: 81 Registered: 04-2006 |
Does Detroit have anything similar to this? http://www.toledochamber.com/e pic/about.html | ||
Urbanoutdoors Member Username: Urbanoutdoors Post Number: 583 Registered: 11-2005 |
http://www.volunteersolutions. org/uwsem/volunteer/search.tcl ?target= Here is probably the most comprehensive search of volunteer opportunities in and around the D. | ||
Craig Member Username: Craig Post Number: 354 Registered: 02-2007 |
re: Habitat... I drove my last nail when I learned that the woman for whom we built a home FLIPPED it and earned a profit. "Her property, her right," you might say, but her property built with volunteer labor and my Saturdays. Cut a check for the Food Bank - less likelihood of profiteering. | ||
Usnsubvet77 Member Username: Usnsubvet77 Post Number: 34 Registered: 07-2007 |
I can TOTALLY understand your frustration Craig. But, some charities as a whole can't be generalized as being entirely bad. One positive thing that I can generate from your scenario would be to be thankful that she was able to make a profit and hopefully move into another nice house, WHILE another potentially needy family was able to enjoy the house that you helped build. It would be much different if she was living in it and destroyed it. But as long as someone is able to enjoy the house that you labored on, isn't that in the same spirit that HFH is about? Helping regardless of who it is? Again I completely understand your point and don't mean to sound like I am judging. I am just saddened that people become turned off entirely from an organization because of one or a few bad circumstances. I work at Fort Wayne quite often and we suffer the same setbacks and disappointments there too. All I can do is believe that my work is helping out someone or something, regardless of who makes a profit. I certainly hope that you haven't lost the hope that comes with volunteerism because we need people out there like you to help in so many organizations. People willing to give up their Saturdays for something worthwhile. -Historic Fort Wayne Coalition Projects Planning Committee Secretary www.historicfortwaynecoalition .com | ||
Lukabottle Member Username: Lukabottle Post Number: 97 Registered: 12-2004 |
Do Your Part, Detroit Are you ready to get Cass Park in shape? We need your help. Be a part of the team that builds four new fitness stations and cleans up the park. We’ll feed you (breakfast and lunch) and keep you hydrated with naturally flavored Hint Water...dress you in a cool T-shirt... and give you a handy-dandy gift bag filled with good stuff to thank you for your hard work. And don’t forget to smile: you’re not only helping to keep your Detroit beautiful, you might also see your photo in the pages of Men’s Health. 9:00am – 2:00pm, September 15, 2007 Cass Park 2nd Avenue, between Temple and Ledyard To Volunteer: Email volunteer@recycledetroit.com or call 313.770.1571 PRESENTED BY IN COOPERATION WITH Men's Health Michelin Hint Recycle Detroit | ||
Trainman Member Username: Trainman Post Number: 519 Registered: 04-2006 |
We can all save our state and county governments over $70 Million per year by just voting NO next August 2010 to defeat the SMART property tax. This will enable them to sell the property and the buses for a dollar to someone who knows how to make a profit in the transportation industry. County transit taxes presently do not work in southeast Michigan. Industry support was and is rejected. The State is slashing even more money as matching grants are declining from 20 to 13 percent according to the AATA website. Correct me if I'm wrong. In addition, SMART has lost $14 Million per year in federal grants for the low income according to FTA documents. Again, correct me if I'm wrong as this is public knowledge. We need to privatize both DDOT and SMART with young bright professionals who know how to make a profit. Michigan workers need jobs that pay decent wages with benefits and not a sales tax or property renewal or any other creative tax to further the gross incompetence that caused the Livonia opt. out and the cuts in bus service in the city of Detroit. I know this message is been posted before but the majority of voters are too stupid to know that the property increase is not working to save SMART and our economy. Hopefully, the new management of SMART will do something instead of going to our city hall's and holding out tin cups and wearing baggy pants crying about all the state transit cuts. | ||
East_detroit Member Username: East_detroit Post Number: 1199 Registered: 11-2003 |
Detroit Radio Information Service Radio reading for the blind, sight impaired and ESL at WDET (running on a subcarrier). They need readers. www.dris.org Call and ask for Irene. | ||
Detroithabitater Member Username: Detroithabitater Post Number: 32 Registered: 10-2006 |
Craig, a little rumor control, Habitat is a partnership and the homeowners do purchase the houses. It's not a charity like in it's early days. If you give someone a house they take it as a hand out and don't have stake in it. If they buy it on fair terms that are affordable for low income people they take stake in it. The homeowners can sell their houses for a profit ONLY after twenty years. And considering most of the Michigan habitats were started in the late 80's (like detroit in 1986) it's unlikely that your homeowner did such as you described. If they need to sell it before 20 years they can't make a profit on it. |
