>> ... Next Generation ...
Pitch for Detroit hits it out of the park.
DANA APPLEBAUM I SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH NEWS
he sun was shining and the crowds were cheering on Sunday, Aug. 25, as
Federation's NEXTGen Detroit gathered 150 players and more than 600
spectators for its fourth annual charity softball tournament, Pitch ror Detroit.
For the first time, "Pitch" was held on Belle Isle, a winning city venue that
attracted new sponsors and supporters. More than $60,000 was raised toward the Do It
For Detroit Fund (DI4D) to benefit small businesses and nonprofits working to improve the
city.
With an overall goal of attracting and retaining young adults and their commitment
to the city, over the past four years Pitch for Detroit has provided more than $200,000
toward the DI4D Fund, which is managed by Federation's NEXTGen Detroit in
partnership with Repair the World. The funds have gone to help subsidize rent to
people moving into the city and to provide micro-grants to organizations in a range
of social service, healthcare and educational fields. Sponsored this year by EHIM, a
Detroit-based pharmacy benefits management company, the Do It For Detroit Fund
will continue to support a series of volunteer opportunities by providing funding and
hands-on involvement with organizations on the cutting-edge of both social change and
reimagining Detroit
New and returning sponsors for the event this year included D:Hive, Chabad Google
Glass &Tefillin in the D, Paws, Vita Perk and Yoga Shelter under the banner of the
Discover Detroit Tent, powered by the Quicken Loans' website Opportunity:Detroit.
Pitch for Detroit Chairs were Amy Brody and Jodie Zwiren. And this year's winning
team? Team Yoga Shelter, led by Captain Karen Stoller of Farmington Hills.
Pitching In, Rounding The Bases On Belle Isle
A week prior to the tournament, NEXTGeners, along with more than 40 volunteers from
Summer in the City, Detroit Farm and Garden, and PCI Industries, added their own level
of giving back to the city and turned up on Belle Isle to spruce up the playing fields.
Pulling weeds, leveling dirt, painting and repairing and fences, rebuilding benches, they
not only made the evening news, but they also left an enduring and positive impact on
the Detroit community.
DI4D Micro-Grants On The Fly
All in good fun for many worthy causes, Sunday in the park with Pitch was also the site
of the final round in the DI4D series of micro-grant competitions. Focusing on health
and wellness, supporters gathered to hear pitches for a variety of worthy projects. As
votes were cast and tallied, Focus:Hope walked away with the first-place $5,000 win.
Southwest Rides and UpLift Althetics rounded out second and third places for grants of
$3,000 and $1,000 respectively.
❑
Dana Applebaum works in marketing at the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Detroit.
Do It For Detroit
Do It For Detroit Fund's EHIM Health & Wellness
Jeff Aronoff of Huntington Woods, executive
Pitch For Detroit 2013 Tournament Champions:
micro-grant recipients
director of D:Hive, and Jordan Weiss of West
Bloomfield
Team Yoga Shelter.
ZADING (Alana Balbes)
EL (Jewish Academy) 12
(Justin Jacobs)
INVESTMENT C
OL
Jewish Federation CEO Scott
Kaufman of Huntington Woods
marvels at the Google Glass and
Tefillin in the D.
A
Pitch For Detroit co-chairs Amy
Brody of Bloomfield Hills and Jodie
Zwiren of West Bloomfield
NEXTGen Detroit intern and
University of Michigan senior Hayley
Paws and Nathan Newman of
Bloomfield Hills
Sakwa of Ann Arbor
September 5 • 2013
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