>> ... Next Generation ...
F ood
Justice
Do It for Detroit finalists earn
micro-grants for their efforts
to alleviate hunger.
LEAH MACK AND ERIN PIASECKI I REPAIR THE WORLD DETROIT FELLOWS
Representatives of Brightmoor Representatives of Eden
Gardens Farm
Artisans Community Kitchen
0
n May 27, nearly 100 people mixed and
mingled with community partners Yad Ezra,
the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Detroit's
NEXTGen Detroit and Repair the World in the
Berkley warehouse of Yad Ezra.
They were there to hear pitches from the three finalists of
the "Do It for Detroit: Food Justice" competition.
Do It for Detroit (Di4D): Food Justice is an annual event
dedicated to supporting and raising awareness about local
efforts to alleviate hunger and promote food justice in
Detroit. The winner gets a $3,000 grant and runners-up
receive $2,000 and $1,000, respectively. Unique to this
funding opportunity, each initiative must use its award
to actively engage the general community in meaningful
volunteer service.
Originally a project of NEXTGen Detroit, funding
generously donated by the William and Audrey Farber
Family Foundation has enabled the program to grow into a
partnership with Yad Ezra and Repair the World.
Recruitment started early. By the application deadline of
April 15, eight applications were received from a diverse
group of small organizations in Detroit, all working to make a
big difference in their communities.
Each application was reviewed by representatives from the
sponsoring organizations; and three candidates were chosen
on the basis of their mission, goals for the grant money and
how they planned to meaningfully engage volunteers in their
efforts toward an equitable food system.
And The Winners Are ...
Brightmoor Artisans Community Kitchen, Eden Gardens Block
Club and Neighborhood Building Urban Gardens (BUG)
made the cut as Di4D's three finalists.
After a spirited round of presentations, the audience voted.
Neighborhood BUG won by the slim margin of one vote,
taking home $3,000. Coming in close second, Eden Gardens
Farm received $2,000 and Brightmoor Artisans Community
Kitchen received $1,000.
"The social capital among and across the food justice
organizations in Detroit far exceeds the modest financial
investment that we were able to make in the movement,"
said Ben Falik of Repair the World: Detroit.
Each initiative is part of a greater movement throughout
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June 25 • 2015
Representatives of
About 100 people came to Yad Sarah Snider of NEXTGen
Neighborhood Building
Urban Gardens
Ezra's warehouse for the Do It with the voting box
for Detroit Event.
the city and serves as an entry point to learn more about
what's happening in Detroit.
Brightmoor Artisans Community Kitchen is a project of
Neighbors Building Brightmoor, a 5-year-old neighborhood
collective focused on youth gardening. Its $1,000 will
renovate its commercial kitchen space on Fenkel to become
a "Food Hub" for "fresh food, entrepreneurship and
education."
Neighbors Building Brightmoor is "dedicated to mobilizing,
equipping and helping each other to create a beautiful,
healthy and sustainable community for ourselves and our
children."
As its name suggests, the organization is powered by
members of the neighborhood in an effort to transform
where they live. The actualization of their efforts is displayed
through their youth garden programming, beautiful play
spaces and overall creative use of space.
To learn about Neighbors Building Brightmoor or to
volunteer, visit neighborsbuildingbrightmoor.org .
Eden Gardens Farm, a partnership of the Eden Gardens
Block Club and the Isaac Agree Downtown Synagogue
(IADS), the last standing synagogue in Detroit proper, will use
the $2,000 to refit a shipping container for tool storage.
As an organization dedicated to social justice, spirituality
and respect for the natural world, it puts a huge emphasis
on the value of community members working together to
collectively make positive, healthy change.
It also effectively "creates a space that invites the
Jewish community to come outside of IADS's four walls to
deeply engage with an eastside neighborhood in hopes of
developing a stronger, more unified Southeast Michigan."
The $2,000 grant will help make Eden Gardens more
accessible to community members by creating easy access to
gardening tools for individuals to use in the garden whenever
they want.
To learn more about Eden Gardens and join in the effort,
visit the IADS webpage: downtownsynagogue.org . Check out
the "Do More" tab for volunteer opportunities.
Finally, the winning contestant, Neighborhood Building
Urban Gardens (BUG), will use the $3,000 grant to purchase
and fit hydroponic growing supplies to its grow house,
located on the west side of Detroit and continue creating
a space that "provides Detroit residents with high-quality,
organic and local grown produce to promote sustainable
healthy living."
The indoor and outdoor gardens created by Neighborhood
BUG will serve as a job development, community
involvement and leadership opportunity center. Several
programs have grown out of this initiative, including Farmers
Leading Youth (FLY), Mature Observing Their Health (MOTH)
and Agriculture Nourishment Team (ANT).
The organization began in October 2014 with a focus
on "revitalizing neighborhoods where food resources are
limited," and with co-founders Orlando Thorpe and Jessica
Patton's vision of providing a space that cultivates job skills,
resources and community connection.
To learn more, visit neighborhoodbug.org . You can
also find them on Facebook at www.facebook.com/
neighborhoodbug.
The evening ended on a high note, with many of the
finalists and other attendees staying after to talk and
connect.
"We truly credit this event being so successful to our
strong and long-lasting partnerships with Yad Ezra and
Repair the World," said NEXTGen Detroit Community
Outreach Associate Sarah Snider.
"Do It for Detroit is just one of several food justice-
focused events that the NEXTGen Volunteers Committee is
working on this spring and summer with various community
partners," Snider said. "All three organizations invite
everyone to join us for our Do It for Detroit: Food Justice
follow-up event with micro-grant winner Neighborhood
BUG on July 14 from 6-8 p.m. It's a great opportunity to see
firsthand how the grant money is helping this organization
grow."
Lea Luger, executive director of Yad Ezra, said, "Thanks to
the William and Audrey Farber family, we are able to continue
hosting the Do It for Detroit event. We all take pride in
knowing that we are able to offer an opportunity for people
to engage in efforts that help benefit those in need." ❑
Follow NextGEN Detroit on Facebook for details
on the July 14 event at BUG, 5555 Conner, Suite
1017, Detroit.