Detroit is experiencing an amazing rebirth and renaissance. Change is happening all over the city, especially in the the city’s unique and diverse neighborhoods. On Tuesday, November 19, Detroit Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) and the Community Development Advocates of Detroit (CDAD) will honor the individuals and organizations who are true champions of change and leaders in community development in Detroit. The ceremony, presented by this year’s sponsor, the Masco Corporation Foundation, will take place from 6 to 8:30 p.m. at the Atheneum Hotel in Greektown.
“There are so many dedicated individuals and organizations committed to transforming Detroit’s communities into sustainable neighborhoods that are places people want to live in, work in and invest in,” said Tahirih Ziegler, executive director of Detroit LISC. “These Community Development Awards will celebrate the best and brightest in Detroit’s community development industry.”
The first Detroit Community Development Awards took place in 2001, and now this annual event brings together corporations, foundations, lenders, small businesses, developers, and non-profits to pay tribute to the hardworking area residents and organizations whose vision and leadership have transformed local communities into healthy, safe neighborhoods and thriving urban centers.
This year, the Community Development Corporation (CDC) of the Year Award, which recognizes a CDC that has made a demonstrable impact on the quality of life in its community, is being presented to Midtown Detroit, Inc. This is an organization that has been and continues to be a force for change, transformation and community redevelopment. Thanks to the efforts of Midtown Detroit, Inc. and the dynamic leadership of its president, Susan Mosey, Midtown is now a hip and bustling urban center attracting visionaries, new businesses and talented and creative individuals who want to live and work in the area.
Midtown Detroit Inc. has attracted millions of investment dollars and capital into the area. It also works on historic preservation so that Midtown keeps its distinct character and history. Midtown Detroit, Inc. has created a unique model for urban revitalization and economic development that can be replicated throughout the city of Detroit.
Guests attending the event will hear a special keynote address by David Carroll, vice president of Quicken Loans, Inc., who will speak about the company’s commitment to community development and strategic redevelopment projects in Detroit.
Detroit LISC and CDAD will also honor other organizations and local residents for the dynamic work and leadership around community development. Among them: The Champion For Working Families Award going to Focus: HOPE Greater Detroit Center For Working Families (CWF); The Exemplary Neighborhood Leadership Award going to Marsha Bruhn of the North Rosedale Park Civic Association and the Grandmont Rosedale Development Corporation (GRDC); the Excellence in Real Estate Development honoring the Neighborhood Services Organization (NSO) Bell Building project; and the Outstanding Safety Initiative award going to Grandmont Rosedale Development Corporation Community Security Program.
Also planned for the evening will be a special “in memoriam” tribute to Bridget Vance, who was a true champion and advocate for safety in Detroit. Vance served as the community safety coordinator at Focus: HOPE for five years, where she created initiatives to make local communities safe and secure. She also pioneered programs for the city’s youth, including an innovative community “safety station” in Central High School Academy, and trained youth in the principles of crime prevention that provided them with valuable life and leadership skills.
Special honors will also be given to several major foundations for their work in transforming neighborhoods, including The W.K. Kellogg Foundation and The Ford Motor Company Fund.
Many men, women and children in Detroit lack access to fresh and healthy food. There are a number of programs taking on this issue, and thanks to the vision of The W.K. Kellogg Foundation things are changing. Because of the organizations work around providing healthy, fresh food options, The W.K. Kellogg Foundation will be presented with the Exceptional Partner in Neighborhood Development Award.
The W.K. Kellogg Foundation actively supported the Double Up Food Bucks program that doubles the value of Federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits when used at farmers’ markets, and it also made a multimillion dollar investment in Detroit’s Eastern Market.
The Ford Motor Company Fund will receive the Emerging Partner in Neighborhood Development Award for its $10 million commitment to the Ford Resources and Engagement Center in Southwest Detroit’s Mercado Building. The renovated building, which sat dormant for many years, has been reborn and now offers cultural programs, dance lessons, language classes, job training programs and a Gleaners food service center. The Ford Motor Company Fund’s extraordinary work is breathing new life into southwest Detroit.
“The Community Development Awards puts the spotlight on organizations that are doing the work in communities every day,” said Sarida Scott Montgomery, executive director of the Community Development Advocates of Detroit (CDAD) “At CDAD we support a network of organizations, community leaders, non-profits and residents taking action to be catalysts for transforming and the revitalizing of Detroit.”
The 2013 Detroit Community Development Awards will be a festive celebration, highlighted by tributes to all of the awardees and a musical performance by the Mosaic Youth Theatre. For more information about the awards ceremony and to buy tickets, visit www.detroit-lisc.org or call Detroit LISC at (313) 596-8222.
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