Some will come with shovels or pruning shears. Some will come with hammers. Some will come with paint brushes. Others will bring musical instruments or shoes ready to dance. Still others will come looking to help people find jobs or improve their health.

All of them will come to the 10^th annual ARISE Detroit! Neighborhoods Day on Saturday, August 6, ready to do their part to continue Detroit’s resurgence.

Churches, block clubs, community groups, businesses and individuals will gather that day to make a difference in our city’s neighborhoods.

The day is a benchmark for ARISE Detroit! For 10 years the organization, which started as a very grass roots operation, has been recruiting volunteers and holding events and programs on behalf of local community groups to improve the quality of life in Detroit. Neighborhoods Day is its largest and most far-reaching event.

“The 10th annual Neighborhoods Day is truly a milestone,” says Luther Keith, executive director of ARISE Detroit! “It’s a testament to how much love there is in our community for the people and organizations that are making a difference every day.

“Neighborhoods Day creates an opportunity to showcase the pride and spirit of neighborhoods and forge relationships that can help improve the quality of life for city residents going forward,” he says.

Registration for the 10th annual ARISE Detroit!  Neighborhoods Day is now open. Groups and individuals can register at www.arisedetroit.org or phone 313-921-1955.

In exchange for a $50 registration fee, groups will receive a custom made banner promoting their event, t-shirts, a resource toolkit of information on community services and inclusion in the marketing and promotion of Neighborhoods Day.

Registration deadline is July 5. Registered groups will also receive vouchers to obtain free supplies for their beautification and cleanup projects.

As in the past, community groups, block clubs and churches will host neighborhood cleanups, help build new housing, host health fairs and free health screenings, parades anti-crime events, community service projects, youth concerts, school events and sign up volunteers for community programs.

Community groups and organizations planning similar events in the month of August – not just on Aug. 6 – can have their events promoted and marketed as part of the Neighborhoods Day observance if they pay the registration fee.

All events will be posted online at www.arisedetroit.org. 

Last year, a record 256 registered community service and improvement projects, stretching from the riverfront to Eight Mile Road. were held in connection with Neighborhoods Day. Hundreds of organizations and thousands of volunteers participated and events were held in every zip code in the city.

ARISE Detroit! is a mobilization coalition of more than 400 non-profits, churches, community groups and organizations. It funded by the Kresge Foundation and other supporters.

  ARISE Detroit! Neighborhoods Day, block clubs, cleaning up Detroit neighborhoods, Luther Keith