When people talk about Detroit’s resurgence, Midtown and downtown often take center stage, but the neighborhoods are just as changeable. That “change agent” needn’t come from major construction projects, new businesses, or celebrity attention – it’s a change that can come from within. That’s why Build a Better Block Foundation supports efforts to empower communities […]
Like most Americans, when Mike Heyboer goes to work each day, traffic conditions are on his mind. But it’s not simply a matter of weather conditions that worry him. It’s how we all drive in work zones. Heyboer, a line worker with Give ‘Em A Break Safety, has heard all the horror stories – in […]
There’s a bill sitting in the Michigan House of Representatives that, if passed, would help grocery stores in underserved communities open, expand or renovate to bring more healthy foods to those neighborhoods. The “Healthy Foods Assistance Act,” or House Bill 5180, would direct funds through a public private partnership with the Michigan Good Food Fund […]
Inside Timbuktu Academy of Science and Technology in Detroit, students can have chicken quesadillas, brown cheesy rice, mixed vegetables, and other healthy choices for lunch. Getting healthy foods at convenience stores around Timbuktu is a little different. Motor City Marketplace, located on Mack and St. Jean, is roughly walking distance from the school, is larger […]
LaTasha Flake (“Mama LaTasha”) always serves you with an infectious smile. It’s her way, really. A bubble of energy, care, attention and fun. As a morning and afternoon bus monitor, she helps make sure students at Timbuktu Academy of Science and Technology are getting healthier choices in their meals. When it was announced Timbuktu would […]
Anita Vasudevan gives lessons on pomegranates or teaches third graders at Timbuktu Academy of Science and Technology in Detroit how to make sushi. It’s all part of “Try it Tuesday,” a monthly opportunity for students to sample healthy foods. So far, they’ve tasted pomegranates and sushi, hence the lessons. Vasudevan, a FoodCorps service member, serves […]
Can you change a school’s culture from the inside? The more than 50 Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Education (SNAP-Ed) partners believe you can and are committed to providing comprehensive school-wide programs designed to teach kids healthy habits and address childhood obesity. There’s no one-size-fits-all strategy. The goal is to tailor resources with the individual needs […]
Becky Burton (Aka Mama Bey), a 3rd grade teacher with Timbuktu Academy of Science and Technology, witnesses some pretty unhealthy student behavior daily. What bothers her most is seeing kids dropped off in the early morning with a “breakfast” of hot chips and a liter pop. It happens frequently. Children walk in with Red 40 […]
Detroit might be the ultimate Rorschach test. Everyone sees something a little different, depending on his or her angle. When Aaron Foley looks at Detroit, he sees a city that “black history defined.” A thirtysomething writer living in Detroit, Foley is a Michigan State University graduate who has contributed to such publications as Jalopnik Detroit, […]
An easier, cheaper way to pay your bills with cash? That’s what’s on the horizon at a neighborhood store near you. Cash will be king thanks to a partnership between DTE Energy and Ferndale-based DivDat, which created a kiosk technology that allows cash payments to DTE with no convenience fee. That is great news for […]