Detroit Neighborhoods

Community neighborhoods all over the city of Detroit are working to make their neighborhoods better places for children and families.

Neighborhood teams are rallying around agendas for change, and working to make those changes reality.

Michigan's Children is helping to enable that change to take place.  As part of The Skillman Foundation's Good Neighborhoods Program aimed at making good neighborhoods for children, Michigan's Children is engaging and preparing grantees and residents to participate in public advocacy to build a citywide policy agenda for children. 

With input from residents and grantees, Michigan's Children is helping to identify community issues, establish a policy agenda and advocate for change in six pivotal Detroit neighborhoods - Brightmoor, Cody/Rouge, the Northend, Osborn, and Chadsey/Condon and Vernor in Southwest Detroit.


About the Good Neighborhood Programs

The Skillman Foundation's Good Neighborhoods Program encourages the creation of safe, healthy, and vibrant neighborhoods where children – with the support of caring adults, programs, and experiences – can develop fully. 

View an interactive map of the six neighborhoods

Improving Detroit Advocacy

Here are some simple steps toward making the BIG changes:

Target People Who Can Make The Changes You Want. We have to get to know the people who are making the decisions. They are representing YOU on your city council, your county commission, in Lansing, and in Washington, DC. When you vote, you are the boss.

Get Them To Listen To You. We have a lot of power to make changes happen, especially when we understand what influences the people who can make change. Knowing what would really fix the problems you are facing in your neighborhood helps us get our message across. Getting to know your elected officials better helps us put together the best argument.  

Learn More About The Things You Care About. We are all experts in our own life experience, and policy makers need to hear our stories. Sometimes when we learn more about our issue (like child care or neighborhood safety), it helps us link with other people who share the same concern. That strengthens our arguments with policy makers.

 

You Are Not Alone. Many different people want the same changes you do. Lots of them are working hard to make changes every day, and they can help you tell your story, find the facts to support your argument, know the best time to impact your issue, and the best people for you to target.

Act Now. Decisions are being made that help or harm the change you want. You can connect with discussions going on right now.