Every year, members of TeenHYPE, a Detroit-based youth organization, put on a play about a social issue they feel needs to be addressed. This year they have chosen missing children, specifically the disproportionate rate of which it happens to Black girls in America.
More than 600 people join these daily lunches, which bring people together and create a welcoming space for familiar faces and new friendships alike.
Before Detroit's Right to Counsel ordinance, 83% of landlords showed up to court with attorneys—while only 4% of tenants did.
The launch of the City's Office of Eviction Defense has changed the landscape, serving thousands of households and helping more than half of those stay in their homes.
New to the farming community? You are not alone. A chat with Megan Ayers of Unvarnished Farm.
Ayers and husband Mike Oberst emerged out of the '90s punk scene into urban farming, and now practice sustainable agriculture in Indiana.
soapboxmedia.com?p=38624
As budgets tighten, nonprofits and cities alike are launching centralized help desks to help residents navigate scarce homelessness resources.
nextcity.org/urbanist-new...
The solution is designed to free up municipal crews to focus on larger repairs, like pavement replacement and structural fixes, while volunteers handle lighter tasks that accumulate quickly: work that does not require heavy equipment or structural repairs.
In the towns and cities around Hamilton County, many of which have major transportation corridors running through them, the “road diet” is a tactic that is increasingly being considered to slow speed while at the same time keep traffic flowing.
Arts and agriculture are two totally different realms... or are they? Not so fast, says Crosshatch, a unique organization that bridges these sectors in service of building community:
This cross-sector effort has earned the Systems Change designation from StriveTogether, a national organization that tracks how communities improve outcomes from early childhood through adulthood. Only 17 communities nationwide have reached this level.
For many families of children and adults with physical or developmental differences, recreational sports can feel limited or out of reach.
In a Michigan town, local recreation leaders are testing a solution that uses an unlikely winter sport to close that gap.
Gallery exhibition to foster conversation about the people and enterprises driving food systems Studio Kroner presents “The Warriors, Builders & Weavers of Cincinnati’s Foodshed” soapboxmedia.com?p=38477
Founded by Dr. Mona Hanna, Rx Kids launched in Flint in 2024 and has since reached more than 5,600 families across Michigan, distributing over $22 million in direct support during pregnancy and infancy — a period widely recognized as both financially challenging and critical for child development.
Big news for Detroit families!
Any family who is at least 16 weeks pregnant or have a newborn on or after 1/1/26 can receive a $1,500 prenatal payment and $500 per month during a baby’s first six months.
Could flowers fight pollution? Researchers in Florida are testing floating gardens that pull fertilizer runoff from the water.
A historian, a retired judge, and the local DAR chapter offer Middletown history lessons just in time for the nation’s 250th celebration.
Engagement from the Revolutionary War through World War II reflects the city’s resilience and can-do mentality. soapboxmedia.com?p=38528
Launched in 2013, KConnect brings together more than 250 organizations and 400 partners from education, government, health care, housing, and nonprofit sectors around the goal of expanding economic mobility.
From the Issue Media Group blog, CEO John Montgomery's key takeaway after attending last week's Knight Media Forum:
Rep. Fitzgerald: "We want early learning environments to remain focused on growth, opportunity, and safety of children. Lastly, I want people to know that state leaders are listening. We are working. We are looking to creatively address these issues through legislation."
Rep. Fitzgerald: "...There are people, myself and others, who truly value our immigrant community, who value all children, families, educators, school professionals, and want to ensure that they do not learn, work or even live in fear of harassment for simply being who they are."
Rep. Fitzgerald: "Students should not and cannot learn effectively when they feel unsafe... These students, as young as they are… feel that they may be putting their families at risk by attending school. That’s not healthy. That’s not respectful. That is not the sense of community we want to build."
Rep. Fitzgerald: "Normally...at schools, I get questions like ‘How does a bill become a law?’ & ‘Can you pass a law to make Friday pizza day every day?’
...This time [a student asked] ‘Why do people hate immigrants?’ ‘Is ICE coming to Michigan?’ ‘Will the Constitution protect us, and are we safe?’
John Fitzgerald, Democratic floor leader in the Michigan House of Representatives, spoke with us about how immigration policy and actions are affecting Michigan's youngest students:
10,000 Baby Boomers turn 65 every day—and they own nearly half of the U.S.'s small businesses. Most don't have a succession plan, which puts their businesses & local economies at risk.
Here's how one investment fund is creating a bridge between "the builders of today and the owners of tomorrow."
In addition to a focus on law enforcement intervention, the undercover officer will work with local tribal partners to ensure cases are handled with cultural sensitivity, emphasizing a trauma-informed approach.
The group sees the long-term impact that comes with patients returning regularly and families establishing care across generations.
They also see the importance of inspiring students in their community to pursue careers in health care because representation in the field is critical.
“We’re at an inflection point for public transit,” says Tampa City Council member Lynn Hurtak.
Adopt A Class serves more than 12,500 students from kindergarten through eighth grade in 57 schools across Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky. In this program, businesses and civic groups connect with students in underserved communities for mentorship.
In Michigan's Upper Peninsula, a former campus sat sad and silent in receivership, awaiting buyers or bank foreclosure. Now, things are turning around.
