We build culture as we rebuild our neighborhood

Our organization actively engages with the community through a range of programs and events. We hold quarterly meetings with residents and attend monthly gatherings with various block clubs and neighborhood organizations. Each year, we host a back-to-school fair and run summer youth employment, feeding programs, and hands-on workshops covering topics like garden resources, bench building, and small home repairs. Additionally, we provide outdoor classroom experiences to enhance community learning and interaction for students from elementary school through college.

  • Freedom Dreams Summer

    Freedom Dreams hosts a summer program in partnership with Grow Detroit's Young Talent. For six weeks, youth aged 14 to 21 learn the skills to Grow Food, Identify Plants, Assess Community Assets & Needs, and Build Public Infrastructure through the Design//Build process. Their learning is deeply place-based, with every lesson rooted by history, lived experience, and enacting solutions for the community. Some of these solutions have included garden beds for food production and beauty, shade pavilions and benches to encourage public gathering to support culture and community safety, and trash bins on every street corner to build pride and beauty for the community. We empower our youth to be active community members, following the ethos that our communities are up to us.

  • Design//Build Apprenticeship

    The Apprenticeship program provides in-depth training in Design//Build skills across our makerspace, agriculture and gardening, and land beautification efforts. Apprentices dive deeper into our model of place-based education—building on their summer program skills they receive mentorship in their journey from community members, to community leaders. They work on larger scale neighborhood projects such as building new structures, renovating homes, and exploring career interests. The program lasts 10 weeks, runs seasonally, and offers a stipend to participants.

  • Garden Resource

    Our Garden Resource program emerged out of direct requests from our neighbors who wanted garden beds, soil, and seedlings to beautify their yards. We construct garden beds, flower stands, and seedling grow shelves in addition to providing rich compost soil and seedling starts for those in need. Pictured above, summer youth deliver garden beds and soil.

  • Neighborhood Restorations

    Similar to our Garden Resource Program, our Neighborhood Restorations Program emerged out of neighbors in need reaching out to us for support. We have repaired porches, steps and railings, replaced fascia and soffits, and rehung gutters. Neighbors are welcome to assist in the repairs, learning new skills and building new relationships as we make sure their homes are safe and cared for. Building a Beloving Community grounds all our decisions— improving access to a beautiful neighborhood must include everyone, every step of the way.