Detroiters seeking financial assistance, employment, or community engagement will find a diverse array of programs and events available in the coming weeks. Resources include guidance for startup funding, grants for small grocers, and community fairs offering free goods and services, alongside a variety of job openings across different sectors.
Today, Wednesday, September 16, application assistance for the Detroit Startup Fund is available from 2-4 p.m. at the Grandmont Rosedale Development Corp., located at 19800 Grand River Ave. Additional in-person assistance for the fund will be offered on Wednesday, September 23, from 2-4 p.m. at a different location. The deadline to apply for the Detroit Startup Fund is October 5.
Farmers looking to secure funding for their work can attend a workshop hosted by Keep Growing Detroit. This "Fundraising for Farmers" event on Thursday, September 17, from 6-7:30 p.m. at the Detroit Public Library Chaney Branch, 16101 W. Grand River Blvd., will offer tips on creating budgets, identifying opportunities, and crafting strong funding requests. Also, applications for the Green Grocer Program are due Friday, September 18. This program provides up to $25,000 to either establish a small grocery store or expand fresh food offerings in an existing one.
Several community resource fairs are scheduled for the weekend. On Friday, September 18, from 5:30-8 p.m., the EP FreeStore and The Little Free Pantry on Hayes will host a resource fair in Eastpointe at VFW Shafer-Rachelle-Latham Post 6782, 17645 E. 9 Mile Road. This event will provide free haircuts, hot food, clothes, and hygiene items. On Saturday, September 19, The Movement Stop the Violence is hosting the Granny McNeil Community Giveback Fair from 2-5 p.m. at 10201 Fenkell Ave. This westside event will feature food trucks, a DJ, and a bounce house, offering gently used shoes and clothes, as well as gun locks while supplies last.
Job seekers can attend a Socialist Job Fair hosted by the Metro Detroit Democratic Socialists of America on Saturday, September 19, from 1-3 p.m. The location will be announced upon registration. For those looking to clear their criminal records, an Expungement Fair is set for Saturday, September 26, from noon to 4 p.m. at Perfecting Church, 7616 E. Nevada Ave. This fair will provide information and application assistance for the expungement process, which typically takes about eight months. Attorneys and law students are also invited to volunteer at this event.
Further opportunities for community involvement include a general meeting of the Comité de Acción Comunitaria de Detroit on Thursday, September 17, at 6 p.m. at Vámonos, 4444 W. Vernor Highway, where attendees can learn about efforts to establish Detroit as a sanctuary city. An event titled "Celebrating Earth’s Water" will be held on Saturday, September 19, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at St. Suzanne Cody Rouge Community Resource Center, 19321 W. Chicago St., featuring talks from local environmentalists and spiritual guides. Registration is requested for lunch. The General Baker Institute, 15798 Livernois Ave., will host "Feeding the Fight" on Sunday, September 20, from 1-5 p.m., focusing on shared meals, resources, and skill-sharing with the local chapter of General Strike U.S. Organizers are seeking volunteers from various grassroots collectives for this event.
Homeowners aged 55 and older in the Woodbridge neighborhood can apply for assistance with estate planning and home repairs through the "Keep It in the Family" program, with applications due by Wednesday, September 23. Student artists are invited to submit work for the upcoming Civil Rights Summit by Friday, October 2. Detroit’s Civil Rights, Inclusion and Opportunity Department seeks art in any medium reflecting 21st-century civil rights, for display and voting at the summit on October 9.
In addition to these events and programs, several organizations are actively hiring. The Michigan Environmental Justice Coalition is seeking an Executive Director with a salary range of $140,000-$150,000 plus benefits. The new Michigan Immigrant Justice Coalition is hiring a Coalition Coordinator for a mostly remote, yearlong contract position paying $5,000 a month, starting October 19; applications are due by September 22. The Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit (MOCAD) has multiple full-time and part-time openings, including a Social Media and Digital Content Manager ($30-$35/hour), a Finance Manager ($65,000-$70,000 annually), and a Major Gifts Officer ($75,000-$85,000 annually). Detroit Disability Power is hiring a full-time Communications and Design Coordinator, with a salary of $55,000-$62,000 plus benefits, with applications due by September 23. American Indian Health and Family Services is looking for a Human Resources Director to work in Southwest Detroit. Detroit Heals Detroit is recruiting for several positions at The Healing Hub, including part-time interns and an after-school program assistant ($20/hour), a full-time Healing Hub Director ($45,000 salary), and board members, all hiring immediately. The O’Hair Park Community Association is hiring a part-time Community Engagement Liaison ($20/hour for up to 10 hours a week). Rising Voices is hiring both part-time, temporary Community Captains ($25/hour) to mobilize voters in Michigan’s Asian American communities, and an Organizing Intern for recent graduates or undergraduate students.
