FLINT, Michigan -- A $192,007 grant from the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation to Flint’s Neighborhood Engagement Hub will support coordination of neighborhood cleanups and the hiring of young people to assist.
The support for the Neighborhood Engagement Hub is part of the Mott Foundation’s response to input from the community on projects that Flint residents would like to see funded. Seven total projects and part of an eighth will receive a total of $1 million in support. Information about the grants and what they’re supporting is available online.
The Neighborhood Engagement Hub grants will fund two of the eight projects: hiring young people to assist with neighborhood cleanups and beautification projects ($109,860); and placing dumpsters throughout the city during designated times of the year, like during spring cleaning or fall winterizing ($82,147). The youth employment program is expected to start in late winter or early spring. In a news release, Ashley Everhart, director of the Neighborhood Engagement Hub, said they plan to work with Flint community centers and youth organizations. More information about the program is expected to be released in the coming months, and questions can be sent to Everhart at [email protected].
“In launching the youth employment program, our focus is both on providing opportunities for young people to earn money and — perhaps even more important — helping them to develop leadership skills and deepen their connections to neighborhood and community revitalization,” Everhart said in a news release. “We hope this pilot program will begin to inspire the next generation of Flint neighborhood leaders.”
Placement of dumpsters will occur after conversations with Flint City Council members, neighborhood leaders and groups citywide to develop a schedule and resources that best meet the needs of the community. There are also plans to coordinate multiple neighborhood cleanups on a single day in 2021.
This is the first time NEH has received a Mott Foundation grant.
“C.S. Mott used to say our Foundation exists to help people partner with their communities in meaningful ways, and the Neighborhood Engagement Hub really embodies that philosophy,” said Ridgway White, president and CEO of the Mott Foundation, said in a news release. “They’re already very involved in neighborhood projects throughout Flint, and they collaborate with community leaders and residents to drive positive change all across the city. So we’re excited to work with them and pleased to support their efforts.”
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