It’s always a win when any neighborhood transforms blight into beauty. In Flint, where the blight battle is being waged citywide, signs of success are visible in safer blocks with boarded homes, some painted with colorful decorations that brighten the community. There also are dozens of volunteer-led, community-coordinated, and collaborative efforts to plant gardens, mow […]
Kids don’t cool down as quickly as adults. Their body temperature rises more quickly, and doesn’t come down as fast, so it’s important for parents to provide plenty of opportunities to “chill” during the hot summer days ahead. Seniors are also at risk. In addition to drinking plenty of water, frozen fruits provide a great […]
For the past 27 years Greg Gaines has been growing Flint-area teenagers into successful, community-oriented adults equipped with vital life skills. Gaines, 68, became director of the Gardening Program PLUS in 1990. At that time he was still employed by General Motors, so he was balancing the two careers. He retired from the automaker in […]
For nearly two years, Kris Wong scoured the market for the best options to buy a house. He looked at single-family homes and researched builders, but after meeting with a local cargo container builder he decided to make the deal to buy one in a week. His new house in Ferndale, slated to be finished […]
Our cities and neighborhoods need more seed sewing. The spark of investment, financial or otherwise, is especially crucial in communities challenged by underemployment and lack of other growth opportunities. But who has the vision to help cultivate blocks of often cracked and worn concrete into fertile ground? Where the goal of sowing seed is transformation, […]
Conventional wisdom has it that first five years set the tone for the rest of a child’s life. That is why the state of Michigan is working on new programs to get parents on the same page when it comes to paternity, child support and creating a positive family unit. To that end, Michigan is […]
For years, Jorain Hardman was homeless and battling a heroin addiction. Her travels took her past a shuttered apartment building called Swayze Apartments, a decrepit place that couldn’t provide decent shelter from the cold. Even after she got sober her options were limited. “I was right here, looking at this building, wishing it could be […]
In the not too distant past, church was the place where you learned the basics of social grace. Through “Tom Thumb” weddings, fashion shows, “Little Miss & Mister” contests and memorized pageant lines, the youth learned how to walk, talk, sit and generally behave. The Golden Rule governed and it was understood that the mothers […]
With busy schedules, constant deadlines and family time pinched on a regular basis, it is easy to put health and wellness out of your mind. But there are ways to make sure that kids, parents and caregivers take care of themselves during the rush and push of the day to day. One way is to […]
It’s something you do every day – bike, walk or run to school. But did you know that your school could win great prizes and encourage physical fitness with a unique program? Fire Up Your Feet is a program that encourages families, students and schools to be healthy and physically active. The Fire Up Your […]