Summer Service Kickoff in Virginia Park

 On June 15 2013, The AmeriCorps Urban Safety Project, in partnership with the Henry Ford HealthSystems, Happy’s Pizza, Wayne County CLEAN Program and the Virginia Park Block Club, kicked off the summer service series on Virginia Park Street. Together, volunteers and service members not only boarded up four houses located on Virginia Park, but  also increased public safety in the neighborhood by clearing a field adjacent to a children’s bus stop, and replacing boards on a previously secured home.   One house was particularly dangerous. It was burnt out and being used as a dumping site. It was evident that others were being entered, and that one was probably used in order to make, sell and/or illicit illegal drugs.   It is a major goal of AmUS’ to assist in preventing crimes like that, and help make Detroiters safer in their homes. We are proud to say that the event went incredibly well!

 

Fifteen AmeriCorps service members were joined by over 25 community volunteers at the 9 AM for the official start of the event. We used over 50 boards to successfully secure every opening on each of the four houses by the end of the day. A group of neighborhood children even joined in the fun by painting boards. Hopefully, this is the beginning of a lifelong appreciation of and participation in community service for them.

 

As always, we want to thank everybody who participated. The beautiful weather made it easier for our Summer Series Kick Off to happen seamlessly. However, it was our sponsors who made it possible and the involvement of the community that made this project so rewarding and important.

 

 

Explanation of CompStat

In previous posts, we've mentioned our use of CompStat. We thought it would be a good idea to explain to our readers exactly what CompStat is, and why it is a significant part of our work.

The AmeriCorps Urban Safety Project is a part of the Wayne State University Center for Urban Studies’ Urban Safety Initiative. This initiative uses crime data provided by Wayne State University and Detroit Police Departments to highlight crime trends in the area. This information is used as part of the COMPSTAT (computer statistic) process by which the police use data to locate crime hotspots. Interventions are then employed in those hotspot areas that include follow ups on the efforts to ensure policing effectiveness.

Along with input from community residents and the police, the AMUS Project uses the Urban Safety Initiative crime data to target crime prevention strategies within neighborhoods and to track the progress of those efforts. Additionally, crime and safety concerns voiced by residents are passed along by AMUS members to the police (with the permission of the residents) in order to assist the police in their work. Together, we are helping each other make our neighborhoods safer.

We will periodically post crime heat maps like the one below. 

An Upcoming Service Opportunity in Virginia Park

Community Board-up 06/28/13 9 A.M.
6070 15th St.

This is an event where  you can make real impact. The  2 homes that will be boarded up have been involved in some serious public safety concerns in the neighborhood. Volunteers and residents will be meeting at 9 am on June 28th at 6070 15th St. to board up 2 vacant and open homes. If you would like to get involved or want more info please contact AMUS member Kaye Sutherland at kaye.amus@gmail.com or (313) 649-7707.

Singnature Service Project and Moter City Makeover

Last weekend was another magnificent and mentionable one for the AmUS Project. On May 16, all thirty-three of us traveled to Lansing MI to participate in the Russ Mawby Signature Service Project. Over the next two days, in collaboration with MCSC Lansing Community Schools, Habitat for Humanity, Thinkbox Creative and other nonprofits in the greater Lansing Area, we joined over 300 AmeriCorps members from all over Michigan in an effort to illustrate the difference that willing hands and hearts can make for one community.

Some of us planted trees. Others built flower-beds that would allow patrons with disabilities to enjoy their community’s garden. We even painted murals and built benches that will be part of Lansing’s make-up forever. This was not only a way to help out those in need, but also a great bonding experience for our team and a wonderful way to network with other AmeriCorps Members. Many of us left amazed by the number of compassionate, dedicated, diligent people they met, and two days of hard work definitely left made us appreciate those qualities in each other.

Check out a slide show from our time spent there:

On Sunday, May 18, members joined in the efforts of the Motor City Makeover and assisted in three different neighborhood clean-ups. Six members and forty volunteers did a wonderful job beautifying Young Manor. Four members and fifteen volunteers worked together to clean twelve lots, and worked in community gardens on Detroit’s North end.  Events like are a perfect example of how community togetherness gets things done, and make us proud to be part of this project.

Here are a few pictures from the 18^th:

Earth Day and Global Youth Service Day Board Ups

This week has been another eventful one for The Americorps Urban Safety Project. With the help of enthusiastic volunteers,  we boarded  16  houses this week, and cleaned as many lots. The adventure began on Earth Day , April 22.  Together with Clearcorps, Gateway Communities initiative , and more than twenty volunteers,  we boarded four  vacant houses and assisted in beautifying Belmont Street one Detroit's north end.

On Friday and Saturday (4/26&27) we collaborated  with Build On in order to involve the city's youth involved in boarding up twelve houses on and beautifying property on Lasalle, Euclid, and Blaine streets. Over one hundred eager participants, assisted in this massive effort, rightly called Global Youth Service Day.  

Check out a video of this event here:

   

AmUS owes a special thank you to Buddy's Pizza, Mudgy's Deli, Little Caesar's , Starbucks and Biggby Coffee for providing with us with lunch and refreshments.

A New Development: Bike Watch

For a while now, AmUS  has been trying to find a way to provide the Wayne State Police Department with an extra pair of eyes during periods of high crime. 

The AmeriCorps Urban Safety (AmUS) Project is a part of the Wayne State University Center for Urban Studies’ Urban Safety Initiative. This initiative uses crime data provided by Wayne State University and Detroit Police Departments to highlight crime trends in the area. This information is used as part of the COMPSTAT (computer statistic) process by which the police use data to locate crime hotspots. Interventions are then employed in those hotspot areas that include follow ups on the efforts to ensure policing effectiveness.

Along with input from community residents and the police, the AMUS Project uses the Urban Safety Initiative crime data to target crime prevention strategies within neighborhoods and to track the progress of those efforts. Additionally, crime and safety concerns voiced by residents are passed along by AMUS members to the police (with the permission of the residents) in order to assist the police in their work. Together, we are helping each other make our neighborhoods safer.

AMUS's Easter Weekend

The AmeriCorps Urban Safety had a busy, successful weekend; we are so grateful for the chance to tell you about it!

The excitement began on Friday March 29^th, with an Easter Egg Hunt at Calumet Townhomes organized by Michael Franklin. He started planning the event a month earlier, in hopes of engaging the younger residents. Those dreams melted into reality when twenty-six children and thirteen adult residents joined six AMUS members to participate in the festivities. The race itself occurred around 2:15pm. Those twenty-six children descended on the playground area, empty plastic shopping bags in hand, in dogged pursuit of the plastic Easter eggs filled with various kinds of candy and toys. At the end of the hunt, every kid was given at least a few of the 200 eggs. Hopefully, this is something that the children will remember for many Easter to come,and those memories will strengthen this awesome community in some way.

On Saturday March 30^th, AMUS members Michelle Harlow and Kaye Sutherland led an event in which thirty volunteers and several fellow AmeriCorps members collaborated in order to board up three dilapidated houses on Melbourne Street, and cleaning up many yards in the same area. These houses, like all the ones we help board-up, are houses we are told by residents are causing some sort of safety hazard in their community. It was a beautiful day, all of the residents were very excited to have our assistance and the street looked great as a result of this work. It even made the Detroit News!

We are confident that the two aforementioned occasions made the community’s holiday weekend even happier,  and hope to see you at any and all upcoming events! Videos will be posted soon.