Northwest Wayne News

Detroit's Department of Neighborhoods, along with community and business partners, have officially kicked off the Motor City Makeover campaign, a citywide annual cleanup and beautification effort set to take place on Saturdays throughout the month of May. The initiative, which includes the distribution of trees and flowers, aims to engage residents, community organizations, business owners, and students in cleaning and beautifying neighborhoods.

Mayor Mike Duggan highlighted the importance of community participation in maintaining the city's beauty, stating, "People from across America got to see just what a beautiful city we have this past weekend. It has been the hard work of block clubs, neighborhood associations, churches and individual volunteers that made it happen. Motor City Makeover is our chance to building on this momentum, and we’re asking every Detroiter to sign up to help keep our city beautiful."

Individuals and groups are encouraged to register for the cleanup efforts, with projects scheduled by districts on specific dates in May. Volunteers can sign up at motorcitymakeover.org or by calling (313) 224-4415. The initiative also extends beyond May, with plans for summer/fall cleanup efforts and ongoing promotion of recycling in the city.

Financial and in-kind donations for Motor City Makeover have already started flowing in, with sponsors like Ryan Hubbell Auto Parts, Inc. and Rocket Community Fund showing their commitment to the cause. Manager Richard Wagner of Ryan's Pick-a-Part expressed the company's dedication to improving the community, stating, "Ryan’s is proud to be among the thousands of volunteers that come together to clean and beautify our Detroit neighborhoods."

To get involved, individuals and community groups are urged to register with the City of Detroit Department of Neighborhoods to receive necessary supplies and information for the cleanup activities. The campaign also provides bulk drop-off locations for volunteers to dispose of bagged litter on designated cleanup dates.

With the collective efforts of residents, organizations, and businesses, Motor City Makeover aims to continue enhancing the beauty of Detroit's neighborhoods and promoting a sense of community pride and ownership.