Goodwill and Next Detroit Neighborhood Initiative Aim to Clean Up Detroit

Goodwill Industries and NDNI have formed a partnership to clear litter from the streets, sweep sidewalks and maintain boulevard medians in several Detroit neighborhoods.
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DETROIT –  As a pilot program under NDNI’s Clean Neighborhoods Initiative, employees who live in or near the targeted neighborhoods are hired by Goodwill from its job training and other programs will collect debris eight hours a day, three days each week through the end of October 2011. The Clean Neighborhoods Initiative is NDNI’s effort to improve the quality of life in targeted Detroit neighborhoods while serving as an intervention to help stabilize the areas. The pilot neighborhoods include: Greater Boston Edison/North End, East English Village/Morningside, Grandmont-Rosedale and 7 Mile/Livernois.

“Clean Neighborhoods is one of many interventions designed to help stabilize Detroit neighborhoods,” said NDNI president Steve Ogden. “Partnering with Goodwill enables us to put Detroiters to work in or close to their own neighborhoods while continuing our mission to restore, redevelop and revitalize our city, one neighborhood at a time.”

The Downtown Detroit Partnership’s Clean Downtown program was the inspiration behind NDNI’s Clean Neighborhoods Initiative. Clean Downtown was created in 2006 to maintain the downtown Detroit environment to the standard set for Super Bowl XL – and to make it inviting for workers, residents, visitors and investors. NDNI approached Goodwill Industries in an effort to replicate the success Goodwill’s workforce has experienced in servicing the downtown area. Staffed by workers from Goodwill, Clean Downtown also maintains landscaping in public areas and provides support to many of downtown Detroit’s largest public events, festivals and sporting events.

“We’ve cleaned the streets of Detroit’s main business district for five years and are expanding that success into the city’s neighborhoods,” said Goodwill Industries of Greater Detroit Vice President Lindsay Chalmers. “Opportunities like this help Goodwill provide job opportunities for local individuals facing challenges and help us continue our contribution to making Detroit a better place to live and work. Next Detroit and our other employment partners come to us for Goodwill program graduates who are trained, trusted and ready to work.”

Currently, three Goodwill program graduates are working through the Next Detroit partnership.

For information on other Goodwill Industries of Greater Detroit cleaning services, contact Business Development Director Dave Dziepak at (313) 557-8702.