COVID-19 Update: HFHS to Repurpose New Center Facility to Meet Increased Patient Demand, Ann Arbor SPARK to Host Summit for Angel Investors, and More

Here is a roundup of the latest news concerning the COVID-19 pandemic in addition to announcements from local, state, and federal governments, as well as international channels. To share a business or nonprofit story, please send us a message.
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map of Michigan coronavirus cases
Courtesy of Bridge, as of Sept. 9

Here is a roundup of the latest news concerning the COVID-19 pandemic in addition to announcements from local, state, and federal governments, as well as international channels. To share a business or nonprofit story, please send us a message.

Henry Ford Health to Repurpose New Center Facility to Meet Increased Patient Demand
Henry Ford Health System in Detroit is repurposing its outpatient facility in the New Center Area to expand existing services and meet increased patient demand.

Services to be expanded at the Henry Ford Medical Center-Second Avenue include physical therapy, rehab, cardiac rehab, and cardiology. The medical center is located at the corner of 6525 Second Ave. and Milwaukee.

To make way for the expansion, a fitness center accessible to the public will not be re-opening. It covered more than 41,000-square-feet of floor space on the first and second floors. Midtown Health managed the fitness center, called FitnessWorks, under Henry Ford’s ownership.

“While we anticipate the pandemic will continue to impact our overall operations in the months ahead, we are focused on investing in important areas where we are seeing increased demand for our services,” says Bob Riney, Henry Ford’s president of Healthcare Operations and chief operating officer.

Riney says the health system is actively working with Midtown Health to find an alternative fitness center opportunity in Detroit for the membership.

The medical center originally opened in 1996 under the name William Clay Ford Center for Athletic Medicine, in honor of William Clay Ford, the late owner of the Detroit Lions. The facility was renamed Henry Ford Medical Center-Second Avenue last year after Henry Ford opened its new sports medicine center as part of the Henry Ford Detroit Pistons Performance Center two blocks away. The new sports medicine center is named the William Clay Ford Center for Athletic Medicine.

Ann Arbor SPARK to Host Summit for Angel Investors
Ann Arbor SPARK will host its third annual Michigan Angel Summit virtually on Sept. 21 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The program will provide information for new angel investors as well as those who have been investing in entrepreneurs and startups for years.

“Angel investment activity in Michigan has continued to increase in recent years, both in terms of companies attracting angel investment and individuals choosing to invest their wealth in emerging businesses,” says Skip Simms, senior vice president of Ann Arbor SPARK and managing director of the Michigan Angel Community. “The Michigan Angel Summit is the opportunity to hear about that activity but also to learn about how angel investing works, both for early stage companies as well as people interested in learning about why it’s an attractive investment activity.”

The event’s keynote speakers are Rick Timmins, an angel investor with the Central Texas Angel Network, and Linda L. Smith, co-chair of the Global Business Angel Network. Both are board members of the Angel Capital Association.

The Michigan Angel Summit agenda also includes panel presentations on term sheets, boards, non-dilutive financing, exits, and funding trends. The event will conclude with an interview of University of Michigan President Mark Schlissel.

A full event agenda and speaker list are available here.

Detroit Pistons Work to Boost Census and Voter Participation
The Detroit Pistons are inviting Detroiters to fill out 2020 Census forms and register to vote for the Nov. 3 general election during two events in September.

The NBA team will host two weekend pop-up events in conjunction with Pistons Neighbors Program activities on Saturday, Sept. 12 and on Saturday, Sept. 19.

The Sept. 12 event will take place from 3-6 p.m. at Adams Butzel Recreation Center (10500 Lyndon St. in Detroit).

The Sept. 19 event will be conducted from 3-6 p.m. at Pingree Park (8598 E Forest Ave. in Detroit).

In partnership with the city of Detroit and the Michigan Secretary of State, the events will include free food from local food trucks, branded giveaways for census completion and voter registration, entertainment from Pistons Mascot Hooper and Pistons Dancers, and refreshments from United Dairy.

Beyond Juicery + Eatery to Open in Milford
Beyond Juicery + Eatery will open its newest location at 7 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 19, in downtown Milford.

The eatery known for its smoothies, wraps, and salads has collaborated with other health-conscious businesses in Milford to create a local-themed menu featuring signature drinks inspired by neighboring enterprises.

“Milford is a special community and it was important for us to incorporate and collaborate with other businesses,” says Matthew Long, owner and operator of Beyond Juice Milford. “Each drink will tie back to their business and people can then receive discounts for services at their establishments. It’s been fun collaborating and meeting other business owners.”

Beyond Juice will have a reduced seating capacity and all employees and customers are required to wear a mask. Plexiglass partitions are installed at the registers for customer and employee protection. A new dining deck was added outside the location as part of the additional outdoor seating installations along Main Street.

“Opening a business during a pandemic has added challenges, but once the community knew we were opening our doors, their spirit has really been our driving force,” says Long. “Whether it was the local businesses letting us host interviews at their establishments or pass our drink samples, residents showing excitement for our opening or the support and guidance of the Milford Downtown Development Authority, it has all been phenomenal.”

On opening day, visitors can receive a free small strawberry banana smoothie from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

For more information, visit here.

Clinton Township Rehab Clinic Expands
The Livonia-based Recovery Project is expanding its spinal cord injury rehabilitation clinic in Clinton Township.

The 1,700-square-foot expansion, originally planned for wellness programs, is temporarily being utilized for client treatment, with three private treatment rooms for clients and their physical therapists to work one-on-one. Additionally, with the additional square footage, the clinic’s speech and massage therapy services can spread out and utilize the clinic floor more effectively.

“As our organization continues to find ways to further elevate care and service for our clients, we are excited to unveil this expanded space in Clinton Township, as the clinic celebrates 17 years in operation,” says Charlie Parkhill, ci-founder of The Recovery Project. “While the pandemic has shifted how we first envisioned utilizing this wellness suite, our commitment to progressive, effective, evidence-based therapies remains the same, and we’re eager to safely welcome clients to experience this new space for themselves.”

Detroit ACE to Help Launch Inaugural Detroit Black Film Festival
Trinity Films Entertainment Group, the city of Detroit’s Office of Arts, Culture, and Entrepreneurship, and the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History are presenting the inaugural Detroit Black Film Festival virtually Sept. 18-19.

The festival will spotlight 30 short and feature-length films created by African American independent filmmakers. The festival also will feature master class conversations with award winning writers/directors Christine Swanson and Qasim Basir, as well as with industry executives Michael Swanson and Brian Smiley

“Our aim is to elevate narratives that center the experiences and culture of Black people globally,” said Lazar and Marshalle Favors, co-directors of the festival, in a joint statement.

Actress and singer Deborah Joy Winans will serve at the festival’s first ambassador.

Information, film trailers, and all films can be seen here. Tickets for the festival are available here.

Hallowe’en in Greenfield Village Reimagined in the Time of COVID-19
The Henry Ford in Dearborn is continuing its 40-year tradition of Hallowe’en in Greenfield Village, presented by Meijer, but it has been reimagined to ensure every guest’s visit is safe, responsible, and filled with spooky-fun.

The event will take place Oct. 8-11, 15-18, 22-25, and 29-31 from 4-9:30 p.m. Tickets for members are now on sale here. Non-members tickets become available Sept. 16.

This year, Hallowe’en is taking over Greenfield Village with a festival-like atmosphere replacing the prescribed walking path. Fans of past Hallowe’en events will still recognize many of their favorite aspects including more than 1,000 hand-carved jack-o-lanterns and 50-plus costumed characters from classic stories such as “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow,” “Alice in Wonderland,” and the “Wizard of Oz,” alongside newly created storybook experiences.

Guests this year will be the first to experience a new train adventure aboard the Hallowe’en Express. This ghostly journey around Greenfield Village is a ride for guests of all ages and due to high demand and increased safety procedures, requires advance timed reservations.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it was necessary to make program modifications including the omission of treat stations and dining experiences such as the Hallowe’en Fairy Tale Feast and Eagle Tavern Harvest Supper. Fall treats, hot beverages, and craft beer still will be available for purchase.

In order to accommodate this large-scale, new experience, Greenfield Village will close its daytime operations beginning Oct. 5, with the intention to reopen operations throughout weekends in November.

Due to limited capacities, advanced ticket purchases are recommended for Hallowe’en in Greenfield Village. Tickets are $14.50 for members and $17 for non-members, ages two and up. While each admission includes a ticket aboard the Hallowe’en Express train, timed advanced reservations are required by calling 313-982-6001.

Ally Financial and CAMP Bringing Build-A-Bank Activity Truck to Detroit
Ally Financial Inc. and CAMP, the family experience company, are teaming up once again to bring a safe, interactive learning experience to Detroit communities this fall.

From Sept. 8 to Oct. 6, the Build-A-Bank Activity Truck, a mobile art studio and financial literacy classroom where kids can learn about spending, saving, and giving, will visit public parks and community centers throughout the city, engaging with thousands of children.

Families can visit here to find the truck’s schedule. In addition, the Build-a-Bank Truck will be making visits to a number of nonprofit organizations throughout Detroit to extend the reach of the program.

“Bringing play to families everywhere is what we do,” says Tiffany Markosky, chief marketing officer at CAMP. “We can’t wait to see the smiles of kids when their Galaxy Jars light up their faces and their bright minds. We hope many kids in Detroit have the chance to play with our CAMP counselors at the Build-a-Bank Truck this fall.”

Perani’s Hockey World Engages in the Sporting Goods Industry’s First Online Resale Program
Perani’s Hockey World, headquartered in Flint, is launching the sporting goods industry’s first online resale program, in conjunction with Boston’s SidelineSwap, the online marketplace for sports equipment.

The Fall 2020 Resale Event will enable Perani’s Hockey World customers to sell their used sports gear on SidelineSwap and earn bonus credit when they cash out their proceeds into shopping credit at Perani’s Hockey World.

“When a customer knows they can resell last season’s hockey skates for 50 percent of the retail price, they’re more likely to stretch to buy a more expensive pair of skates for the upcoming season,” says Brendan Candon, CEO of SidelineSwap. “That’s a win for retail partners, a win for their customers, and a win for the buyer of used gear who accesses high-quality skates at a steep discount.”

Robert Perani, vice president of Perani’s Hockey World, says, “We are excited to partner with SidelineSwap to enable our customers to tap into the residual value of their used sports gear to help defray the cost of new hockey gear for the upcoming season. We know hockey families are looking for ways to save money, so giving them a resale option is not just good for business, it’s good for sports and the environment.”

Customers who sell on SidelineSwap during the Perani’s Hockey World Fall 2020 Resale Event will receive shopping credit at Perani’s Hockey World with a 15 percent bonus on top of their resale earnings.

For more information, visit here.

ACC Relocates Macomb County Mental Health Services to Sterling Heights
Troy-based human services nonprofit ACC has relocated its Macomb County mental health and adult education services to the Sunrise Professional Building at 34580 Dequindre Rd. just south of 15 Mile Rd. in Sterling Heights. The new location opened Sept. 8 and replaces a facility previously located on Mound Rd.

“We are pleased to relocate our mental health facility serving Macomb County to an area that is more accessible to our clients,” says Haifa Fakhouri, president and CEO of ACC. “In addition to having separate adjoining suites for behavioral health and adult education, our clients will enjoy the convenience of a primary care physician and pharmacy in the same building as well as access to public transportation and nearby restaurants.”

Golf Outing to Raise Funds for Children with Complex Communication Needs
Communication Is Key, AAC, a nonprofit organization founded in Plymouth, is conducting its inaugural golf outing on Saturday, Sept. 19 at Idyl Wyld golf course in Livonia.

Funds raised at the outing will help support the organization’s mission to increase access to communication for those with complex communication needs, such as children who have autism, cerebral palsy, apraxia of speech, Angelman syndrome, and other medical or developmental disabilities that impact speech. In Wayne County alone, approximately 68,000 children receive public speech services.

Registration is $80 per person includes a welcome bag, continental breakfast, 18 holes of golf with a cart, lunch at the turn, and boxed dinners that can be enjoyed outside or taken to-go in order to allow for social distancing. Awards and a raffle will take place immediately following.

For more information and to register, visit here.