Our roundup of the latest news from metro Detroit and Michigan businesses as well as announcements from government agencies, including updates about the COVID-19 pandemic. To share a business or nonprofit story, please send us a message.
The Whitney Presents Cityfest Sept. 10-19
The Whitney is inviting metro Detroit to participate in Cityfest, Sept. 10-19, at the historic Woodward Avenue restaurant.
Cityfest is comprised of 12 events over 10 days that will make the corner of Woodward and Canfield a culinary and entertainment focal point.
Among the Cityfest events that are not sold out are the Cass Community Back East Feast, Sept. 10 from 5:30-10 p.m.; Yoga and Mimosas in the Garden, Sept. 11 at from 11 a.m.-1 p.m.; the Ultimate Bloody Mary Garden Party, Sept. 12 from 12:30-2 p.m.; and others
For more information and to preview this year’s entire line-up, visit here.
Michigan Cities Are Auctioning Off Their Surplus Gear on Municibid
Municibid, an online government auction platform, is allowing municipalities across the state to offload outdated equipment and other items to Michigan citizens.
Items currently available include a fire truck, a tractor, and a pool table.
Municibid allows municipalities, schools, police departments, and other governmental agencies to sell their surplus and lost and found to the public.
The Hartford Fire Department is auctioning off a 1999 Pierce Saber Chassis Heavy Duty Rescue Pumper fire truck. Elmwood Township is selling a 2014 Kubota B3350 Diesel Tractor. The City of Burton also is auctioning off a used pool table with accessories.
All of the proceeds from each auction goes back to the city or government entity holding the auction. These funds are used for road maintenance, setting up local events for residents, community programs, public safety initiatives, and more.
For more information, visit here.
DaySmart Software in Ann Arbor Rebrands to Reflect Business Growth
DaySmart, an Ann Arbor-based provider of business management software, has unveiled an updated brand to reflect the company’s growth and expansion into new markets.
Founded in 1999, DaySmart specialized in the development of scheduling and resource management solutions for those in the salon, spa, pet, and tattoo industries. Since then, the company has evolved into a cloud-based business management software provider for small and midsized businesses, offering industry-tailored solutions. In December 2020, the company launched a growth strategy, acquiring AppointmentPlus, Vetter Software, and Dash Platform.
To reflect that growth and expanded opportunities, DaySmart has updated its branding, including a company and product brand refresh. DaySmart’s core products now will be known as: DaySmart Salon (formerly Salon Iris), DaySmart Pet (formerly 123Pet Software), DaySmart Spa (formerly Orchid Medical Spa Software), and DaySmart Body Art (formerly InkBook).
“Despite DaySmart’s evolution over the last 22 years to serve new industries, one thing has remained the same: our commitment to our customers’ growth and success,” says Pat Shanahan, CEO of DaySmart. “With this update, DaySmart’s branding now reflects where the company is today and its mission of providing small and midsized business owners with the support and purpose-built solutions that will make doing business easier than ever before.”
For more information, visit here.
State Fund Awards $1M+ to Wayne State for Health, Nutrition Projects
The Michigan Health Endowment Fund awarded more than $1 million to three Wayne State University projects focusing on health and nutrition.
The awards are part of the Health Fund’s Nutrition and Healthy Lifestyles initiative, which funds projects that make healthier habits more accessible to seniors, children and their families.
“We’re pleased to support Wayne State University as they provide healthy eating and physical activity opportunities for Michigan residents of all ages,” says Laurie Solotorow, program director at the Health Fund. “These three programs — featuring school-based care, community-driven programming and collaborative aging support — are a cross section of the wide variety of important health initiatives developing in Michigan.”
The three WSU projects each address different aspects of health and nutrition across the lifespan, from children to adults to older adults.
Building Healthy Communities, a school-based program developed by the College of Education’s Center for Health and Community Impact and the University of Michigan, received $500,000 for two years to continue offering a school-based curriculum encouraging healthy food access and physical activity to 3,600 elementary and middle school students in high-need school districts throughout Michigan.
The Citizenship for Health received $198,892 to implement a deliberative democracy model to promote healthier behaviors to the 5,000 residents in Detroit’s HOPE Village neighborhood. Through the deliberative democracy model, residents will develop, implement, and sustain solutions to health concerns in their community.
The Functional Aging & Mindfulness for Seniors (FAMS) program, which received $375,000 for two years, will aid senior health through a combination of healthy food access, physical activity and mindfulness.
Petitpren, Macomb Family YMCA Deliver Backpacks, Schools Supplies to Turning Point
More than 100 children receiving domestic violence services through Turning Point Macomb have brand new backpacks and fresh school supplies for the new school year thanks to donations from Petitpren Inc., a Macomb County beer distributor, and the Macomb Family YMCA.
“I can’t thank Petitpren Inc. and the Macomb Family YMCA enough for these generous donations,” says Karan Bates-Gasior, development director at Turning Point Macomb. “The children utilizing our services have faced intense trauma and seeing the excitement on their faces when they receive something as simple as a new backpack makes me smile and gives the children a small sense of normalcy during an incredibly difficult time.”
Turning Point Macomb helps survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault by providing a 24-hour crisis hotline, emergency shelter, counseling, sexual assault exams, personal protection orders, community education and housing. The organization’s mission is to eliminate violence as a means of oppressing others.
“Throughout the month of August, the Macomb Family YMCA accepted backpacks and school supply donations from new and existing members and their generosity was overwhelming,” says Steve Krankota, Macomb Family YMCA executive director. “Our mission is to build a healthy spirit, mind and body for all, and this effort by our members shows what happens when a community comes together for the common good.”
Petitpren’s relationship with Turning Point Macomb dates back 40 years. Every year, employees at the wholesaler donate money — which is matched by the owners of the company Petitpren — at Christmas to help several families have a happier holiday. The wholesaler and its employees have donated an estimated $200,000 to nearly 300 families over those four decades.
Michigan DNR Releases 2021 Deer Hunting Preview
The Michigan Department of Natural Resources has released its annual deer hunting preview for the coming deer hunting seasons, which begin Sept. 11.
Overall, conditions are looking excellent and deer hunters can expect hunting to be as good or better than last year, according to the preview
Hunters who have viewed the 2021 Hunting Digest may have noticed a few regulation changes in place this year, including a universal antlerless license that can be used across deer management units in most of the state. Some northern Upper Peninsula DMUs are closed to antlerless deer hunting, and two U.P. DMUs, 351 and 352, require an access permit along with the universal antlerless license. See pages 60 and 61 in the 2021 Hunting Digest for more details.
“These regulation changes reflect the evolution of deer hunting in Michigan,” says Chad Stewart, deer and elk program specialist at the DNR. “The last 20 years have resulted in dramatic and sustained declines in hunter numbers. When combined with an abundant and resilient deer herd that continues to grow, and the added challenge of managing deer diseases, a change that represented this shifting dynamic was necessary.”
The full 2021 deer hunting preview, which includes a breakdown by state region, is available here.
Common Ground Raises $632,000 for Behavioral Urgent Care
Common Ground in Bloomfield Hills announced it has raised $632,000 for Behavioral Health Urgent Care, putting it halfway toward its fundraising goal for a new program that will offer expanded services to those facing stress, addiction, and other emotional well-being issues.
Common Ground, the largest provider of mental health crisis services in Oakland County, has been meeting community mental needs for more than 50 years. It is raising $1.2 million to develop, build, and staff the new Behavioral Health Urgent Care. The service, which will offer more cost-efficient and timely care than hospital emergency rooms or other larger facilities, is expected to launch virtually this fall, then operate from a physical space in 2022.
A private donor is contributing $500,000 of the funds raised so far. The remaining $132,000 comes from grants and other private donors including the Common Ground Board of Trustees.
“It is extremely gratifying to see community donors stepping up at a time when the need for mental health crisis services is greater than ever,” says Heather Rae, president and CEO of Common Ground. “Our new Behavioral Health Urgent Care will open a new avenue for people suffering from mental health conditions, allowing us to deliver timely, appropriate care while avoiding the high cost of hospital emergency departments.”
Behavioral Health Urgent Care is Common Ground’s largest expansion initiative in 25 years. It comes as the organization marks its 50th anniversary serving Oakland County’s mental health crisis needs. The organization is conducting a Celebration of Hope anniversary event Oct. 24 at M1 Concourse that will raise funds for Behavioral Health Urgent Care. To buy tickets, visit here.
Production on ‘Shoah Ambassadors’ Film Winding Down
Michigan-based production company, Visionalist Entertainment Productions, headed by director/producer Keith Famie, is beginning concluding its production for “Shoah Ambassadors,” a documentary film about the Holocaust with a contemporary angle of telling the story through art.
Famie and his team have been working for more than 18 months on this film that they hope will engage a younger, non-Jewish audience. “Shoah Ambassadors” centers around two local 20-year-olds who have been selected to tell the story of the Holocaust through their own unique artistic expression.
Hailey Callahan, a graduate of the College for Creative Studies, is a fine arts major whose medium inspired her to recreate a train car out of stained glass to tell how the Nazis used trains to transport prisoners. Curtis Bates is a rapper/songwriter from Detroit whose use of lyrics through two rap songs will help illustrate general themes of the Holocaust, and at the same time, generate an interest for a younger generation.
Bates has written and recorded two songs for the film so far and has just written lyrics for a third song, “Never Again.”
Michigan-based Holocaust survivor and painter Rene Lichtman decided to create a painting called “Never Again.” The painting will be unveiled during Bates’ song at the close of the film.
To learn more about the film, visit here.
