For Leslie Andrews, Saturday’s Neighborhoods Day brings together the largest assembly of city projects while showcasing the heartbeat of Detroit.
“Neighborhoods Day is the one time where people can come out and also enjoy the neighborhood in which they work and live,” said Andrews, board chair and interim executive director of ARISE Detroit!, which organizes the Aug. 1 event.
Neighborhoods Day is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year.
“I'm actually amazed when I go around and find people who don't even know their neighbors anymore,” Andrews said. “That's just not something that technology and the fast-paced life that we live allows. It used to be normal to know your neighbors.”
Neighborhoods Day activities take place all day Saturday. Events
are hosted by various block clubs and organizations throughout the city.
“It’s all day long, even if you miss the actual activity itself you can always see the results, the beautification projects, the makeovers, the repairs, the art projects,” Andrews said. “I always tell everyone, we do it on a Saturday, but you have until Sunday to continue to enjoy it.”
More than 100 local organizations will be part of the event this year, including Homes for Black Children, which will participate for the second time. The group will have games like health screenings as well as free haircuts.
Homes for Black Children is looking for people interested in adopting or becoming a foster parent.
“Wayne County has a high number of children in foster care so by promoting adoption and foster care we hope to better serve the needs of children,” said Janet McDonald, organizer from Homes for Black Children.
Jude Family Child Care Center will offer a resource fair for children and will be recruiting teachers and students.
Donyell James, with Jude Family Child Care Center, said she still lives on the same block she grew up.
"I'm proud of where my parents planted a seed,” James said. “I'm proud of my neighborhood, the home that my husband and I built. I'm proud to be a Detroiter.”
The 20th anniversary will be the second time Neighborhoods Day runs without the late Luther Keith, the former journalist and founder of Neighborhoods Day and ARISE Detroit. Keith died in March 2025.
“He was passionate about Detroit and its neighborhoods, it was infectious.” Andrews said.
The legacy of Neighborhoods Day will continue, Andrews said, adding that she hopes “we continue to uphold and honor the role that a neighbor plays.”
For more information on Neighborhoods Day and how to get involved, visit https://www.arisedetroit.org/.
Gabriella Shaya is a 2026 Detroit Free Press High School Apprentice.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Neighborhoods Day marks 20 years of bringing Detroiters together
