Community Innovations for Racial Equity 2022

Written byBuild Healthy Places Staffon February 1, 2022

Request for Proposals Due March 18th, 2022

Build Healthy Places Network (BHPN), with funding from The Kresge Foundation and the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, has launched the Community Innovations for Racial Equity Initiative to focus on building local Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC)-led community development capacity, supporting community power, exploring innovative community ownership models, and addressing the barriers and gaps within community development and health partnerships to effectively propel racial equity. This initiative builds on BHPN’s first round of Community Innovations from 2019 to 2020. Check out lessons learned from this initial round here.

The goals of the Community Innovations for Racial Equity initiative are to:

Facilitate new connections and deepen existing connections between BIPOC-led Community Development Corporations (CDCs) and other peer organizations, resources, tools, and the larger national dialogue.
Embed capacity within these organizations to undertake community ownership models and health strategies and, from a position of strength, engage with healthcare organizations (hospitals, healthcare systems, and health payors), CDFIs, and other mission-driven investors for co-investment in neighborhood revitalization efforts.
Champion race-conscious partnerships, policies, approaches, and investments that magnify their impacts and outcomes.
Lift up and increase awareness of insights, tools, resources, and best practices for community-led and community-owned approaches for others doing work in this area to use nationally. Examples include collective ownership of land and buildings through land trusts and co-operatives and related efforts to deepen community control and benefits from investments.

For information please visit:

https://buildhealthyplaces.org/sharing-knowledge/blogs/news/community-innovations-for-racial-equity-2022/

Residential Waste Disposal 12/2021

Did you know that on top of picking up your bulk trash and yard waste (in season) every other week at the curb, the City of Detroit provides locations where City of Detroit residents can take their bulk, yard, and household hazardous debris for free?

(https://detroitmi.gov/departments/general-services-department/free-dumping-detroiters#free)

Russell Woods’ last yard waste pickup was the week of December 13th. The collection of Christmas trees will be January 3-14. Yard waste collection, however, will not resume until April 2022. In the interim and year-round, Detroit residents, with proper ID, may use Department of Public Work’s (DPW) Citizen Drop-off Centers for up to 1,000 pounds or 1 cubic yard of bulk trash per person per day. The closest drop-off center for Russell Woods is:

DPW Davison Yard – 7901 W. Davison

Open Tuesday – Saturday

Summer Hours (April 1 – October 31):
- 10:30 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
- (Closed 2:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.)
Winter Hours (November 1 – March 31):
- 8:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
- (Closed 12:30 p.m. - 1:30 p.m.)

The following items are not accepted:

Household Garbage
Remodeling/Construction Debris
Demolition Debris
Building Materials
Chemicals/Containers
Car Or Truck Parts
Fuel Tanks
Tree Logs Greater Than 8 Inches in Diameter Or 8 Feet Long
Tires With Rims
More Than 4 Tires

Commercial vehicles are not accepted at Citizen Drop-Off Centers. If you do have construction debris, the DPW offers a paid bulk collection service to help residents remove unwanted debris from their yards. Visit “Paid Pick-Up Bulk Collection Service” at: https://detroitmi.gov/departments/ department-public-works/refuse-collection/bulk-yard-waste/paid-pick-bulk-collection-service.

To find out your scheduled collection dates for trash, recyclables, bulk, and in-season yard waste pickup, visit “Find Your Waste Pickup Schedule” at: https://detroitmi.gov/webapp/find-your-waste-pickup-schedule

and enter your address in the “Find My Home” field. Residents can also receive text alert reminders the day before their next scheduled pickup by texting their street address to (313) 800-7905.

Household Hazardous Waste

(https://detroitmi.gov/departments/department-public-works/refuse-collection/household-hazardous-waste-information)

Nearly every item found in your garage, basement, kitchen cupboards, bathroom cabinets and home office that you know doesn’t belong in the regular trash may be considered hazardous. Poisons, solvents, heavy metals, and other toxic products should never be poured down a drain or thrown into the trash. These items will only be accepted at:

DPW’s Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) Receiving Facility

2000 E. Ferry Street (near I-75 and I-94)

(313) 923-2240

(313) 876-0148

Every Thursday from 7:30 am – 2:00 pm
Every Fourth Saturday of the Month from 8:00 am – 2:00 pm

Accepts: TVs, pharmaceuticals, motor oil, paint, batteries, fluorescent light bulbs, pesticides, etc.

Does NOT accept: Household garbage, bulk, or yard waste

For a more detailed listing of acceptable and unacceptable hazardous waste items, visit the above website.

This facility is open to Detroit residents ONLY! There is no charge!

Pharmaceuticals and Sharps

The disposal of unwanted or expired pharmaceuticals down a drain or toilet is damaging to the environment. Research has found that small amounts of pharmaceutical drugs collect in streams, lakes, and rivers through wastewater treatment plants that treat residential, commercial, and industrial wastewater. Increased amounts of pharmaceuticals in surface water bodies have been shown to increase bacterial resistance to antibiotics.

To properly dispose of pharmaceuticals and sharps:

Empty all pills, caplets, etc. into a zip lock bag before placing them in the container.
Remove any and all personal information from the medication containers
Discard empty medication containers in a home recycling bin.
Deposit needles, lancets, and similar items in a rigid, sealed container (e.g., hard plastic laundry detergent containers)

For more information, call:

Household Hazardous Waste

(313) 923-2240

Information Source: City of Detroit Website – www.detroitmi.gov

Free, at-home COVID-19 tests are now available at select library branches in metro Detroit

By Randiah Camille Green

January 14, 2022 at 2:02 PM

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stocksre/ Shutterstock
An at-home COVID-19 test.

If you’re looking for an at-home COVID-19 test in metro Detroit, check your local library. The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services has teamed up with select libraries across the state to distribute at-home testing kits for free.

Tests can be found at the Detroit Public Library Main Branch, Redford Branch, and more.

“With the proper protocols for distribution and pickup in place, we believe that this will be a great opportunity for libraries that want to participate to get involved as distribution points in their communities,” Deborah E. Mikula, executive director of the Michigan Library Association, said in a press release. “Many of our libraries are ready to provide access to these test kits for our most vulnerable citizens and have been asking for some time how to get involved.”

Nearly 5,500 tests have been distributed to 18 branches in Saginaw, Wayne, Clare, Calhoun, Newaygo, and Oceana counties this week, with more to follow. Additional branches are expected to be added as distribution centers in the coming weeks.

Each branch has received 300 at-home kits, which are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Visitors are asked to only take one kit per person, up to five per household.

The at-home kits are a welcome resource as omicron surges across Michigan, causing the closure of several restaurants and bars since the holiday season. These days you’re lucky if you haven’t tested positive for COVID-19, and that’s if you can even get an appointment, with testing centers booked weeks out.

As long as you’re not traveling internationally or going to a gig at a venue where a PCR test is required, an at-home test should do the trick to confirm your status before getting together with friends.