Outstanding Volunteer Program - Life Remodeled

Life Remodeled has invested more than $21 million into four Detroit neighborhoods during the last four years. The group’s approach to neighborhood sustainability consists of focusing on the community’s vision, engaging students and community residents in planning and implementation, increasing the influence of key community and school leaders, modeling a successful system of blight removal, volunteer management, and partnership, and recruiting new stakeholders. Since 2014, Life Remodeled has coordinated 42,232 volunteers to clean up 1,273 city blocks, board up 1,622 vacant homes and repair 184 owner-occupied homes. The Detroit Police Department measured crime one year after a Life Remodeled project was completed and found that crime had reduced in 10 categories. Life Remodeled also began leasing a former school building and with the help of thousands of individual volunteers and hundreds of skilled trade volunteers is repurposing the space into a vibrant community center. In 2015, Life Remodeled completed a new roof, gym, cafeteria, library, main office and other upgrades to Osborn High School. In 2016, Life Remodeled constructed a new $1.4 million park designed by Denby High School students. “I have volunteered with many groups, but Life Remodeled is off the charts,” said one Detroit resident. “They are amazing, wonderful and spectacular.”