Opportunities From: United Way for Southeastern Michigan

Brilliant Cities is a neighborhood-powered model ensuring children 0-8 are school-ready, healthy, and supported. We do this by transforming houses into family-focused, community hubs and partner with organizations to coordinate research-based programs for children and families. These programs focus on education, health, and family support, giving young children and families what they need for a bright future.

To date, Brilliant Cities has reached more than 24,000 children and caregivers, raising reading levels by an average of three grade levels per child. Since 2016, the model has expanded to 24 neighborhoods in Detroit, launched a hub in Pontiac, and is currently expanding to Philadelphia.

United Way SE Michigan is partnering with Brilliant Detroit for a ‘Day of Caring’ as part of their Seasons of Caring initiative. Seasons of Caring connects individuals, groups, corporations, and labor partners with meaningful volunteer opportunities that make a real difference. Each season, United Way focuses on a specific area where volunteers can create the greatest impact. This season, the focus is on supporting families and connecting them with valuable financial literacy resources.

As part of this family support initiative, Brilliant Detroit is hosting a volunteer opportunity on Wednesday, February 25th from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m., at two of their Eastside Detroit hubs: Morningside and McDougall-Hunt. Each hub offers a free clothing closet for families in need, helping build confidence and a sense of belonging by ensuring children and adults have appropriate attire, which is essential for school success and positive social interactions.

Clothing closet volunteers will make a direct impact by creating an organized and welcoming environment where clothing is easy for families to access. With guidance from hub staff, volunteers will sort and review donated items for quality and seasonal fit, categorize them by type and size, and help set up a department-store-style shopping experience for community members.

We’d love for you to join us and make a meaningful impact in our Brilliant community! Once you submit a Galaxy request, our Brilliant Detroit Volunteer Team will reach out with more details.

Brilliant Cities is a neighborhood-powered model ensuring children 0-8 are school-ready, healthy, and supported. We do this by transforming houses into family-focused, community hubs and partner with organizations to coordinate research-based programs for children and families. These programs focus on education, health, and family support, giving young children and families what they need for a bright future.

Our Brilliant Pontiac hub hosts a monthly community dinner that brings neighbors together in a welcoming space to connect over a shared meal, meaningful conversation, and a strong sense of belonging. These gatherings are designed to foster connection and strengthen community ties in a warm, inclusive environment.

We're currently looking for volunteers to support our upcoming February dinner by helping set up the dining area, warmly welcoming community members into our Brilliant Pontiac hub, leading fun and engaging child enrichment activities, and assisting with cleanup by returning event materials to their original spaces. If you enjoy food, serving others, and supporting your community, we would love to have you join us for our February Community Dinner!

Brilliant Cities is a neighborhood-powered model ensuring children 0-8 are school-ready, healthy, and supported. We do this by transforming houses into family-focused, community hubs and partner with organizations to coordinate research-based programs for children and families. These programs focus on education, health, and family support, giving young children and families what they need for a bright future.

Upcoming dates: 

Our Brilliant Central hub hosts a monthly community dinner that brings neighbors together in a welcoming space to connect over a shared meal, meaningful conversation, and a strong sense of belonging. These gatherings are designed to foster connection and strengthen community ties in a warm, inclusive environment.

We're currently looking for volunteers to support our upcoming February and March events by helping set up the dining area, warmly welcoming community members into our Brilliant Central hub, plating and serving food, leading fun and engaging child enrichment activities, and assisting with cleanup by returning event materials to their original spaces. If you enjoy food, serving others, and supporting your community, we would love to have you join us for our January Community Dinner!

Brilliant Cities is a neighborhood-powered model ensuring children 0-8 are school-ready, healthy, and supported. We do this by transforming houses into family-focused, community hubs and partner with organizations to coordinate research-based programs for children and families. These programs focus on education, health, and family support, giving young children and families what they need for a bright future.

Join us for one of the most exciting months of the year: March is Reading Month! Our Central hub is celebrating with a Cat in the Hat-themed literacy event in honor of Dr. Seuss’s birthday. Brilliant participants will enjoy themed activities, tasty snacks, and a special Dr. Seuss story time.

Volunteers will help make the event memorable by supporting story time, crafts, and hands-on activities that inspire a love of reading and learning.

Volunteer shifts available: 3:30-5:30 p.m. and 4:30-6:30 p.m.

Brilliant Cities is a neighborhood-powered model ensuring children 0-8 are school-ready, healthy, and supported. We do this by transforming houses into family-focused, community hubs and partner with organizations to coordinate research-based programs for children and families. These programs focus on education, health, and family support, giving young children and families what they need for a bright future.

This winter, our Central hub will be hosting an open house for new and returning Brilliant families to learn about our 2026 programs, explore site updates, and connect with our hub staff. Volunteers will support the event by greeting guests, helping give tours, directing families to activities throughout the hub, and creating a warm, welcoming atmosphere that builds excitement for our upcoming programming opportunities.

If you enjoy engaging with new people and share our Brilliant team’s passion for literacy, join us for a memorable open house to kick off the year!

Volunteer shifts available: 2:30-5 p.m. or 4-6:30 p.m.