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.

Our hubs offer after-school programming for K-3rd grade students, focused on strengthening literacy skills and maintaining their learning momentum throughout the school year. We welcome volunteers who enjoy working with kids to help facilitate activities such as homework support, games, arts and crafts, and group learning.

In this role, volunteers will serve as engaged and supportive mentors who encourage, inspire, and actively connect with our Brilliant students as they learn, explore, and ask questions. Our Littlefield hub is currently seeking volunteers who can commit to 1-4 days per week, Monday through Thursday from 3-6 p.m., to support literacy programming.

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.

We’re inviting volunteers to join us in turning our mission into action. Whether reading one-on-one or with a group, painting a room, organizing our book library, or sorting in-kind donations, our hubs have meaningful volunteer opportunities that arise throughout the year, and we would love to welcome you!

Current volunteer opportunities

Brilliant Clothing Closet Organization 

Each Brilliant hub offers free clothing to families in need, helping build confidence and a sense of belonging by ensuring they have appropriate attire, which can be especially important for school success and positive social interactions. Clothing Closet volunteers impact our communities by helping to create an organized and welcoming space that supports smoother operations and makes clothing easily accessible for Brilliant participants. With support from hub staff, volunteers will review donated items for quality, condition, and seasonal fit, categorize them by type and size, and help create a department store style shopping experience for our community. This role involves standing, bending, reaching and moving around for most of the shift. Multiple locations and flexible scheduling available, please inquire.

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Brilliant Osborn Organization & Redesign 

Flexible scheduling; please inquire 

Our Osborn hub is preparing for a spring cleaning day to organize the free community clothing closet in the basement and sort and rearrange items stored in the garage. This effort will help ensure the hub’s spaces are accessible for regular programming, that our Brilliant families can easily navigate the clothing closet, and that everything is ready for our upcoming summer day camp. We're currently looking for a group of about 6-10 volunteers to join us, with half working in the garage and half in the basement. This project will involve moderate to heavy lifting.

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Brilliant Dexter-Linwood Basement Organization Project

Help create a welcoming and efficient space for our Brilliant participants! We're looking for volunteers to assist with organizing the basement of our Dexter-Linwood hub which is home to our free community clothing closet. Volunteers will assist with assembling shelving units, sorting totes, and organizing clothing by size. Your efforts will help us maintain a welcoming, clutter-free environment, making it easier for community members to access the resources they need. Flexible scheduling available; please inquire. (Volunteer groups welcome!)

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Brilliant Cody Rouge Hub Organization

We’re seeking volunteers to help organize our storage and programming areas. Tasks include assembling shelving units, and storing totes—some heavy lifting required. Your volunteer efforts will support smoother operations and ensure resources are accessible in a clutter-free environment. Flexible scheduling available; please inquire.

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Brilliant Brightmoor Organization & Redesign 

Our Brightmoor location is currently looking for volunteers to help organize basement rooms, assemble shelving units, and properly store totes to declutter and sort items. Volunteers will assist in creating storage solutions and ensuring our programming areas remain clean and functional. Tasks may include lifting and moving boxes, sorting supplies, and organizing materials. Volunteers are needed weekdays between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. (Volunteer groups welcome!)

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 O’Hair Park hub is looking for a volunteer to support their weekly 'Distribution Day' where Brilliant families can access essential items such as fresh produce, clothing, books, and diapers. These events are designed to help parents meet their children’s needs with dignity, care, and ease. Volunteers play a key role in making Distribution Days successful by helping create a welcoming and well-organized environment so that our families can focus on selecting the items that are most meaningful to them.

Distribution Days will take place each Thursday, from 4-6 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.

As a Brilliant Health Corps Volunteer, you will share your knowledge in Health, Wellness, and/or Nutrition by supporting or leading specialized health programs. Volunteers play an essential role in creating engaging and impactful health, wellness, and nutrition nights for families.

Volunteer Health Corps Roles and Responsibilities: 

Volunteer Facilitators (Skills-based)

Volunteer Facilitators support or lead specialized health programs by sharing their expertise in Health, Wellness, and/or Nutrition.

Volunteer Presenters (Skills-based or experience-based) 

Volunteer Presenters lead or co-lead educational workshops during health nights.

General Support Volunteers (Support roles) 

General Support Volunteers assist with organizing and running health nights as part of a team. 

To learn more and join Brilliant Cities as a Health Corps Volunteer, please complete the interest form through Galaxy. A member of our Volunteer Team will contact you directly.

Dear Washtenaw Neighbors, Friends, and Community!

We're excited to invite you to join us for volunteer workdays at Apple Ridge Community Gardens. We will be out at Apple Ridge Community Gardens, at E Clark and Ridge Rd, every Tuesday and Thursday evening from 6 - 8 PM with EMU's AKA Sorority!

At Apple Ridge Community Gardens we'll be building raised beds, weeding around our pollinator garden, adding mulch, planting perennials, installing an herb garden, building out our Underground Railroad Garden, and much more. See here for our full and exciting work list planned for Apple Ridge!

We'll provide all necessary materials and equipment. Please bring water for yourself and wear comfortable outdoor clothing to protect from the sun. 

Thank you for considering this opportunity to make a meaningful impact at the Apple Ridge Community Gardens. We look forward to working with you to create a thriving agricultural space for our community.

Sincerely,

Willow Run Acres Team

Dear Detroit and Southeast Michigan Neighbors, Friends, and Community!

We're excited to invite you to join us for volunteer workdays at Willow Run Acres Detroit. We will be out at our new Farm & Garden site in Detroit every Sundays from 9 am - 12 PM. Please call our Executive Director, TC, at (734) 717-4849 for further updates on start date and location!

At Willow Run Acres Detroit we'll be building raised beds, weeding around our pollinator garden, combining mulch and compost, planting perennials, installing fruit and vegetable trees, and more! See here for our full and exciting work list planned for Willow Run Acres Detroit!

We'll provide all necessary materials and equipment. Please bring water for yourself and wear comfortable outdoor clothing to protect from the sun. 

Thank you for considering this opportunity to make a meaningful impact at Willow Run Acres Detroit. We look forward to working with you to create a thriving agricultural space for our community.

Sincerely,

Willow Run Acres Team