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!
Below is a list of current volunteer opportunities available at our Pontiac location. To view our ongoing/flexible opportunities happening across all of our locations, please view our general opportunities page linked here.
Current volunteer opportunities:
Pontiac Community Baby Shower
Friday, May 1st, from 3:30-7 p.m.
Join us in celebrating the newest members of our Brilliant Pontiac Community! During this event, families will receive essential baby items and connect with valuable community resources designed to support them during this important transition. Our goal is to create a welcoming environment where families can build connections, access trusted support systems, and learn more about Brilliant’s programs and services. By bringing the community together, we aim to reduce the stress new parents often experience, increase their sense of preparedness, and ensure every baby in our community is welcomed into the world brilliantly! Volunteers will play a key role in making this event a success by helping with event setup, managing activity stations, welcoming families and assisting with sign-in, distributing food, and supporting event breakdown. Volunteer groups are especially encouraged to sign-up, as we anticipate hosting many families throughout the event.
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Monthly community dinners:
Next date: TBD
Brilliant Pontiac’s monthly community dinners offer a welcoming space for neighbors to connect over a shared meal, meaningful conversation, and a sense of belonging. These dinners are designed to strengthen community ties in a warm, inclusive environment. We are looking for volunteers to help set up the dinner area, welcome community members to our Brilliant Pontiac home, plate and serve food, manage fun and interactive child enrichment activities, and assist with cleanup by returning event materials to their original spaces.
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Clothing closet organization:
Flexible timing; please inquire
Brilliant Pontiac hosts a community clothing closet that provides free clothing to those in need, helping to boost self-esteem by allowing individuals to feel confident and included with appropriate attire. This is especially crucial for families facing clothing insecurity, as it can positively impact academic performance and social interactions. Volunteers are needed to help assess and organize clothing donations; some heavy lifting is required for this role.
