Detroiters celebrate Global Youth Service Day

Thousands of young people across the state and around the world spent their Saturday making their communities beautiful.

Saturday marked the 23rd annual Global Youth Service Day -- the largest service event in the world.

A state non-profit is using thousands of dollars in mini-grant funds to support the projects. The Youth Service of America partners with families, schools, community and faith-based programs on all kinds of projects.

One group today in Detroit was focused on community safety.

"Our goal is to increase public safety while decreasing crime and today, we're going to be boarding up 12 vacant structures here in this neighborhood," said DeShawn singleton of AmeriCorps.

Global Youth Service Day is celebrated in more than 100 countries.