New Era Detroit hits milestone with helping communities that need it most

From community to community, Detroit is a city of neighborhoods and New Era Detroit is bringing it all together this weekend, just in time for the city’s Neighborhoods Day events.

"We’ve been doing this for eight whole years," said Zeek, the founder of New Era Detroit.

The group is hosting its Hood 2 Hood program, starting at 8401 East Forest Avenue Saturday at 11 a.m. and they're hitting a big milestone.

"This is our hundredth community. I don’t think that nobody, let alone, go to 100 neighborhoods throughout their own city," Zeek said.

They'll be doing clean ups, youth engagement, and that's only part of it.

"I like to explain it to people, kind of like a mobile block party, because we have a DJ that rides through the community with us," he said. "We have food as we go along.  We have all different types of resources and we do toys for kids all year long. We have a U-Haul full of toys. We just pull up to different communities and pass out toys."

Zeek says the services are focused on neighborhoods with unique challenges.

"Our program is predicated on being in areas where there is a bit of an uptick in crime and violence, so that we can kind of bring a different energy and a different vibe to that community," he said. "We are very specific when we pick out our neighborhoods and our communities."

And organizers say it’s about doing the work every day, not just during annual events.

"I would like to challenge everybody to make this a lifestyle," Zeek said. "Not just a single day where people get out into the communities and clean up."

For more information check out New Era Detroit on Instagram.