This project, conducted by a 2025 Graham Sustainability Scholars team in partnership with the Marygrove Community Association (MCA), sought to advance neighborhood sustainability through community engagement, green space development, and youth education. MCA serves over 700 stakeholders in Detroit’s Fitzgerald/Marygrove neighborhood, managing community spaces like the Indiana Street Garden, Huntington Community Park, MCA Meadow, MCA Arboretum, and the Green-Arts Alley.

The team gathered feedback via canvassing, surveys, and a town hall, secured grant funding for the Green-Arts Alley, improved MCA’s digital outreach, and developed a sustainability curriculum for children. Deliverables included community-informed garden plans, bilingual social media graphics, and hands-on learning activities to foster ecological awareness.

In the short term, the project expanded engagement, enhanced digital accessibility, and secured funding for green space improvements. Long term, it cultivates environmental literacy, resilience, and stewardship among youth and residents, supporting inclusive, community-driven sustainability and positioning Marygrove as a model for neighborhood collaboration.

This report summarizes the team’s work.