We gain great satisfaction in providing pro bono work to non-profits in our community. It gives us an opportunity to “pay it forward,” and use our skills and expertise to improve the quality of life in the communities where we live and work. The following are some of the non-profit organizations we have worked with in the past.
LIFE REMODELED
2010
In late 2010, we were contacted by a new non-profit, “Life Remodeled,” that wanted to capture the story behind the building of a home in a surrounding community. Similar to “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition,” in that it builds a house in 6 days, and “gives” it away to a deserving family on the seventh day, they were planning to do much more than that. It was also going ‘beautify’ the entire surrounding neighborhood, and fix up neighbor’s houses, too. The family was going to go through financial training and psychological counseling to help them ‘keep’ the house.
2011
So, in 2011, we spent some time the month before the ‘build week’ filming interviews the family members, capturing their counseling sessions, and following them to special activities Life Remodeled arranged for them (restaurants; doctor’s visit; hair styling appointment; birthday party; and weekend stay at a hotel with an indoor water park). Then we spent 10-12 hours a day during the ‘build week’ filming everything that was happening, since they were working 24 hours-per-day. We then spent a few hours daily for the next month, helping a team to edit a 45-minute “Reality TV” show pilot. The following is a video of selected ‘snippets’ of the pilot that premiered in an Emagine theater in June 2011.
“Reality TV” show premier trailer:
2012
In 2012, we provided media relations and video and photographic services to capture the four projects they completed. We also helped create “playbooks” (detailed “how-to” instructions for each area of the project) that they provided to the leaders of each project to guide them to a successful project.
FARMINGTON HILLS, MICHIGAN:
2013
In 2013, we created an overview flyer, Powerpoint presentation, t-shirt artwork, press releases, signage, photographically captured the entire ‘build week’, and filmed the “reveal” telling the family they were selected to receive the house.
Although Life Remodeled only did this one project this year, it became the largest volunteer effort in one week in recent Detroit history—over 5,200 volunteers build a brand-new house, beautified 65 city blocks, renovated 36 neighborhood homes, and boarding up 253 vacant houses—again, all in six days! They received the “Spirit of Detroit” award from the Mayor for their efforts.
We coordinated a half-dozen professional photographers to capture the ‘build week’. Click the following link to see the over 5,000 pictures that were taken:
Life Remodeled: All 2013 Project Pictures
Click here to see the “reveal”
“PECHA-KUCHA” PRESENTATION ABOUT LIFE REMODELED
In addition to the work we recently completed for the “Detroit 2013” build, our President, Mark Besh, gave a “20 x 20″ presentation at the Volume #13 Pecha-Kucha Night in Detroit. It was about the previous five ‘builds’ we helped Life Remodeled with (i.e. “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition 2.0″).
[ Note: The format for Pecha-Kucha is 20 slides automatically changing every 20 seconds! (no ‘do-overs’ or ‘dawdling’ allowed!) ]. Click on the image below to see the presentation.
CLICK HERE TO SEE “PECHA-KUCHA” PRESENTATION ABOUT “LIFE REMODELED”
2014
In 2014, Life Remodeled wanted to try to ‘affect’ more people than just a single neighborhood, so they decided to ‘remodel’ a High School!
We were responsible for some of the media relations, the design and production of promotional materials, signage, banners, t-shirt graphics, social media channel headers, the posting TV and radio media coverage, and capturing the project photographically. Most of the graphics work was done before the ‘build week’, and most of the photography was done during the week-long ‘campaign’.
Life Remodeled’s goals were to build four “special” rooms at Cody High School, renovate 20 student houses (new roofs, new siding, replacing windows and stairs, etc.), board up 100 vacant houses, and “beautify” 100 city blocks (remove blight, trim trees, cut grass, plant flowers, etc.)—all in SIX DAYS! At their “seventh day” celebration, they noted that they exceeded all of their goals: More ‘renovations’ were done inside Cody than planned; they remodeled 25 student houses; boarded up 254 vacant houses; demolished three dangerous houses, and beautified 303 city blocks! This was an unbelievable effort performed by over 10,500 volunteers—the largest volunteer effort in recent Detroit history. They were also surprised with a $300,000 check to complete the new football field!
The following are selected photos that represent the over 7,000 photos we and a dozen professional photographers we coordinated took to capture all of the activities during the ‘build week’:
[ Life Remodeled: All 2014 Project Pictures ].
CODY HIGH SCHOOL – ENTRANCE (Before/After)
THREE DANGEROUS HOUSES DEMOLISHED ACROSS FROM CODY
GRAFFITI REMOVED FROM BUILDINGS AROUND CODY
254 ‘BOARD UPS’ OF VACANT HOUSES
NEW MURAL AT HENDERSON MIDDLE SCHOOL
‘CLEAN UP’ AT HENDERSON MIDDLE SCHOOL
MANN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL ‘BEAUTIFIED’
303 CITY BLOCKS OF ‘BLIGHT’ REMOVED
In addition to coordinating over a dozen professional photographers to capture the ‘build week’, we designed and produced a variety of promotional materials, signage, banners, t-shirt graphics, social media channel headers, and Powerpoint presentations:
The following links are for more information about the Cody-Rouge project in Detroit, Michigan:
VIDEOS
MEDIA COVERAGE
FACEBOOK PAGE
Here’s a trailer video of what they planned at Cody High School in 2014:
FYI: There was also a full-length documentary created, “Cody High: A Life Remodeled Project” It skillfully portrays the powerful stories of community members directly involved, and how their lives are being shaped as beacons of hope within the great city of Detroit. View the trailer below:
2015
In 2015, we spent an entire week (August 3-9, 2015) in Detroit—specifically in the Osborn High School area—to help, pro bono, the non-profit Life Remodeled with executing their planned “makeover” of Osborn High School and the surrounding neighborhood. We were responsible for the design and production of a promotional brochure and flyer, signage, banners, room plaques, appreciation certificates, t-shirt graphics, social media channel headers, the posting of TV and radio media coverage, capturing the project photographically, and filming interviews of volunteers (for the “Super Service Challenge”). Most of the graphics work was done before the ‘build week’, and most of the photography and filming was done during the week-long ‘campaign’.
Here’s a list of the project’s major accomplishments:
– Major Renovations at Osborn High School
(Roof; Gym; Cafeteria; Special rooms; Landscaping)
– 472 Vacant Houses Boarded Up
– 302 Blocks of Blight Removal
– 21 Student Houses Remodeled
– Beautification, Mural, and New Playscapes at Pulaski Elementary-Middle School
– 230 Planter Boxes along “Safe Routes” to Schools
This was an unbelievable effort performed by over 9,500 ‘actual’ volunteers (12,000+ “volunteer days”)—in just 6 days—and has been valued at over $5M!
The following are selected photos that represent the over 6,000 photos (click here to view) we, and a team of photographers we brought together, took to capture all of the activities during the ‘build week’:
OSBORN HIGH SCHOOL – ENTRANCE (Before/After)
EXPANDED MAIN OFFICE IN OSBORN
NEW COLLEGE PREP ROOM IN OSBORN
EXPANSION OF CAFETERIA IN OSBORN
NEW PARENT RESOURCE ROOM IN OSBORN
COURTYARD RENOVATION AT OSBORN
NEW GYM FLOOR/BLEACHERS IN OSBORN
472 DANGEROUS VACANT HOUSES BOARDED UP
302 CITY BLOCKS OF ‘BLIGHT’ REMOVED
NEW PLAYGROUND MURAL AT PULASKI
INTERIOR CLEANUP/PAINTING IN PULASKI SCHOOL
DESIGN SERVICES
The following are examples of the graphic design work we provided:
The following links are for more information about the Osborn project in Detroit, Michigan:
PHOTOS
VIDEOS (Day Recaps)
MEDIA COVERAGE
FACEBOOK PAGE
Here’s a summary video about what was accomplished in the Osborn neighborhood in 2015:
Here’s the documentary that was done about what was accomplished in the Osborn neighborhood in 2015:
2016
In 2016, we spent an entire week (August 1-6, 2016) in Detroit—specifically in the Denby High School area—to help, pro bono, the non-profit Life Remodeled with executing their planned “remodeling” of the surrounding neighborhood. We were responsible for the design and production of promotional brochures and flyers, signage, banners, t-shirt graphics, social media channel graphics, website updates, capturing the project photographically, and filming interviews of volunteers ( for the “Super Service Challenge” ). Most of the graphics work was done before the ‘build week’, and most of the photography and filming was done during the week-long ‘campaign’.
Here’s a list of the project’s major accomplishments:
– Built a new park, adjacent to Denby High School
(Performance pavilion; Basketball courts; Volleyball courts; Pickleball court; Putting green; Horseshoes; Garden beds; Amenities; Landscaping)
– 362 Vacant Houses Boarded Up
– 303 Blocks of Blight Removal
– 80 Student Houses Repaired/Remodeled
– Art Mural on Community Recreation Center Building
– 125 Planter Boxes along “Safe Routes” to Schools
This was an unbelievable effort performed by over 10,700 volunteers—in just 6 days—and has been valued at over $5M!
The following are selected photos that represent the over 4,800 photos (click here to view) we, and a team of photographers, took to capture all of the activities during the ‘build week’:
VACANT HOUSE BOARD UPS (362 HOUSES)
REMOVAL OF ‘BLIGHT’ (303 CITY BLOCKS)
ART MURAL AT RECREATION CENTER
DESIGN SERVICES
The following are examples of the graphic design work we provided:
The following links are for more information about the Denby project in Detroit, Michigan:
PHOTOS
VOLUNTEER INTERVIEW VIDEOS
MEDIA COVERAGE
FACEBOOK PAGE
Here’s a few videos about what was accomplished in the Denby neighborhood in 2016:
2017
In 2017, we spent an entire week (July 31-August 5, 2017) in Detroit—specifically in the Central High School area—to help, pro bono, the non-profit Life Remodeled with executing their planned “remodeling” of the surrounding neighborhood. We were responsible for the design and production of promotional brochures and flyers, signage, banners, t-shirt graphics, social media channel graphics, website updates, capturing the project photographically. Most of the graphics work was done before the ‘build week’, and most of the photography and filming was done during the week-long ‘campaign’.
Here’s a list of the project’s major accomplishments:
– Began renovating and repurposing the former Durfee Elementary-Middle School building (adjacent to Central High School) into a ‘community center’ they are calling the “Durfee Innovation Society”
– 534 Vacant Houses Boarded Up
– 367 Blocks of Blight Removal
– 53 Student Houses Repaired/Remodeled
– Continuing to develop meaningful and sustainable partnerships to advance community investment after project completion
This was an unbelievable effort performed by over 11,000 volunteers—in just 6 days—and has been valued at over $5M!
The following are selected photos that represent the over 7,500 photos (click here to view) we, and a team of photographers, took to capture all of the activities during the ‘build week’:
REMOVAL OF BLIGHT (367 CITY BLOCKS)
DESIGN SERVICES
The following are examples of the graphic design work we provided:
The following links are for more information about the Central project in Detroit, Michigan:
PHOTOS
MEDIA COVERAGE
NEWS
FACEBOOK PAGE
Here’s a few videos about what was accomplished in the Central neighborhood in 2017:
2018
In 2018, we spent an entire week (October 1-October 6, 2018) in Detroit again—specifically in the Central High School area—to help, pro bono, the non-profit Life Remodeled with executing their planned “remodeling” of the surrounding neighborhood. We were responsible for the design and production of promotional brochures and flyers, signage, banners, t-shirt graphics, social media channel graphics, website updates, capturing the project photographically. Most of the graphics work was done before the ‘build week’, and most of the photography and filming was done during the week-long ‘campaign’. Life Remodeled is continuing with this project, which they started in 2017—and also plan to work in the neighborhood for at least two more years.
Here’s a list of the project’s major accomplishments:
– Continued to renovate and repurpose the former Durfee Elementary-Middle School building (adjacent to Central High School) into a ‘community center’ they are calling the “Durfee Innovation Society”
– 396 Vacant Houses Boarded Up
– 316 Blocks of Blight Removal
– 102 Alleyways cleared
– Planted more than 700 trees, shrubs, and perennials
– Built 2 community gardens and upgraded 4 more
– Installed 20 “Little Free Libraries” along Safe Routes
– Designated the safest routes to Durfee and Central schools with artwork
– Installed 3 new bus shelters
– Installed 5 grills and picnic tables at neighborhood parks
– Installed 2 sets of bleachers for the Central High School softball field
– Added neighborhood signage
– Significantly improved Central High School’s football facilities and equipment (renovated the press box that had been vandalized, repaired the home bleachers and handicap ramps, installed a new scoreboard, and helped get new uniforms and equipment for the team and headsets for the coaches)
– Continuing to develop meaningful and sustainable partnerships to advance community investment after project completion
This was an unbelievable effort performed by over 10,000 volunteers—in just 6 days—and has been valued at over $5M!
The following are selected photos that represent the over 6,400 photos (click here to view) we, and a team of photographers, took to capture all of the activities during the ‘build week’:
REMOVAL OF BLIGHT (316 CITY BLOCKS)
DESIGN SERVICES
The following are examples of the graphic design work we provided:
The following links are for more information about the Central project in Detroit, Michigan:
PHOTOS
MEDIA COVERAGE
NEWS
FACEBOOK PAGE
Here’s a few videos about what was accomplished in the Central neighborhood in 2017:
If you are also interested in more information or supporting this great non-profit, contact Mark Besh at Visual Impact Systems (248-548-7000), or click the link below to be taken to Life Remodeled’s website.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFO ABOUT LIFE REMODELED
2019
We spent an entire week (August 5-10, 2019) in Detroit—specifically in the Central High School area—to help, pro bono, the non-profit Life Remodeled with executing their planned “remodeling” of the surrounding neighborhood, and “repurpose” the previous Durfee Elementary-Middle School (now the “Durfee Innovation Society). We were responsible for the design and production of promotional brochures and flyers, signage, banners, t-shirt graphics, social media channel graphics, website updates, capturing the project photographically. Most of the graphics work was done before the ‘build week’, and most of the photography and filming was done during the week-long ‘campaign’.
Here’s a list of the project’s major accomplishments, that went beyond just blight removal:
– Cleared 257 blighted alleyways – Every one of them within a four-square-mile area surrounding the Durfee Innovation Society
– Many houses were boarded up to ensure the neighborhood’s safety
– Hosted a Youth Mentoring Summer Camp for 125 K-8 students
– Hosted a Basketball Camp for 37 middle and high school students led by the nationally renowned organization The Family
– Over 3,000 kids attended Family Fun Days with their families and enjoyed activities, entertainment (including a “Detroit Youth Choir” concert), carnival games, and the largest bounce house in the world
– Many projects were completed inside the Durfee Innovation Society – HVAC ducting; air conditioning unit ‘enclosures; lighting; painting; tiling; wood trimming; and general cleaning
This was an unbelievable effort performed by over 9,700 volunteers—in just 6 days—and has been valued at over $5M!
If you are interested, there are over 6,250 photos that we, and a team of photographers, took to capture all of the activities during the ‘build week’
(click here to view)
If you or your company are interested in more details about this project, visit the Life Remodeled web site: http://liferemodeled.com/
To see how we have been associated with Life Remodeled (from their very beginning), click this link: Visual Impact’s Pro Bono Work
DURFEE SCHOOL REPURPOSING
VACANT HOUSE BOARD UPS
REMOVAL OF BLIGHT
YOUTH SUMMER CAMP
BASKETBALL CAMP
DESIGN SERVICES
The following are examples of the graphic design work we provided:
The following links are for more information about the Central/Durfee project in Detroit, Michigan:
PHOTOS
MEDIA COVERAGE
NEWS
FACEBOOK PAGE
Here are a few videos about the 2019 project:
Sun Communities x Life Remodeled
On August 9th, 2019, Sun Main Office team members partnered with Life Remodeled during their Six Day Project to clean 257 blighted alleyways in Detroit. Check out the video below to see all of the amazing work that was done!
Posted by Careers at Sun Communities on Friday, October 4, 2019
Earlier this month, we had the pleasure of starting a season of celebrating 70 years off by giving back to the community that has given so much to us over the years! Take a look at what the Ross Mortgage team was able to accomplish with the help of Life Remodeled.
Posted by Ross Mortgage Corporation on Friday, August 30, 2019
If you are also interested in more information or supporting this great non-profit, contact Mark Besh at Visual Impact Systems (248-548-7000), or click the link below to be taken to Life Remodeled’s website.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFO ABOUT LIFE REMODELED
2020
We spent an entire week (October 5-10, 2020) in Detroit—specifically in the Central High School area—to help, pro bono, the non-profit Life Remodeled with executing their planned “remodeling” of the surrounding neighborhood, and “repurpose” the previous Durfee Elementary-Middle School (now the “Durfee Innovation Society). We were responsible for the design and production of promotional brochures and flyers, signage, banners, t-shirt graphics, social media channel graphics, website updates, and capturing the project photographically. Most of the graphics work was done before the ‘build week’, and most of the photography and filming were done during the week-long ‘campaign’.
In response to COVID-19, we had to change the way we organized our 2020 Six Day Project.
Life Remodeled has been organizing Six-Day Projects for 10 straight years, and every single one has been unique and powerful—and even though, because of social distancing, this project week was ALSO exception: In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, we were able to mobilize 2,021 awesome volunteers to remove the blight on 71 blocks, make improvements to the Durfee Innovation Society, and revitalize a broken-down playscape.
Ninety-nine percent of their volunteers said that their pandemic safety measures helped them feel safe from COVID-19 while volunteering. During a time in our country’s history when we are experiencing extreme polarization, 99% of their volunteers also said they felt a greater sense of connectedness with others during the project.
Not only is blight psychologically damaging to children and families who have to look at it, but it plays a significant factor in crime rates. Because the City of Detroit had to make substantial budget cuts in 2020, the blight removal effort from Life Remodeled’s passionate and hard-working volunteers was ven MORE NEEDED and much appreciated by Mayor Duggan.
Thanks to Patronicity, the MEDC, and the 43 donors who helped crowdfund this campaign, they raised $21,558 in less than 24 hours to purchase much-needed equipment and supplies to bring a playscape back to life again. A crew of amazing volunteers from FCA completed the renovation in only four days, and the Life Remodeled Community Advisory Council and students from Durfee Elementary dedicated it as the “John R. Lewis Playscape.”
If you are interested, there are over 5,600 photos that we, and a team of photographers, took to capture all of the activities during the ‘build week’
(click here to view)
If you or your company are interested in more details about this project, visit the Life Remodeled website: http://liferemodeled.org/
To see how we have been associated with Life Remodeled (from their very beginning), click this link: Visual Impact’s Pro Bono Work
DESIGN SERVICES
The following are examples of the graphic design work we provided:
PHOTOGRAPHY/VIDEOGRAPHY
Here are some ‘creative’ pics our photographers took during the week to capture the amazing work the volunteers did.
[ I was ‘caught’ out in the field capturing the fabulous volunteers ]
The following links are for more information about the Central/Durfee project in Detroit, Michigan:
PHOTOS
NEWS and MEDIA COVERAGE
FACEBOOK PAGE
Here is a video that FOX 2 News (Detroit) did about the 2020 project:
[ Note: There are also other videos of the 2020 project on Life Remodeled’s YouTube Channel ]
If you are also interested in more information or supporting this great non-profit, contact Mark Besh at Visual Impact Systems (248-548-7000), or click the link below to be taken to Life Remodeled’s website.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFO ABOUT LIFE REMODELED
2021
We spent an entire week (October 4-9, 2021) in Detroit—specifically in the Central High School area—to help, pro bono, the non-profit Life Remodeled with executing their planned “remodeling” of the surrounding neighborhood, and “repurpose” the previous Durfee Elementary-Middle School (now the “Durfee Innovation Society“). We were responsible for a variety of graphic design and capturing the project photographically. Most of the graphics work was done before the ‘build week’, and most of the photography and filming was done during the week-long ‘campaign’.
Their 2021 “Six-Day Project“ focused on clearing blight from the front yards of vacant properties and ‘deforesting’ alleys within a specific 150 block area within the four square miles of neighborhoods surrounding the Durfee Innovation Society (next to Central High School). All of this happened with an army of 3,822 volunteers from 173 businesses, churches, and other organizations.
Detroit once housed more than 1.8 million people. However, now with only 650,000 residents, there are a lot of vacant lands—thousands of acres of overgrown brush and weeds making certain areas not only visually depressing but are also more dangerous.
The City of Detroit’s blight removal program is second to none, however, it is just not possible for vacant properties to be maintained weekly at this time in our city’s history. They need the help of volunteers to continue investing in the neighborhoods surrounding the one-stop-shop of opportunity (the “Durfee Innovation Society”) that Life Remodeled has created.
In addition to beautifying the neighborhood, the Six-Day Project brings people from all walks of life to work together, helping them better understand each other. This was verified by a survey of volunteers after last year’s (2020) Project: 99% of volunteers felt a greater sense of ‘connectedness during the Project. We are very honored to help, pro bono, this awesome nonprofit organization!
If you are interested, there are over 5,000 photos that we, and a team of photographers, took to capture all of the activities during the ‘build week’
(click here to view)
If you or your company are interested in more details about this project, visit the Life Remodeled website: http://liferemodeled.org/
To see how we have been associated with Life Remodeled (from their very beginning), click this link: Visual Impact’s Pro Bono Work
GENERAL INFORMATION
PHOTOGRAPHY/VIDEOGRAPHY
Here are some ‘creative’ pics our photographers took during the week to capture the amazing work the volunteers did.
[ 300 ‘mature’ trees (4′-5′ high) were given away to the residents in the neighborhood to plant in front of their houses by “The Greening of Detroit” the weekend before the Six-Day Project. ]
[ I was ‘caught’ out in the field capturing the fabulous volunteers ]
[ Click here to see the 5,000+ images that were taken during the Six-Day Project week. ]
The following links are for more information about the Central/Durfee project in Detroit, Michigan:
PHOTOS
NEWS and MEDIA COVERAGE
FACEBOOK PAGE
Here is a video that WXYZ (Detroit) did about Life Remodeled:
Take a tour of the Durfee Innovation Society (DIS):
How does the Durfee Innovation Society ‘measure up’? Well, click here for some statistics.
Paul W Smith interview with Life Remodeled CEO Chris Lambert:
CW50 feature about Life Remodeled’s”Lean on We” campaign:
Summary video of the 2021 Siv-Day Project:
[ Note: There are also other videos of the 2021 project on Life Remodeled’s YouTube Channel ]
If you are also interested in more information or supporting this great non-profit, contact Mark Besh at Visual Impact Systems (248-548-7000), or click the link below to be taken to Life Remodeled’s website.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFO ABOUT LIFE REMODELED
2022
We spent an entire week (October 3-8, 2022) in Detroit—specifically in the Cooley High School area—to help, pro bono, the non-profit Life Remodeled with executing their planned week-long project to “remodel” the surrounding neighborhood. We were responsible for some graphic design and capturing the project photographically. Most of the graphics work was done before the ‘build week’, and most of the photography was done during the week-long ‘campaign’.
Their 2022 “Six-Day Project“ focused on clearing blight from vacant properties and beautifying many of the homes in over 300 city blocks around the school. All of this happened with an army of 6,000 volunteers from businesses, churches, and other nonprofit organizations.
COOLEY HIGH SCHOOL/NEIGHBORHOOD
In December 2020, Life Remodeled publicly announced their intent to transform the Cooley High School into their next “Opportunity Hub.” After nearly two years of listening and sharing, they have heard clearly what many Cooley residents desire to be done with the High School. After that, they received invitations from hundreds of Cooley residents and alumni—indicating strong unity in the community—who are ready for Life Remodeled to join the Cooley Community in a ‘partnership’.
Life Remodeled received survey responses and petition signatures from more than 1,000 Cooley residents and alumni, and more than 30 letters of support from key Cooley community leaders and several of Detroit’s most influential civic leaders, who say they are ready for Life Remodeled to begin the repurposing Additionally, Life Remodeled has signed Letter Of Intent agreements with nine dynamic organizations who have committed to leasing more than 80% of the building and deliver impactful opportunities directly requested by Cooley community members.
So, on November 10, 2021, they announced their ‘official’ desire and proposed a detailed plan to develop Cooley High School with nearly 150 Cooley community members, alumni, and Life Remodeled partners from Durfee/Central, Cody, Osborn, and Denby communities present.
[ VIDEO: Public Presentation of Life Remodeled’s Plans for Cooley High School ]
Life Remodeled’s goal is to ‘TRANSFORM’ Cooley High School into an “Opportunity Hub” for Detroiters of ALL ages. It would be similar to their current Durfee Innovation Society, but would be adapted to the ideas, hopes, and dreams of Cooley community residents and alumni.
[ Life Remodeled’s Proposed ‘Transformation’ of Cooley High School ]
Additionally, Life Remodeled desires to provide five years of neighborhood beautification, blight removal and free home repairs. (As Life Remodeled has done in projects prior to Central/Durfee, the home repairs include the choice of a new roof, new windows, or new furnace.)
The thing is, Cooley High School has been sitting vacant and rotting since 2010. The windows and much of the copper have been ripped out, there was a fire that decimated the auditorium, and there are substantial active roof leaks that are on the verge of destroying the very foundation of this building beyond repair if they are not repaired soon.
Now, even though all of this—and much more—is true, the ‘legacy’ of Cooley High School does not have to be over. Life Remodeled wants to have an opportunity to put this facility to use—in ways community members want—before it IS too late!
EXHIBITING ‘EARNESTNESS’
To ‘prove’ how serious Life Remodeled is in serving the Cooley community and its residents, they had their annual “Six Day Project” in the neighborhood October 3-8, 2022. They had 6,000 volunteers—consciously limited to 1,000 per day—to help with blight removal and beautification.
In addition to the ‘normal’ activities—mowing and trimming overgrown brush and weeds on vacant properties—they provided free lawn care services for Cooley community residents. (Specifically, they mowed over 400 lawns of seniors, veterans, and people with disabilities). This greatly increased the level of interaction between community residents, Life Remodeled staff, and their volunteers who live outside the Cooley community.
To add some exciting elements to make it the most interactive Six Day Project they had ever done, they provided a limited number of homes near Cooley High School with increased services to upgrade their curb appeal, which included removing unwanted bushes, and painting house numbers on curbs.
One VERY unique thing they did—something Life Remodeled had never done before—was to put a freshly-potted mum plant on each porch of the houses in the areas where the beautifications were happening in. There were OVER 2,000 plants provided to the neighborhood and a few churches.
MUM PLANT DELIVERIES
AMAZON DONATION
The $150,000 donation that Amazon made will support youth programming at the Durfee Innovation Society and support community programs and events for Detroit neighborhood organizations. These neighborhood organizations include:
– University District Community Association
– Calvary Community Association
– College Park Community Association
– Oakland Boulevard Community District
– Core Cities Neighborhood
– Patty Turner Community Partner
– STV 313 Neighborhood Safety
– Happy Homes Community Association
– Palmer Woods Association
Ian Conyers, Head of Community Engagement at Amazon, said that “Life Remodeled has been dedicated to strengthening our communities block by block. Amazon believes Life Remodeled has created a scalable revitalization strategy, and we are proud to support their efforts hand in hand with donations to Detroit block clubs and neighborhood-focused organizations.”
In addition to the generous donation, Amazon’s representatives will also install 100 “Ring” doorbells on residents’ houses—closest to Cooley High School—that desire to have them. (Mayor Mike Duggan stopped by the first home to get a device, the Coyle Avenue residence of Francis Rowland.)
AMAZON “RING” INSTALLATIONS
[ Amazon “Ring” Installation – Detroit Mayor Duggan With Resident ]
[ Amazon “Ring” Installation – First Home ]
Krystine Walker’s home was one of the 100 installations that happened. Walker said the majority of her neighbors on Lauder Street already have the device, so she is happy to finally have one too.
“This is cool, because I couldn’t figure out how to do it myself, so I sent it back. “I was going to get one… I couldn’t figure out the drilling, so this is awesome everyone else seems to have one.”
[ Amazon Ring Installation in Krystine Walker’s house by Katrina Jadzinski, a volunteer from Thornton & Grooms ]
[ Amazon “Ring” Installation ]
[ Amazon “Ring” Installation ]
[ Amazon “Ring” Installation ]
[ Amazon “Ring” Installation ]
The Life Remodeled team believes the donated Ring devices will help bring peace of mind and support neighborhood safety in the Cooley community.
Chris Lambert, Founder and CEO of Life Remodeled said that “Blighted vacant properties are visually depressing eyesores, and they can also contribute to unsafe pathways for students walking to school and other neighborhood safety concerns. Installing the Ring doorbells was an idea presented to us by community members, and we are glad to be able to provide this benefit to the community with Amazon’s help.”
The property development company Schostak Brothers & Company also donated a generous $100,000 in honor of their company’s 100-year anniversary. Many of their employees also were out in the neighborhood clearing blight and beautifying the area.
SUBSTANTIAL DONOR
[ Message from CEO Bobby Schostak ]
[ David Schostak and team participating in the beautification ]
Chris Lambert emphasized that “I’m convinced our 2022 Six Day Project last week was our best yet!” He gave three reasons why:
1) We received strong positive feedback from more community members than ever before.
2) Our long-term volunteers who’ve served on the Life Remodeled Six Day Project regularly since 2014 repeatedly told me the Cooley community was the most engaged and embracing Detroit community in which they’ve volunteered.
3) Ms. Frances Roland has lived in the Cooley community for more than half a century, and she used to regularly walk the Cooley High School track for exercise. Last week we cleared a massive amount of brush from the property, and on Day 2 of the project, we witnessed Ms. Roland walking around the gravel Cooley track. She proudly proclaimed this was the first time she’s graced this path in 12 years because now she finally feels safe again.
VOLUNTEER ACTION
[ I was caught out in the ‘field’ capturing the wonderful volunteers ]
MEDIA COVERAGE
Lastly, check out some of the media coverage that Life Remodeled received during the Six Day Project in the Cooley neighborhood:
[ Fox 2 News / Life Remodeled in Cooley w/ Ilitch Charities ]
[ Fox 2 News / Life Remodeled Cooley w/ Amazon Ring Doorbells ]
[ WDIV Story / Life Remodeled Cooley Community ]
[ WXYZ Channel 7 Story / Life Remodeled: Cooley Community ]
DESIGN SERVICES
The following are a few examples of the graphic design work we provided:
[ NOTE: See almost 4,500 pics of the volunteers and what they did on the Six-Day Project here:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/liferemodeled2022/albums ]
PREVIOUS PROJECT
The following links are for more information about the previous project Life Remodeled just finished (Central/Durfee project in Detroit, Michigan):
PHOTOS
NEWS and MEDIA COVERAGE
FACEBOOK PAGE
Here is a video that WXYZ (Detroit) did about Life Remodeled:
Take a tour of the Durfee Innovation Society (DIS):
How does the Durfee Innovation Society ‘measure up’? Well, click here for some statistics.
Paul W Smith interview with Life Remodeled CEO Chris Lambert:
CW50 feature about Life Remodeled’s”Lean on We” campaign:
Summary video of the 2021 Siv-Day Project:
If you are also interested in more information or supporting this great non-profit, contact Mark Besh at Visual Impact Systems (248-548-7000), or click the link below to be taken to Life Remodeled’s website.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFO ABOUT LIFE REMODELED
2023
We spent an entire week (October 2-7, 2023) in Detroit—specifically in the Cooley High School area—to help, pro bono, the non-profit Life Remodeled with executing their planned week-long project to “remodel” the surrounding neighborhood. We were responsible for some graphic design and capturing the project photographically. Most of the graphics work was done before the ‘project week’, and most of the photography was done during the week-long ‘campaign’.
Their 2023 “Six-Day Project“ focused on clearing blight from vacant properties and beautifying many of the homes in almost 300 city blocks around the school. All of this happened with an army of 4,500 volunteers from businesses, churches, and other nonprofit organizations.
COOLEY HIGH SCHOOL/NEIGHBORHOOD
In December 2020, Life Remodeled publicly announced their intent to transform the Cooley High School into their next “Opportunity Hub.” After nearly two years of listening and sharing, they have heard clearly what many Cooley residents desire to be done with the High School. After that, they received invitations from hundreds of Cooley residents and alumni—indicating strong unity in the community—who are ready for Life Remodeled to join the Cooley Community in a ‘partnership’.
Life Remodeled received survey responses and petition signatures from more than 1,000 Cooley residents and alumni, and more than 30 letters of support from key Cooley community leaders and several of Detroit’s most influential civic leaders, who say they are ready for Life Remodeled to begin the repurposing Additionally, Life Remodeled has signed Letter Of Intent agreements with nine dynamic organizations who have committed to lease more than 80% of the building and deliver impactful opportunities directly requested by Cooley community members.
It was Life Remodeled’s goal to ‘transform’ Cooley High School into an “Opportunity Hub” for Detroiters of ALL ages—just as they had done at their current ‘hub’, the Durfee Innovation Society, but would adapt to the ideas, hopes, and dreams of Cooley community residents and alumni.
[ Life Remodeled’s Proposed ‘Transformation’ of Cooley High School ]
HOWEVER, ‘SADLY’ after months of discussions with the “Detroit Public School Community District” (DPSCD), on March 8, 2023, Life Remodeled’s two offers were unfortunately, and remarkably rejected, despite fervent pleas from neighbors and Cooley alumni. As a result, this formerly grand building will continue to be in a state of decay for the foreseeable future rather than becoming what the School Board’s constituents have enthusiastically stated they have wanted—for more than a decade—to become.
STILL ‘TRANSFORMING’
Even though Life Remodeled had SADLY ‘walked away’ from doing their proposed ‘Hub of Opportunity’ in the Cooley High School neighborhood, they still wanted to bless the neighborhood they had grown to love. So, they honored their commitment to the community and went ahead with the “Six Day Project” they had previously planned for the neighborhood.
So, during the first week of October 2023 (October 2-7), Life Remodeled brought together over 4,300 volunteers from businesses, churches, and other community groups to focus on removing blight on vacant properties, beautify 293 city blocks—that directly affected at least 500 neighborhood homes—and distribute 1,000 Mum plants to homes in the neighborhood.
The Six Day Project primarily focused on a two-square-mile area south of Puritan Avenue, east of Greenfield Road, west of Wyoming Road, and North of Grand River Avenue and Jeffries Service Drive. [ Note: Some volunteer groups also worked on some small ‘projects’ in the city’s Denby neighborhood, on the east side, where Life Remodeled had just announced plans—just a few weeks earlier—to repurpose its second opportunity hub in a former school building. (More about that below.) ]
Chris Lambert, CEO and founder of Life Remodeled, said that “We appreciate the support of so many business and community group volunteers from across Metro Detroit as we celebrate our relationships with neighborhoods who want to benefit from our hubs of opportunity. We are happy to be back one more time in the great Cooley neighborhood. We had hoped to create a permanent hub here and will always value the trust that residents have shown in Life Remodeled.”
The “Presenting Partner” for the project, Amazon, contributed $100,000 toward Life Remodeled’s mission, in addition to sending many volunteers. Ian Conyers, Head of Community Engagement at Amazon, said that “There is no better partner when it comes to wellness and neighborhood revitalization, and Amazon is excited to be partnering with them as the presenting sponsor of the Six Day Project and providing hundreds of volunteers who will be investing their time this week beautifying the Cooley neighborhood.”
Other major corporate support came from companies that had been supporting Life Remodeled for many years: BASF, Cummins, General Motors, Masco, L&L Products, Rocket Mortgage, and Taubman.
The following photos show a few select typical ‘activities’ that happened during Life Remodeled’s 2023 Six Day Project:
[ Life Remodeled’s Six Day Project Partners ]
[ Going Out Into The Neighborhoods ]
[ Getting Instructions ]
[ Removing Trash ]
[ Beautification ]
[ Beautification ]
[ Mowing Large Empty Lots ]
[ Mowing Lawns ]
[ Removing Dangerous Trees ]
[ Distributing Mum Plants ]
[ Detroit Police Kept Volunteers Safe ]
[ Cleaning Up All The Trash ]
[ Over 4,300 Volunteers Did A Great Job ]
[ They Caught Me Taking Pics Of A Volunteer Hydrating (Absopure supplied all the water for the Project.) ]
[ NOTE: To see many more pics of the volunteers, click on the following link to see more than 4,800 pics:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/liferemodeled2023/albums ]
WILL NOT ‘GIVE UP’!
Life Remodeled’s mission to provide life-transforming opportunities to children and families in Detroit by creating one-stop-hubs of opportunity designed solely around their priorities remained a ‘focus’ after their rejected final offer for the Cooley High School property—and an opportunity ‘fell into their lap’ just a few months after that!
They announced plans to acquire a 7.55-acre site in the Denby neighborhood on Detroit’s east side, which had been the site of the “Winans Academy of Performing Arts” (previously the home of the “Dominican High School” from 1940 to 2005).
The building, located at 9740 McKinney Street, offers more than 87,000 square feet, including more than 50,000 square feet that will be leased by Life
Remodeled’s nonprofit partners to bring afterschool youth programs, workforce development initiatives and health and wellness resources to the Denby community.
FROM SADNESS TO ‘JOY’!
At their on-site press conference—on July 11, 2023—Life Remodeled’s founder and CEO, Chris Lambert said that “Denby is the ideal location for our first hub on the east side. It is a neighborhood that is engaged, invested and close to the heart and soul of Life Remodeled. In 2016, we partnered with students and community leaders for one year to work toward revitalization together. This new hub will continue that commitment in ways that will make a broader and deeper impact for the long-term.”
[ VIDEO: Life Remodeled Press Conference Announcing Purchase of the Marvin Winans Academy of Performing Arts (11 JUL 23) ]
The thing is, this is kind of a ‘homecoming’, since Life Remodeled partnered with the Denby community in 2016 to bring to life a vision of a park next door to the Denby High School. They worked with Denby High School students to enhance Skinner Park and volunteers removed blight on 303 blocks and boarded up 362 vacant houses.
[ FYI: For more details about the original Six-Day Project Life Remodeled did in the Denby neighborhood, view this previous post: https://visualimpactsystems.com/visual-impact-systems-helps-life-remodeled-pro-bono-denby-project/ ]
Life Remodeled has said that it is eager to serve alongside the Denby community so it will thrive and benefit more Detroiters—as it has in the Durfee Innovation Society—where more than 22,000 residents take part in programs every year. Residents of Denby’s zip code, 48224, are challenged with significant poverty and lack access to opportunities related to educational attainment, job opportunities and health and wellness resources. Collaboratively, Life Remodeled and the Denby community aim to foster an environment that genuinely transforms the lives of Detroit’s children and families through this equitable and sustainable development project.
Lambert said that Life Remodeled is honored to pick up the ‘baton’ and help move the neighborhood forward just like they did in the Central High School neighborhood with the Durfee Innovation Society (DIS): “The Winans reached out to us when they found out about our model and they said, that’s the kind of legacy we want to continue with this building. And so, we were very, very honored to be invited into this incredible space.”
Lambert added that “When the Winans Academy asked us to consider repurposing their building, the Denby Neighborhood Alliance leaders told us loud and clear that they wanted to partner with us to turn this beautiful school building into a hub of opportunity similar to our Durfee Innovation Society. We are inspired and encouraged to move forward.”
The Marvin Winans Academy of Performing Arts, which closed its doors after this past school year, was a kindergarten through eighth grade public charter school with a specialized performing arts curriculum and traditional academic coursework that follows Michigan Department of Education standards. Founded in 1997 by Detroit native, Grammy Award- winning Gospel singer and actor Marvin Winans, the school offers courses in orchestral and contemporary music, voice, dance, drama and art. The school produces a yearly winter and spring concert. Students have traveled and performed nationally and internationally, winning first place at Walt Disney World and Cedar Point Music in the Park competitions. Marvin Winans Academy is located on two campuses—a kindergarten through fifth grade campus and a nearby sixth through eighth campus.
[ PHOTO: Marvin Winans Academy of Performing Arts ]
Lambert said that he is proud of the Winans Academy’s work and the building’s historic roots: “So for us to be able to fall in that tradition of two institutions that were really beacons of hope for academy, athletic and social advancement, and we carry that on now by making those opportunities available, not only for children but for residents of all ages.”
Lambert continued saying, “Our three specialties have always been youth programs, health and human services, and workforce development. And those are actually the top three things that the Denby Neighborhood Alliance said they want in this space.”
The moment was bittersweet for Pastor Marvin Winans of Perfecting Church Detroit said that “It is sad because we had plans to be here forever. We’ve been a school for over 25 years and this was a difficult decision to make, but it was necessary. But we still have Rutherford Winans Academy on the west side.”
Now, while the academy kept the building in good condition, Life Remodeled is planning to do a bit of renovation and updating. There is no opening date for the hub yet, but Life Remodeled plans to have the facility reach near full capacity by the end of 2025. The building is more than 87,000 square feet and at least 50,000 square feet is expected to be leased by nonprofit partners.
Plans for the new hub include a significant presence for arts and culture programs, to continue the tradition of the Winans Academy and also to build upon neighborhood priorities for those programs, supporting the development of the Whittier Corridor as a destination for art and technology.
Sandra Turner-Handy, the president of the Denby Neighborhood Alliance, said during the press conference, “Thank you, Life Remodeled for coming back to support the work of transforming our community through raising the quality of life for our residents. The residents and businesses are invested in continuing the amazing work started with Life Remodeled years ago. We are honored to welcome and continue to support through actively working with Life Remodeled in planning and designing what will become a vital and much-needed resource space in our community.”
Pastor Marvin Winans said that “We are happy for the acquaintance of Life Remodeled and excited for what they will add to our community with momentum and focus on children, families, and culture. We are confident the community will welcome them.”
“This is huge for Whittier and for the Denby (Neighborhood) Alliance,” Kenzie Current, a business liaison for the city’s District 4 said during a building tour after the formal press conference ended. “It’s a lot of great things coming this way and I’m excited to have been a part of such a passionate community and business community.”
One of the residents in attendance for the press conference was Norma Danzie, a 69-year-old member of the Denby alliance, who has lived in the community for the past 25 years. Danzie said she worked with Life Remodeled in 2016 and is glad to have them back in the neighborhood: “When they were at Durfee, they remodeled and did all kinds of things with that building. The kids in this neighborhood really need a place that’s close. We don’t have a recreation center in this immediate area and I’m hoping that there’ll be chances for them to get into different activities and keep them busy and occupied.”
Alonzo Marable, 56, who has also worked with Life Remodeled in the past— volunteering with cleanup projects in Cody Rogue, Denby, Osborn, and Durfee, grew up in the neighborhood and graduated from Denby High School. He commented that “I’ve seen the work that they’ve done and I believe in them.”
At the end of the conference, Lambert said that “We want to make sure we get it right, based on the continued feedback we are receiving from the community.” Life Remodeled said that they want to coordinate with the vision for the Denby Neighborhood Alliance: “Serving the community with health, human services, and workforce development.”
The neighborhood hub will be similar to Life Remodeled’s “Durfee Innovation Society” on the west side, offering after-school programs, community resources, and health services. Life Remodeled said that they will also continue the tradition of the Winans Academy by providing arts and culture programming.
Life Remodeled will raise funds via philanthropy to complete the needed work on the building and property, but has not yet finalized financial requirements. This project will create life-transforming access to educational youth programs, workforce development initiatives, health and wellness services, and more.
NOTE: Lippert and MASCO started cleaning up the Winans property during the Six-Day Project in the Cooley High School neighborhood:
MEDIA COVERAGE OF 2023 SIX-DAY PROJECT
Lastly, check out some of the media coverage that Life Remodeled received during the Six-Day Project in the Cooley neighborhood:
[ Life Remodeled 2023 Six-Day Project Kick-off Together w/ Amazon ]
[ Life Remodeled 2023 Six-Day Project / FOX 2 Detroit ]
[ Life Remodeled 2023 Six-Day Project / WDIV Channel 4 ]
[ Life Remodeled 2023 Six-Day Project / WXYZ Channel 7 Detroit ]
[ Six Day Project 2023 Sponsor – Amazon ]
[ Six Day Project 2023 Sponsor – GM ]
[ Six Day Project 2023 Sponsor – BASF ]
[ Six Day Project 2023 Sponsor – Cummins ]
[ Six Day Project 2023 Sponsor – L&L Products ]
[ Six Day Project 2023 – RECAP ]
RECENT NEWS
As part of their commitment to inclusive community engagement, Life Remodeled had a campaign to name the new building, and “Anchor Detroit” was the winner.
Life Remodeled is planning to double the building footprint—to 90,000 square feet—and more than 59,000 square feet of that will be leased by nonprofit partners to bring afterschool youth programs, workforce development initiatives and health and wellness resources to the community. Included in the buildout will be a 26,000 square foot new addition that will feature programming for emerging technology exposure and digital literacy, with a focus on coding and AI education for entire families. Life Remodeled’s CEO, Chris Lambert, said that “Renovating place and space inspires me, because of the thousands of students and community members whose lives will improve significantly as a result of access to transformative opportunities.”
[ Life Remodeled – “Anchor Detroit” Project – Proposed Rendering ]
Life Remodeled commented that the “Anchor Detroit” name represents the stability, resilience, hope, and strength for the surrounding neighborhoods, while the one-stop ‘hub of opportunity’ will allow Detroiters of all ages to grow and thrive for years to come.
[ Life Remodeled – Anchor Detroit Project – Proposed Construction ]
OUR DESIGN SERVICES
The following are a few examples of the graphic design work we provided for the last Cooley project:
[ NOTE: See more than 4,800 pics of the volunteers and what they did on the Six-Day Project here:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/liferemodeled2023/albums/ ]
PREVIOUS PROJECT (Central H.S./Durfee)
The following links are for more information about the previous project Life Remodeled just finished (Central/Durfee project in Detroit, Michigan) and continue to develop:
PHOTOS
NEWS and MEDIA COVERAGE
FACEBOOK PAGE
Here is a video that WXYZ (Detroit) did about Life Remodeled:
Take a tour of the Durfee Innovation Society (DIS):
SO, how does the Durfee Innovation Society ‘measure up’? Well, click here for some statistics.
Paul W Smith interview with Life Remodeled CEO Chris Lambert:
CW50 feature about Life Remodeled’s”Lean on We” campaign:
Summary video of the 2021 Six-Day Project:
So, if you are also interested in more information or supporting this great non-profit, contact Mark Besh at Visual Impact Systems (248-548-7000), or click the link below to be taken to Life Remodeled’s website.