The mission of the Georgia Street Community Collective

is to

Provide the residents of our community with:

Health

by maintaining the Georgia Street Community Gardens

and teaching others to start their own garden

Education

by establishing and maintaining the Georgia Street Community Center/Library

Leadership Skills

by providing positive role models

Protection

by having the Community Center/Library to give the youth a place to meet, and to

Rebuild and Sustain

Our Community

One House, One Block, One Neighborhood at a Time.

8902 Vinton St.

Detroit, Michigan

48213-2757

Phone:   313.452.0684

a registered 501(c)3

charitable

organization

OUR HISTORY:

The Georgia Street Community Garden was started by Mark Covington, a resident of the neighborhood near Harper and Gratiot where the Garden is located.  Mark was out of work and began cleaning up three empty lots near his grandmother's house.  Mark (known to many as "Cub" from the DetroitYes! forum (www.detroityes.com) only intended to police the lot's litter and garbage. But as he cleared away the corner, he became inspired to turn it into a community garden.

With the help of volunteers, and several urban gardening organizations, this empty lot is now the first of the Georgia Street Community Gardens.  Mark began to think in bigger terms...terms like revitalization of the neighborhood, helping the youth of the neighborhood, bringing business to the area, and more.  He had a vision for the area, but knew that he could not accomplish all of it alone.

Through DetroitYes!, Mark gathered a few like-minded friends and appointed them to the Board of Directors of what was to become the Georgia Street Community Collective, Inc. in November of 2008.  The Mission Statement was drafted and work was begun on how to achieve the goals.  Given the success of the project, Covington was inspired to add an educational component, using the garden as a way to mentor students. Now he intends to refurbish the old corner store and to turn its attached home into a community center. And the project keeps growing. The garden now comprises five lots on Georgia, including a fruit orchard.

--partially taken from Michael Jackman's story titled "Food Fighters" published                  in the Detroit Metro Times dated 5-27-09.   Click to read the full story

OUR MISSION:

  OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS:

Mark Covington, Chairman

Percell Jordan, Vice Chairman

Lorraine Covington, Treasurer

Phyllis Zimmerman, Secretary

Peggy Thomas, Member

Phillip Laurie,  Member

Open Position

Funding for the Georgia Street Community Collective (GSCC) comes mainly from donations by those who support our Mission Statement.

If you would like to help, please click on the link below to go to our BLOG were you can donate through PAYPAL

or

Mail your donation

to

GSCC

8902 Vinton St.

Detroit MI 48213

Your donations

are

tax deductible!