Clean Downtown, 2-1-1 On the Go get $1.69M grant

A $1.69 million grant will help keep the Clean Downtown crews sweeping the streets in Detroit's downtown.

The grant, part of which also goes to help the United Way's 2-1-1 On The Go! program, comes from the Michigan State Housing Development Authority. 2-1-1 On The Go! is a mobile United Way service that helps homeless people get off the streets and into full-time employment and permanent housing, and sometimes helps people find work via Goodwill Industries and Clean Downtown.

Clean Downtown has been operating for three years. So far in 2009, the crews have removed 75 tons of trash. Last year, they hauled away 257 tons of trash from Downtown alone. Each year, they power wash 39 miles of downtown sidewalks at least three times, and sweep them at least 18 times.

Clean Downtown has an operating budget of $2.8 million, plus significant in-kind contributions, and employs 60 Goodwill Industries workers -- a total of 266 trainees since start-up. Clean Downtown is a program of the Downtown Detroit Partnership, in collaboration with the City of Detroit, the Detroit Economic Growth Corp, Wayne County, the State of Michigan, the Detroit Riverfront Conservancy and the University Cultural Center Association.

Source: Downtown Detroit Partnership
Writer: Clare Pfeiffer Ramsey