Mayor Sheffield announces inaugural Occupy the Summer programming as part of citywide safety plan

• Builds off Mayor Sheffield's summer initiative she created while on City Council
• Programming will feature extended recreation center hours at 9 centers, weekly Friday neighborhood activations, and the return of Midnight Basketball
• Mayor allocated $1.5 million to this year's fiscal budget to expand youth programming, increase access to safe spaces, and support community-based violence prevention
• Full details can be found at OccupyTheSummer.com

Mayor Mary Sheffield, Chief Todd Bettison, and other community partners today announced program details and activities for Occupy the Summer, which is key part of the Mayor's recently announced 6-Point Summer Safety Plan.

Building on the success of the Occupy the Corner initiative Mayor Sheffield established while on City Council, this expanded effort is a targeted citywide approach focused on youth and civic engagement, neighborhood activation, and violence prevention throughout the summer months. Details for all activities can be found at OccupyTheSummer.com.

"Youth in our city deserve to have a summer filled with fun activities designed with them in mind and that's what Occupy the Summer is all about," said Mayor Sheffield. "It's when they don't have recreational options that young people can sometimes apply their energy in less constructive ways, so we are going to load them up with 10 weeks for activities."

Occupy the Summer will introduce several new components include:

• Extended Recreation Center Hours at Crowell, Adams Butzel, Kemeny, Farwell, Heilmann, Butzel Family, Coleman Young, Helen Moore, and Northwest Activities Center on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays. All 9 locations will remain open until 11 PM throughout the summer.
• Weekly Friday Activations in neighborhoods across each City Council district similar to the Occupy the Corner series, featuring community activities, city resources, local vendors, and cultural programming. As plans for each are finalized, details will be available at OccupyTheSummer.com.

THE SUMMER FRIDAYS LINEUP

Fridays at 5 - 8 p.m.

June 12 - Occupy the Summer Kick-off / Adams Butzel

June 19 - Juneteenth Celebration / Crowell Recreation Center

July 10 - Skate Night with Royal Skateland / Corrigan Park

July 17 - Sports Night / Lasky Recreation Center

July 19 (Sunday) - HOOPFEST in Partnership w/NW Goldberg Cares/Curtis Jones Park

July 24 - Small Business and Sheff Tank Pitch Competition / TBD

July 31 - Arts & Culture Night / TBD

August 7 - Bike Night / Joe Louis Greenway Pavillion

August 14 - Finale in Partnership with Metro Detroit Youth Day / Diehl Club

• Midnight Basketball League for young adults (men and women) ages 18-26 with structured play, mentorship, and wraparound services operating across three regions of the city. perks of joining include free jerseys, shoes and haircuts. There will be a Men's and Women's League at the following locations:
  • East (Heilmann Recreation Center)
  • West (Adams Butzel Recreation Center)
  • Southwest (Kemeny Recreation Center)

The men's league will begin playing every Saturday starting June 13 and the women's league will begin playing every Thursday starting June 18. The season will be 7 weeks and both the men's and women's league will culminate in a championship game at the end of the season.

Once the Midnight Basketball League reaches capacity at these locations, the Northwest Activities Center and Coleman Young Recreation Center will be overflow sites for pickup basketball games. Registration for Midnight Basketball participants is now open at OccupyTheSummer.com.

• Three Signature Events - a summer kickoff and bike giveaway, a mid-summer event in partnership with NW Goldberg Cares, and a finale in partnership with Metro Detroit Youth Day powered by Boys and Girls Club of Greater Detroit, including a school supply and backpack giveaway. Details on these events will be announced soon.

Public Safety Data Drives Activity Locations

Locations for programming were informed by Community Violence Intervention (CVI) data, allowing the City to devote resources in the neighborhoods most impacted by violence and prioritize both prevention and early intervention with a strong emphasis on youth. This targeted, community-centered approach strengthens Detroit's broader safety strategy and positions Occupy the Summer as a potential national test case for reducing crime through engagement and opportunity.

"Occupy The Summer is about more than programming-it's about prevention, being present and investing in the future of our young people," said Detroit Police Chief, Todd A. Bettison. "Utilizing data driven from Community Violence Intervention gives us a real time snapshot of what neighborhoods are most impacted by violence-- so we know exactly where to place resources. Additionally, together, we are taking a proactive public safety approach that is centered on opportunity, mentorship and engagement. The Detroit Police Department fully supports Occupy the Summer because it truly reflects what public safety looks like when community, city leaders and law enforcement work together to create safe spaces, positive experiences and pathways for our youth."

Corporate Sponsors Step Forward

While $1.5 million in funding has been allocated through the City's General Fund, philanthropic partners have also stepped forward with strong enthusiasm to invest in and support Detroit's violence prevention plan. These partners are contributing additional resources, funding, and collaboration to help expand programming, deepen community impact, and ensure a more coordinated, citywide approach to keeping youth active and residents safe.

Occupy the Summer Title Sponsors are The Sterling Group and Amazon.

"Amazon is excited to build on our support of Mayor Mary Sheffield's vision for Detroit's youth. Her program - now taking center court as Occupy the Summer - is exactly the kind of bold, community-driven initiative that creates opportunity for young people when they need it most," said Amazon Detroit Head of Community Affairs Ian Conyers. "We are proud to provide resources to help scale this effort citywide, ensuring the next generation of Detroiters has access to the recreation, mentorship, and programming they deserve."

"Sterling Group is proud to support this important summer programming initiative in the City of Detroit, which reflects a meaningful investment in our young people and in the wellbeing of our neighborhoods," said Sterling Group Chairman Gary Torgow. "I want to express my sincere appreciation to Mayor Sheffield and Chief Bettison for their leadership and commitment to creating safe, positive outlets for young adults during the summer months and helping to foster a stronger and safer environment for all Detroit residents."

Volunteers are Welcomed!

Volunteer partners are at the heart of every activation, helping create a welcoming, safe, and engaging environment for youth and families. Volunteers play a critical role in bringing each experience to life. from supporting event activities to guiding participants and sharing resources.

Residents who are looking to give back to the community can sign up to volunteer at bit.ly/OTSVolunteer.

Those who would like to contribute, but can't volunteer can reach out to us for sponsorship or donations at [email protected].