Support Hush House Detroit!

The Hush House is a community house and museum of African American history and culture located in Detroit's Northwest Goldberg neighborhood, one of the areas hardest hit by poverty and economic crisis. We serve local families and community change makers through educational events and programming including: leadership development, intergenerational discussions, and by hosting national and international delegations in our center and bed and breakfast. By creating communities of compassion, we aim to be a hub for youth and community members to understand our part in the global community and create solutions to our social, political, and economic problems. 

Fundraising Needs

The Hush House intends to expand our capabilities to offer resources to Detroiters and those who come to visit Detroit from around the world. In 2016, we we plan to:

-offer seminars, classes, and intergenerational community discussions 

-gain historical site designation for our museum, and rezone our street to allow for the building to serve as a community center

-and offer full bed and breakfast services to national and international guests, as a way to sustain our community social justice and peace programming

In order to accomplish these three goals, we first need to do maintenance and repair work on our three buildings on Wabash Street. Our first renovation project is to overhaul our electrical, heating, and plumbing systems, as well as make our buildings wheelchair accessible. 

*In addition to these needs we are faced with a major health emergency impacting one of our talented and devoted youth leaders in Belize: Iris Garcia. Iris is a 19 year old Belizian mother and farmworker, who over the past year has been in full time training for leadership in our global grassroots development programs. Recently Iris was diagnosed with the often deadly Guillain-Barre Syndrome, a rare illness, which although not contagious, attacks the nervous system and renders the body severely and painfully disabled within weeks. We are requesting assistance to provide her with medical care in Belize and upon her recovery to bring her, along with her two year old daughter, Trylee, to Detroit for rehabilitation, and eventually to further her education. 

We are asking for your generous support to raise a total of $25,000 to cover: 

-Emergency Medical, Travel, and Rehabilitation for Iris Garcia

-Plumbing, Heating, and Electrical work

-Wheelchair Ramp and Decks connecting our buildings

-House Taxes and Home Insurance

-Rezoning and Historic Designation Fees

-Museum Exhibit Restoration 

-Community Programming in Detroit and Globally (Belize, Senegal, Ghana)

We are also seeking non-monetary donations including: 

-Tools and Equipment for Property Maintenance such as lawn mowers, snow removal equipment, construction power tools, etc

-Used and new bicycles and bicycle racks

-Materials for fence wiring and posts

-Young children's educational books and games

-Mobile Homes, trailers, campers, and shipping containers (to build out our campus)

-We are also seeking support with obtaining property in our neighborhood to insure any abandoned homes or lots are kept in the community and not speculated, "flipped", or turned into trap/drug houses

Volunteers and Trainers are welcome especially with the skills and knowledge areas mentioned below:

-Artists (to sculpture outdoor space, facilitate creative workshops, media production, etc)

-People in Building Trades (to lend construction and design support with building maintenance, wheelchair ramp and decks, classroom renovation, fence installation, concrete work, etc)

-Computer programming and repair

-Educators and facilitators (with knowledge in African American History and Culture, Environmental Justice, Social Justice and Peace, Sustainable Development, Cooperative Economics, Literacy, etc)

-Activists/Community organizers/Changemakers (to facilitate workshops, participate in forums, etc)

-Accounting and administration support

-Urban Planners and Architects

-Elders (to teach homemaking skills, canning, gardening, community oral history, etc)

-Researchers and Archivists

-Culinary Artists

-If you have other skills not listed and are interested in getting involved, or have any questions about this fundraising campaign, please reach out to us at HushHouseDetroit@gmail.com

We thank you for your generous support and look forward to building communities of compassion together in Detroit and globally!

Baba Charles and Mama Sandra Simmons (pictured above)