Community Resources Information
YCMA / YVC - Free Opportunities for Teens
Lists of upcoming YVC service-learning projects and YCMS 2020 Teen Summer Programs COVID REVAMP information.
Link to 2020 Teen Summer Programs COVID REVAMP flyer
GIVE 365, Tuesdays, 9am - 12pm (various locations around the Ann Arbor Area)
GIVE365 volunteers work to enhance, beautify, and maintain our beloved Ann Arbor parks. During a workday, volunteers may be working on picking up litter on the ground, or in canoes on the Huron River, weeding playgrounds or garden beds, planting flowers, spreading woodchips, painting, or any other need that may come up in a park. We bring the music, tools, and expertise; you bring the energy and desire to make a difference and together we make a beautiful parknership!
Project Dates & Details:
- Tuesday, July 7, 9am - 12pm, Gallup Pond (3000 Fuller Rd, Ann Arbor)
- Tuesday, July 14, 9am - 12pm, (Location TBD)
- Tuesday, July 21, 9am - 12pm (Location TBD)
- Tuesday, July 28, 9am - 12pm (Location TBD)
Huron River Watershed Council (HRWC), Wednesdays, 9am - 12pm, Riverside Park, Ypsilanti, MI
The Huron River Watershed Council (HRWC) is a coalition of watershed residents, businesses, and local governments. HRWC is the oldest regional river protection organization in Michigan. Our mission is to protect and restore the river for healthy and vibrant communities. We work with a collaborative and inclusive spirit to give all partners the opportunity to become stewards; generate science-based, trustworthy information for decision makers to ensure reliable supplies of clean water and resilient natural systems; and passionately advocate for the health of the river and the lands around it.
YVC participants will collect samples of bug and other creatures that live in our streams. These insects tell us how healthy the river system is, where the healthier areas are, and where we need to focus our restoration efforts.
Project Dates & Details:
- Wednesday, July 8, 9 - 12, Riverside Park, Ypsilanti
- Wednesday, July 15, 9 - 12, Riverside Park, Ypsilanti
- Wednesday, July 22, 9 - 12, Riverside Park, Ypsilanti
Natural Area Preservation (NAP), Thursdays's, 9am - 12pm (various locations around the Ann Arbor Area)
Natural Area Preservation (NAP) works to protect and restore Ann Arbor’s natural areas and to foster an environmental ethic among its citizens. This involves conducting plant and animal inventories, ecological monitoring, and stewardship projects in Ann Arbor parks. These tasks are performed by both staff and volunteers.
One third of NAP’s field work is done by volunteers, so community involvement is vital to the success of its conservation efforts. NAP projects take volunteers well beyond the realm of litter clean-up into broader areas of concern, such as maintaining biodiversity and restoring damaged ecosystems. Through the combination of hands-on involvement and scientific understanding, NAP hopes to encourage and support a connection between individual volunteers and their surrounding natural environment. By sharing this experience with friends and neighbors, volunteers play a crucial role in fostering an environmental ethic in the community.
Project Dates & Details:
- Thursday, July 9, 9am - 12pm, Ruthven Nature Area, Ann Arbor
- Thursday, July 16, 9 am - 12pm, Furstenberg Nature Area, Ann Arbor
- Thursday, July 23, 9 am - 12pm, Cedar Bend Nature Area, Ann Arbor
*826MICHIGAN'S ONLINE SUMMER PROGRAMS*
*826MICHIGAN'S ONLINE SUMMER PROGRAMS*
Link to flyer
We're delighted to share that 826michigan's free summer program sign up is now live. This summer, all of our programs will be offered online, and materials for writing kits are available to be sent home to families, too (I've highlighted those below, and we'd be glad to deliver those in large batches, as folks are interested). Our full program flyer is attached to this email as well, and all links are below! If you'd be able to circulate this to any interested teachers or families, we'd be grateful!
Ypsilanti District Library To Offer Curbside Pickup
To help maintain social distancing during the coronavirus pandemic, the Ypsilanti District Library will start offering curbside pickup service at its Whittaker branch on Monday.
Residents will be able to use a link on the library’s website to request items such as books, movies, and puzzles and schedule a date and time to pick them up. Julianne Smith is the assistant director of the library and says the items will be placed on tables outside the library.
EmpowerYou
EmpowerYou
A start-your-own business program for women
Do you want to start your own business, but also keep your “day job”? In this year-long program designed for women, especially of color, with or without a disability, learn to turn your business idea into reality.
* Due to COVID-19, this program is running online. Please join us! * Next Orientation Sessions: June 18, 2-3 pm June 23, 11 am-12 noon June 25, 10-11 am June 29, 5-6pm Join from anywhere you have a computer or device!
Contact us for the online login instructions. This program is provided at no cost to you, thanks to generous funding from the New Economy Initiative. Ann Arbor CIL | 3941 Research Park Drive | Ann Arbor, MI 48108.
Ypsilanti District Library Summer Reading Challenge
Ypsilanti District Library Summer Reading Challenge
Families can sign up for the Summer Challenge at ypsilibrary.org/summer and log activities from June 13-August 31.
There are three ways to earn digital badges:
1. read or listen to a book
2. find a secret code within our online learning lessons (kids: https://www.ypsilibrary.org/interests/summer-learning/, teens: https://www.ypsilibrary.org/interests/teens/
3. complete a challenge within the summer challenge website
Everyone who logs at least 6 books will get a $5 gift card mailed home, but every badge is worth a chance at grand prizes we purchased from local businesses. They can download a free app to log points or just play through a browser, on a computer, tablet, or phone.
Please let me know if you want me to register students for the program directly with a simple username and password you can give parents so they can directly log in without going through the registration process. I can do that with a class list as long as I have an email to notify a student or parent if they win a prize.
Each week on our Summer Learning webpage there will be three different activities for kids: STEAM, around the world, and garden science. We'll have instructional videos from local people and website links to describe what they can do from home, and then when we're able to, we'll give out supplies at food distribution sites or the library. There are also writing prompts with each lesson developed by 826 and EMU through our Ypsi Writes partnership. While they have to go online to find the activity suggestions, most activities are unplugged types of learning activities to get away from the screen. The around the world series will feature 8 different countries and we have people from those places helping us build the lessons and saying hello to Ypsi from afar. These will be available after the summer, so if school is online at any point next year, you will have access to the content and videos. If you have younger students, there will be new storytimes almost daily and archived storytimes on our YouTube Channel: YpsiDistrictLibrary.
Each week teens can try out an art activity, learn music and art tech skills, and more. They'll have space to share what they create on our Instagram and website.
Click on images below to enlarge for more information
Summer Camps and More Community Resources
More Community Resources
EMU Summer Camps
Engage @ EMU has virtual summer camps available for students to participate in this summer! Please see the flyer for more information.
Business Coaching Upward Bound
826Michigan Resource
826Michigan
Where is Dr. Blotch?
Dr. Blotch is currently socially isolated in their Antarctica mansion. They are absolutely BORED and forgot to get to the libraries before they closed.
What is Dr. Blotch’s Writing Challenge?
Dr. Blotch is challenging members of the 826michigan community to create stories that will bring Blotch–and all who listen and read–entertainment. Each week, Dr. Blotch will issue a new writing challenge at the beginning of the week, check in with us on Wednesdays with a writing tip, and release a video of themself reading and reviewing submitted stories on Friday.
How can I participate?
Dr. Blotch requests the following types of stories:
- Send typed writing
- Send a picture of your writing
- Record a video of yourself telling a story or reading a written story
- Comment on our social media posts (Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube)
- Email DrBlotch@826michigan.org
- On Mondays we'll share the week's writing challenge video from Dr. Blotch
- On Wednesdays we'll share writing tips for each challenge on our social media pages and website
- On Fridays we'll share a video where Dr. Blotch will review and read the writing that was submitted
Catherine Calabro Cavin | Education Director | 826michigan
Pronouns: she/her
**Please note that my hours are limited to part-time in the Winter 2020 semester. I will be mostly away from 826michigan email on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.**
Liberty Street Robot Supply & Repair | 115 E. Liberty Street | Ann Arbor MI 48104 | 734.761.3463
Detroit Robot Factory | 1351 Winder Street | Detroit MI 48207 | 313.818.0255
826michigan inspires school-aged students to write confidently with the help of adult volunteers in their communities. We serve more than 3,200 school-aged students with writing and tutoring programs in Ypsilanti, Ann Arbor, and Detroit. We also have two robot shops which support our free student programs.
Donate | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Online robot shop | Robo-Twitter
COVID-19 Screening and Testing
Curbside COVID Screening and Testing
The Curbside COVID Screening and Testing Area at the St. Joseph Mercy campus in Ann Arbor offers COVID-19 screening and testing for patients that meet the CDC and State of Michigan testing criteria. A physician's order is NOT required for screening; however, if you have a doctor's order for testing, you are asked to please bring that prescription with you.
Pandemic EBT Program
Pandemic EBT Program
Families with children who received free or reduced-cost lunches at school qualify for new program
The Pandemic Electronic Benefits Transfer Program (P-EBT) provides temporary funding to address emergency food need for families affected by the pandemic.
P-EBT food assistance benefits will go to Michigan families with students ages 5-18 that are eligible for free or reduced-price school meals. This included families currently receiving Food Assistance Program benefits, as well as those not currently enrolled in the programs. No application is necessary for eligible families to receive P=EBT benefits.
Link to Pandemic EBT Program flyerYpsilanti District Library Information
Ypsilanti District Library
YDL is offering several new services.
1. Students can receive an eCard to access digital books, movies, and databases now through the end of August. We can create these cards in two ways.
- a. A teacher can send us a list of students' names and birthdates and we will send a list of card numbers you can share with families.
- b. Individual students can email a photo of their student ID or parent’s ID along with their birthdate to connaghan@ypsilibrary.org and we will send their card number directly to them.
- c. If students need to renew their regular card or get the number and PIN, they should email ydlcovidhelp@ypsilibrary.org or call 734-879-1318 and leave a message.
2. We have compiled a resource guide with links to content available through any device you can use when planning remote lessons. It includes eBooks, STEM websites, fun writing activities, and virtual field trips. You can use it to develop lessons or share directly with families.
3. A flyer about our resources and how to contact the library is attached for you to share directly with families.
Link to flyerLink to Ypsilanti District Library
More Community Resources
University of Michigan - Michigan Engineering
2020 Summer Programs Opportunities
CEDO offers a collection of summer programs for a diverse group of middle and high school students. We strive to provide greater educational opportunities for young people including individuals from educational, cultural, geographic, or socioeconomic backgrounds considered to be underrepresented in engineering. Our academies challenge young people to explore engineering disciplines through exciting real-world challenges. The curriculum takes a holistic approach to learning focusing on STEM education, personal and professional development, and college readiness.