Life Remodeled Community Advisory Council
The Life Remodeled Community Advisory Council (LRCAC) determines the collective voice of the community residents, students and stakeholders located within the defined Life Remodeled geographic boundaries and advises Life Remodeled according to the community’s hopes, desires and concerns. The LRCAC exists to hold Life Remodeled accountable to hear and respect community voice in its decision making processes. Click here to see a list of the recommended projects and impact of the LRCAC.
Hope Village
Jeff Jones
Nardin Park
Clete Bontrager (Secretary)
Organizations
Naim Sabir (Masjid Wali Muhammad)
Central High and Durfee K-8 Neighborhood
Teresa Clarington
Korey Batey
Virginia Park
Terence Willis (Vice Chair)
George Adams
Dexter/Linwood
Andre McCullough (Parliamentarian)
Clarence Harrell
Gina Peoples (Chair)
LRCAC Requests
Each year, the LRCAC makes a number of requests with Life Remodeled to ensure we are on track and meeting community needs. Below is a list of LRCAC requests as well as our responses.
Fulfilled Requests
- Ordered T-shirts for LRCAC members to provide recognition.
- Conducted free food giveaway in partnership with Gleaners Community Food and Forgotten Harvest.
- Distributed gift cards to black-owned restaurants in Detroit, to provide meals to community members and financial relief to business owners struggling as a result of the pandemic.
- Renovated the playground between the Durfee Innovation Society and Durfee Elementary-Middle School and Central High School. The new playscape was named after the late civil rights activist John R. Lewis.
- Designated a room within the DIS for LRCAC monthly meetings.
- Beautified the neighborhood surrounding the DIS during the Six Day Project, and distributed LRCAC beautification flyers.
- Added a number of DIS tenants who are beneficial to the Durfee-Central community in 2020.
- Received 60 backpacks from a generous partner. With the help of the LRCAC, we distributed these backpacks to students at Durfee Elementary-Middle School and Hope Academy.
Requests In Progress
- Refurbish and save swimming pool at the DIS. The costs to upkeep the pool were deemed too expensive in comparison to the use of the space.
- The DIS did not act as a COVID testing center in 2020. Rather, we decided to meet the immediate needs of residents through food distributions and other resources.
- A bike rack will be installed at the DIS in the spring.
- Life Remodeled did not refurbish the basketball/tennis courts as requested because these courts do not sit directly on DIS property. Because of this, we decided to prioritize the DIS gym and the John Lewis playground with the resources that we had access to.
Life Remodeled Youth Alliance
In the fall of 2019, Life Remodeled Youth Alliances were formed at Durfee Elementary-Middle School and Central High School. These groups of students serve as a direct liaison between the students at the neighboring schools, Life Remodeled and the Durfee Innovation Society. These students are tasked with informing programming at the DIS, influencing the work done during the Six Day Project and holding Life Remodeled accountable to community priorities.
Pictured above are the Durfee Elementary-Middle School students who are a part of the LRYA. Pictured below are the Central High School students who are a part of the LRYA.