As a long-standing partner on the Detroit URC Board, the DHDC has guided our work for more than 20 years. “Having been involved with the URC doing CBPR for the past 20+ years has been an amazingly gratifying experience,” said Angela Reyes, Executive Director and Founder of DHDC. “I am convinced that this work has improved and probably saved the lives of many vulnerable adults and children living in Detroit.”

Angela Reyes founded the DHDC in 1997 to create a stable and safe community where youth and families have quality opportunities for self-empowerment, education, and personal wealth. Every year, DHDC serves over 5,000 youth and adults annually by providing quality, innovative and culturally appropriate services, primarily in Southwest Detroit. Programs are led by staff members who were born and raised in Southwest Detroit and come from low-income communities of color. Many DHDC staff members have participated in past DHDC programming, or programs from similar organizations. These hiring practices help to ensure that all program participants will receive quality, culturally-competent services throughout their relationship with DHDC.

Programs offered by DHDC cover a wide range of needs. Youth programs engage young people in the arts and life skills, as well as scholarships for post-secondary education. Family education services, such as English as a Second Language and GED classes, help families thrive. The DHDC Community Organizing department mobilizes community members to work together to address issues of concern in our community and empower them to create change through the power of community organizing.

You can learn more about DHDC’s programs and events by visiting their website at http://www.dhdc1.org/.