Week Two: Friends of Parkside

This summer I’ll be working with Friends of Parkside, a non-profit organization located on the east side of Detroit in the Villages at Parkside community, a public housing complex. FOP provides services and resources to Parkside residents, ranging from monthly food distributions to free summer lunches for children to a Dear Santa gift program. FOP’s mission is all about bettering the Parkside community, but doing so in a way that includes residents in discussions and decisions.

My summer research project consists of co-planning the Parkside Annual Health and Safety Fair. Fun fact: the community’s current health, food, and safety issues were identified by University of Michigan Public Health graduate students through a community needs assessment (Go blue!). The purpose of the fair is to pool together a variety of agencies around the city that have the ability to offer Parkside residents meaningful information and resources regarding their health and safety. Agencies contribute resources like free health screenings, educational workshops, health-related giveaways, and more. The other day I heard a story from one of the residents that proved to me just how valuable the annual health fair is. While her grandson was at the fair, he had the chance to receive a free vision screening. He actually found out that he was blind in one eye and didn’t know it prior to the vision screening!

So far, I’ve had an amazing experience in Detroit. I love that I’m working right inside the community that FOP is committed to serving, as it is a constant reminder of why I’m there and why our work is so important. After hearing so many health fair success stories from residents and past FOP interns, I definitely feel the pressure to succeed and organize a successful health fair. I feel very grateful that this project allows me to learn about and network with so many amazing agencies and organizations around Detroit that are committed to serving the community and improving health.