In an under-served community like Brightmoor, with limited resources and extreme poverty, summers can be a breeding ground for trouble.
Detroit saw close to 300 murders in 2016 along with increased gang activity, particularly in our community. We feel that it is imperative to counter this negativity, so Mission:City offers the summer camp to foster a place where children and families alike can feel safe, have fun, and develop into positive, productive citizens. What is most exciting about our summer camp are the relationships that are built and the seeds of creativity that we nurture. The beautiful thing is once you introduce a young person to the arts it is a gift that will last them for the rest of their life.
Each year Mission:City collaborates with various churches and organizations to provide a wonderful summer camp to over 80 children in the Brightmoor and greater Detroit area, to ensure that every child who is interested in exploring the arts has an opportunity to attend this camp at no charge. For six weeks our children are exposed to classes in piano, violin, cello, guitar, woodwind instruments and drums. Additionally, vocal classes, arts/crafts, dance and drama classes are all brought together in a safe and nurturing environment with a biblical backdrop. The summer camp runs from 8:30 AM to 4:00 PM Monday through Friday.
“You have children who are violinists and they don’t even know it. You have children who could be beautiful pianists and they don’t even know it. There is a need for the arts . . . there is a need for mentoring the children at every level … a program like this would impact our community greatly.”
Pastor Semmeal Thomas, City Covenant Church
