My Nonprofit Reviews

Erica
Review for Young Detroit Builders, Detroit, MI, USA
I originally volunteered with YDB as part of a requirement for an honors class at Wayne State University, and though I was somewhat nervous about how it would go, I have found volunteering here extremely rewarding and fun. The students that study here are trying to make a positive change in their lives and community, and the work that they do is truly amazing. Though we were only required to perform 20 hours of service, the students who chose this as our specific site gave much more time simply because of our love for the staff, students, and organization as a whole. The only downside to working with YDB is their obvious lack of resources. Though they have most of the absolutely necessary essentials needed to stay afloat, they do not seem to have the extra funds available that would allow them to truly expand and grow to their full potential. Because this is such a great organization that gives high school dropouts in Detroit a second chance to get an education and gain construction and life skills, the more that they expand and grow can only lead to more rebuilding and reshaping of the city of Detroit. As a part of the class that introduced me to YDB, we had to give a small something back to whichever organization we chose, and my classmates and I decided to try to fundraise and hold a raffle, which showed us all how tough times are today and how much everyone and every business is struggling. Though we raised only a small amount, the staff could not have been more appreciative and receptive of our efforts. I have found the people involved at Young Detroit Builders to be so empowering and inspirational that I plan to stay here and give whatever I can to help them continue their mission. Though six months ago I never knew they existed, YDB has become a priority in my life that I plan to continue to balance along with a full-time college schedule and part-time job, because, even though that initial honors class is over, I could not be more excited to donate my time and skills each week to help out this amazing organization. With so many cities everywhere now facing many of the same problems that Detroit has faced for years, I think that it is amazing that there are groups like the Young Detroit Builders who work so hard to do what they can to make a difference in their community by engaging members of that community to educate, rebuild houses, and learn life skills that could be one small step in repairing the city of Detroit. Please endorse the Young Detroit Builders and help them to continue to rebuild and transform the people, buildings, neighborhoods, and city of Detroit as a whole. Thank you!
More Feedback
I've personally experienced the results of this organization in...
Seeing the changes in the writing/knowledge of the students from week to week & going to the job site where the students spend their time rebuilding houses. We also had a session with several YDB graduates who discussed how their live have improved since
If I had to make changes to this organization, I would...
Get bigger classrooms with smaller desks/chairs because the large furniture makes the small rooms cramped and hard to pay attention in.
What I've enjoyed the most about my experience with this nonprofit is...
The one-on-one tutoring with the students and getting to know them as peers rather than our students, which allows them to feel more comfortable learning from us.
The kinds of staff and volunteers that I met were...
Very positive and willing to listen to suggestions from us. They also obviously loved their jobs because they wouldnt stay their if they didnt.
If this organization had 10 million bucks, it could...
move to a larger location to offer more classes for more students in the area, as well as provide more opportunities for the students and gaining more materials for the job site like environmentally-friendly products.
Ways to make it better...
I had more time to spend there because, as a college student with a job, much of my time is devoted elsewhere.
In my opinion, the biggest challenges facing this organization are...
Small spaces, problems getting students to always focus, and lack of funding. For example, when visiting the jobsite, the construction workers discussed how they would like to use more "green" products, but cannot because they are more expensive.
One thing I'd also say is that...
Young Detroit Builders is so deserving of some kind of extra funding because of the people working their and there impact. They staff probably don't get paid as much as they could elsewhere, but they stay here because they believe so much in the cause.
How frequently have you been involved with the organization?
About every week
When was your last experience with this nonprofit?
2010