Detroit Community

Detroit Food & Fitness Initiative Vision

A vibrant city that supports families, children and the entire community by promoting and celebrating a way of life that is characterized by healthy food, physical activity and healthy play

About Detroit

Located in southeast Michigan and spanning 139 miles, Detroit is the 11th largest city in the nation. Once ethnically, racially and socioeconomically diverse, this community has been challenged by three decades of depopulation and economic divestment, eroding the city's tax base. Subsequently, the infrastructure, services and systems that supported Detroit's residents, has fallen into disrepair. While the entire city has suffered, generations of Detroit's African-American populace have disproportionately faced economic, health and quality-of-life challenges.

Despite these significant difficulties, Detroit is focused on improving its economic and community infrastructure by attracting new businesses, constructing new homes and encouraging new residents to move to the city. They are also working to transform the built environment by redeveloping vacant lots into community gardens, play spaces and small urban farms. Diverse strategic neighborhood development initiatives have begun to address safety concerns, generate civic pride and promote neighborhood-based economic growth.

Connecting with the city's revitalization efforts, the Detroit Food & Fitness Initiative is building relationships and aligning with creative efforts underway. It is working to improve access to high-quality, locally grown or produced foods and create built environments that invite physical activity and play. The Initiative is engaging dynamic community partners and leveraging the collective knowledge and expertise of each in order to develop strategic efforts to change policies, practices and processes that impact or influence the food and fitness options of the Detroit community.