I grew up in Parkside during the crack cocaine era, a time when neighborhoods like ours were hit hard by drugs, crime, and neglect. In the middle of that crisis, five strong women—including my mother, Catherine—came together to form Friends Of Parkside (FOP). My mother served as the first executive director. They built FOP to give residents a voice and a place they could count on. Today, I’m proud to continue that work as the current executive director.

For 34 years, Friends Of Parkside has stood with this community. We’ve helped families with food, youth and senior programs, housing support, and more. Even during the COVID-19 pandemic—when everything shut down and many agencies pulled back—Friends of Parkside stayed active. We delivered food, checked on seniors, helped families get online, and continued to show up when it mattered most.

FOP has also stepped up in times of crisis—supporting residents facing displacement due to a broken sewage line, those at risk of eviction, and, most recently, we have advocated for resident voices and meaningful community engagement in the proposed HUD RAD redevelopment of the Villages at Parkside by DHC and Ginosko Development.

Our work is rooted in the community. FOP was started by residents, is led by residents, and continues to put residents first. We even helped design the very space that DHC is now trying to take from us.

Recently, the Detroit Housing Commission (DHC) decided to end our lease and force us to leave. They called it a “business decision.” But to us, it’s personal. This space is more than just a few rooms—it’s a trusted home base for people who need help and support.

Now, DHC has started offering services that look a lot like what FOP already provides. But we are not the same. FOP’s strength comes from the trust we’ve built over decades and the fact that our work is led by people who live here and understand this community. We don’t just offer programs—we listen, we advocate, and we act from a place of care.

We have also actively sought funding from the $2 million Parkside Service Endowment Fund, which was established in 2000 to support long-term resident services. Despite being one of the original service providers envisioned for this support, we are now being asked to leave the very space where these services have been delivered for decades—while still being denied access to those funds.

We are calling on DHC to reverse this decision and work with us on a fair solution that lets Friends Of Parkside stay in Parkside. Our community deserves it.

Sign this petition to support Friends Of Parkside. Let’s protect this 34-year legacy of service—and keep Parkside strong, supported, and united.