School-preparation organization in Detroit looks to go national
Detroit — Brilliant Detroit, a fast-growing nonprofit that helps Detroit children prepare for school, is now looking beyond the city’s borders, hoping to spread to major cities from Chicago to Philadelphia.
The Detroit organization brings childhood development programs directly to residents by setting up shop in a former home in a neighborhood.
The popular program has grown rapidly in Detroit. It began with 50 children in 2016 and has served 19,000 kids in 18 neighborhoods, said the group. It hopes to expand to 24 sites and Pontiac this year.
The work has led to improvements in students’ reading levels along with other parts of education, said Cindy Eggleton, the CEO and co-founder of the organization.
“We exist to create ‘kid success’ neighborhoods,” she said. “Kids and families have everything they need from birth to 8 years old.”
The organization waits until it’s invited into a neighborhood and then moves into a house in need of repair, renovating it into its base of operations. It raises money from grants from the state of Michigan and foundations. It's budget is $10 million, according to its annual report.
The group uses what it describes as a holistic approach in helping children, teaching them about health, nutrition, physical activity and relationship building, said Eggleton.
It partners with 160 organizations to deliver early childhood education, family support and food. It also forms advisory groups in the neighborhoods. To find a location near you, go here.
“We align the programs and activities so kids and families can get what they need to measure their own success,” said Eggleton.
The organization provides free programming and support for families with children ranging from newborns to 8-years-old.
It offers one-on-one tutoring, GED preparation and testing for adults, health and fitness classes, nutrition information, reading activities and social-emotional and mental health services. It also features all-day "Kids Club," parenting classes, financial literacy classes and a teen gardening program.
Camillia Martin said her 2-year-old son loves the weekly toddler activities at the organization’s hub in the Martin Park neighborhood on the west side of Detroit. Her two daughters, ages 5 and 7, have been attending since 2021.
Martin likes the tutoring and reading lessons while her children like playing with other kids. The balloons don’t hurt, either.
“What keeps me coming back? The joy and happiness that my kids experience,” she said.
Selena and Brandon Parker have been bringing their son to Martin Park facility for three months. They said their son, Sirius, 2, hadn’t been around many children his age so they hoped the organization would provide more socialization for him.
The couple said the organization has been a blessing, providing an friendly environment that has encouraged their son to interact with others.
“He’s learning things we can’t teach him,” said Selena. “They’re very good with the kids.”
The couple also like the group because the parents of the children all support each other. They recently participated in a program with other parents where they picked up some good advice from others.
“We all learned something,” said Brandon. “We had a great conversation about how we’re parenting children. I would call it a child and parent development program.”