by Morgan Zenner

Photography by Sam O. Photo

The Detroit Young Professionals Organization (DYP) hosted the 6th Annual Service in the City (SiTC) Mixer on April 24, which recognizes and supports nonprofits from the Metro Detroit area that further causes ranging from environmental to the arts. In 2019, Caleb’s Kids received the top Community Builder Award.

“The SiTC event speaks directly to our core principle of the DYP mission to enhance civic engagement in Detroit. We feel proud to be able to lift up other organizations that contribute to our community and provide more than 700 members with opportunities to become more involved in causes that are meaningful to them,” says Keith Crispen, DYP President.

In early spring, DYP invites nonprofit leaders to apply for the SiTC program. The DYP Executive Team and Board of Directors select 10 organizations to participate in the mixer where they solicit votes from potential donors and volunteers from more than 35,000 young professionals in the DYP network. By the end of the evening, the organization with the most votes is honored with the Community Builder Award and a $500 monetary donation from DYP.

Introducing the Community Builder Award Winner: Caleb’s Kids

Caleb’s Kids, is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization with an emphasis on suicide prevention and mental illness awareness in youth. The foundation focuses on youth ages 13 -18, providing support and education through workshops centered around resilience, coping skills, self-esteem, mental illness awareness, and suicide prevention.

 “Winning this award will directly impact our outreach efforts in the community,” says Keisha Jackson, Founder of Caleb’s Kids.

 “We will be able to enhance our 2019 Summer Camp Program by purchasing additional prevention resources, as well as having the additional capital to create and print more life-saving help guides for parents and youths. We are honored to be a recipient of the 2019 Community Builder Award and we are thankful to DYP for their focus on community and their support for mental health awareness and suicide prevention.”

To learn more about Caleb’s Kids and how to get involved, visit http://www.calebskids.org/.

Click here for more information on DYP membership and upcoming events.