Vania Ruiz

Urban Neighborhood Initiatives (UNI) is a 501(c)3 nonprofit corporation that works with communities in urban neighborhoods to build safe and thriving environments where people want to live, work, and play. We believe that healthy neighborhoods are the basic building blocks of a successful city. Accordingly, UNI concentrates on one neighborhood at a time as it builds an inclusive, collaborative template for a given community's renewal. UNI is based within Springwells Village, a 1.3 square mile southwest Detroit neighborhood bounded by Fort, Dix, and Waterman Streets. A look at our programs: Youth Apprenticeship Program, Southwest Urban Arts Mural Project, Southwest Rides Social Purpose Bike Shop, ASNC Afterschool Program, Harms Elementary Afterschool Program, Summer at the Center Program, Beautification and Stewardship Program, Youth Advisory Board, Springdale Green Park. UNI began in 1997 with the restoration of an empty church building into a center for neighborhood development and activities; an effort undertaken over a decade in cooperation with the All Saints Catholic Parish (the initiating body), community residents, businesses and collaborating agencies as well the support of area foundations and individual donors. The resulting All Saints Neighborhood Center (ASNC) has since evolved into a well-known hub for neighborhood development and activities and has served as a springboard for a broad schedule of adult and youth programs, blight reduction, place-making and physical revitalization. The Center is located at 8300 Longworth where UNI houses its Program Offices. We also maintain a Development Office at 1832 Springwells.