The Front Porch takes an international
trip...across the river to friendly Windsor, Ontario, Canada.
ABOUT THE FRONT PORCH
Mission
Providing educational and recreational activities and opportunities
to youth in Detroit according to their interests, initiatives and
needs since 1997.
History
We started as a part of a block club in 1995 with one volunteer,
five kids, some books and origami. Now there is a group of over 50
kids, ranging in age from five to seventeen. The Front Porch extends
to all these kids' friends and relatives who visit the neighborhood.
Goals
If children have a safe, informal place where they are free to
express their opinions and explore their talents and skills, supported
by adults, and to meet other kids in their neighborhood within a
structure and develop a sense of safety and true neighborhood then we
should see a change in the attitude of the children and eventually the
whole neighborhood. It should not be just a place to live but an
interdependent place in which to grow, communicate, learn and explore:
a safe place from which to begin a life not bounded by a neighborhood,
but rather a life rooted in a place that is a springboard to the
world.
the youth who started the program (Charlie, Shanelle, and Keith)
the youth who guide the program (this is every kid in the
program - for their privacy we do not list their names)
Jean's mom and sister, Ms. Karen and Ms. Gene
our many individual donors, our teachers, and our volunteers who
generously give their time and dig in the dirt with the kids, get
donations and think of us often.
the kind neighbors in the AWARE area on the eastside of Detroit
4-H
Allemons
AWARE
Bharatiya Temple - SEVA Team
Blick Art Materials and the generous customers at Blick Royal
Oak
Cass Technical High School: National Honor Society
Christ Church of Grosse Pointe
City of Detroit Alliance for a Safer, Greater Detroit
City of Detroit, Farm-A-Lot
City of Detroit Heilmann Recreation Center
City of Farmington Hills Treasury Department (the employees)
Classic Camera
Community Foundation of Southeastern Michigan
Continental Automotive Systems
Costco
Creag Foundation
Damman Hardware
Detroit Agriculture Network
Detroit Chinese Business Association
Detroit Free Press Summer Dreams Program
Detroit Indians - School Year 2013-2014
Detroit Industrial School
Detroit Public Library
Diamond Jack
DTE Energy (the employees)
DTE Foundation
Eastside Community Resource and Assistance Center
Eastside Garden Supply
Elizabeth Grace - her family and friends
Emiko and her students in Osaka, Japan
The Grams Family
Gardening Angels
George V. Murray Foundation
Greening of Detroit
Grosse Pointe South Varsity Club
Grosse Pointe Congregational Church
Grosse Pointe Memorial Church
High/Scope Educational Research Foundation
HUD/City of Detroit Neighborhood Opportunity Fund
Jersys Group
Junior League of Detroit
Kelly-Morang Senior Center
Kiwanis #1 Foundation
Ladies Ancient Order of Hibernarians Rose Kennedy Division
Levinson (The Max and Anna) Foundation
Lotus Bank
Marriott Hotel
Martin, Arrington, Desai & Meyers
MGM Grand Detroit Community Voice Council of the MGM Mirage
Voice Foundation
Meijers
Mercedes Benz of Bloomfield Hills
Michigan National Bank
Morgan Stanley Smith Barney
New Detroit
Nurse Missionary New Providence Baptist Church
Pawlicki Studios
Pere Gabrial Richard Elementary School Grosse Pointe
Phil Pitters
The Rock Shoppe
Rovin Ceramics
Rotary Club of Grosse Pointe
Sabin Family
WellBefore Masks
When we say we use every available resource in the community, we
mean it.
*in alphabetical order. Every single effort has made opportunity for
the kids on the Porch.
Supporters Who Believed in The Porch and Now Rest in Peace
Charlie Rucker
Yale Miller
Gerald Hairston
Grandma Kubica
Grandma Belva
Grandma Buc
Grandma Juanita
Jim Monnig
Pat Moore
Doug Fraser
Dorthea and Clifford Harris
Roberta Fleischmann
JoAnn Sabin
Mr. Morreale
Front Porch Trustees
Jean Vortkamp, Grew up in Detroit, MIS
President, Treasurer and Director
Mary Jo Vortkamp, Grew up in Detroit, MLIS
Secretary
Rocio Oxholm, Grew up in Detroit, JD
Board Member
Advisory Board
Charlene Firestone, Grew up in Detroit
Ron Cleveland, Grew up in Detroit
President, AWARE
Partners Through the Years
First Book
Detroit Public Library
Detroit Festival of the Arts
Caribbean Cultural Organization
City of Detroit Heilmann Recreation Center
Greening of Detroit
Detroit Agriculture Network
4-H
Trips for Kids
Rooted in Community
Kids’ Community Service Projects Through the Years
Children’s Hospital of Michigan
Detroit Public Library Services to Shut-Ins and Retirees
Amnesty International Child’s Urgent Action Campaign
City Clean Ups
Michigan Humane Society
All About Animals
Skillman Center for Children
Earthworks
Community Meetings at Heilmann
and ourselves (the older kids help the younger kids)
Recipient of President’s Environmental Award
– 3rd runner up Midwest Region
Distinguished Service Awards from the Detroit
Recreation Department for Jean
Detroit Chamber of Commerce/Detroit Police
Department Citizen of the Year for Jean
Spirit of Detroit Awards for Jean
Take Time to Care Kiwanis Award for Jean
Articles/TV
Above
is the WXYZ Channel 7 Story on us for the Detroit 2020 Award
The Front Porch: A Youth Program Based Solely on Relationships in
Where Do the Children Play? by Elizabeth Goodenough. Published by
Michigan Television in 2007.
Detroit Free Press Article by Desiree Cooper - Change, Peace Begin
at Home on the Porch January 28, 2003
