Come April 25th, among the hundreds of communities where Comcast volunteers will be making change happen is the city of Detroit, where Motor City Blight Busters will participate in our eighth Comcast Cares Day.

Founded 25 years ago, Motor City Blight Busters is committed to revitalizing the Detroit community. And we don’t do it alone. Throughout the years, our nonprofit has worked with a broad coalition of community partners to paint 684 homes, board up and secure 379 abandoned buildings, renovate 176 houses, and build 114 new ones to create suitable housing for 1,160 people. We are thrilled Comcast is part of this loyal coalition, and it’s amazing what we’ve accomplished together.

Here are some highlights of our teamwork on Comcast Cares Day:

  • In 2012, Comcast Cares Day volunteers worked with us to help tear down one of seven vacant and dilapidated homes on a troubled city block. Together, we gutted and cleaned it, and smashed out the windows. We also cleaned up a neighborhood playground and painted a mural there.

  • In 2013, volunteers came out on Comcast Cares Day to help us expand a city garden, planting fruits, vegetables and herbs. We also painted another mural in a neighborhood nearby; removed debris from a warehouse; and worked with our youngest volunteers to stuff book bags with coloring books, markers, paper, canvas and paint and donated them to neighborhood children.

  • On Comcast Cares Day 2014, we partnered to build an orchard, planting 25 fruit trees on – where else? – Orchard Street. In addition, Comcast volunteers helped demolish an apartment building that was transformed later into a facility to house veterans.

Next week, Comcast volunteers will be back again. Our main task will be expanding the orchard on Orchard Street by adding 35 apple trees, 8 pear trees, and 7 cherry trees. Together with Comcast, we are transforming Detroit’s abandoned buildings and vacant lots into livable, vibrant spaces for families. Working together, we are truly turning visions into reality.