What Makes Ypsilanti Great? Share Your Story!

What makes your neighborhood shine? We want to hear from you! Writing for Community Change is a community project collecting stories, photos, and artwork from Ypsilanti residents to create a powerful narrative that showcases the vibrant heart of our city.

How It Works:

• Tell your story: Share memories, favorite places, or neighborhood highlights that show what makes the city of Ypsilanti special.
• Express yourself: Submit photos, drawings, or words – whatever captures your Ypsilanti pride.
• Join the movement: Contribute to a community-driven story that celebrates Ypsilanti’s unity and strength.

Your perspective will help shape Ypsilanti’s story for all to see! Ready to get started? Visit the link or scan the QR code to share your voice and add your piece to the Ypsilanti story.

Share your Story Here: https://tinyurl.com/YpsiStories/

Contact Brent Miller at bmille52@emich.edu with questions.

Ypsilanti District Library

MLK programming at YDL:  This January, YDL will honor Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and celebrate the only federal holiday designated as a national day of service. Check out the event lineup:

January 12th at 2 PM | YDL-Whittaker 

Jazz, Spirituals, and Civil Rights. Celebrate the legacy of MLK Jr. with live music from Sean Dobbins.

January 20th at 12pm | YDL-Superior

MLK Day Celebration - Join us as we celebrate the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., which features a performance by the Ypsilanti Youth Choir, a hands-on craft, and a community service project.

 January 20th from 2 PM to 4 PM | YDL-Michigan

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Service Project - Blankets for Homeless Persons Did you know that MLK Day is the only National Day of Service? Help us make no-sew fleece blankets to give to Delonis and Hope Clinic. Donate trial-size hygiene products for giveaway kits.

You also won't want to miss the Friends of YDL Book Sale at YDL-Whittaker! From Jan. 16-19, get great deals on great reads. Hours below. (January 16th from 6 PM to 8 PM (members-only sale)

All are welcome on Jan 17th from 11 AM - 5 PM, Jan 18th from 11 AM to 3 PM & Jan 19th from 1 PM to 4 PM.

January 21st and  25th, use a professional-grade document scanner—on loan from the Library of Michigan—to make high-quality scans of documents 8.5 x 11" (the size of a standard sheet of paper) or smaller, including photographs, correspondence, and vital records. Hours and locations (Jan. 21st from 2 PM to 5 PM at YDL-Whittaker & Jan. 25th from 2 PM  to 5 PM  at YDL-Michigan.

For more events & updates on the YDL Michigan branch opening, visit their website at: https://www.ypsilibrary.org/

DDA Update(s)

Gov. Whitmer Awards Funding to Establish a New Restaurant in Ypsilanti

Functionally obsolete property to become home of new restaurant in Ypsilanti 

SSSethi Properties, LLC plans to rehabilitate a vacant and functionally obsolete storefront in the downtown corridor of the City of Ypsilanti to become the new home of a restaurant, The Earthen Jar. The project, located at 406 W. Michigan Avenue, will enhance the local community and support economic growth while reactivating a long-vacant storefront; the property has been vacant for over 30 years and was last used as a deli in the 1990s.  

The project, which is anticipated to create a total capital investment of $403,512, is being supported by $200,000 in Build MI Community grant funds.  

Located in a series of one-story commercial buildings on the main corridor in downtown Ypsilanti, the project is minutes from Eastern Michigan University and four blocks from City Hall. It is also adjacent to the new MI-HQ project, which will house the University of Michigan’s Ypsilanti Health Center and bring hundreds of new jobs to downtown Ypsilanti. The MI-HQ project received $1 million in Revitalization and Placemaking program funding in FY23.  

Recently, the City of Ypsilanti applied for a Match on Main grant on behalf of the project and received a $25,000 award to support its development. The addition of a new restaurant is expected to spark additional investment in this long-dilapidated section of storefronts.  

"Receiving the Build MI Community grant is an exciting opportunity to turn a vacant space into a vibrant destination for the Ypsilanti community,” said developer Sim Sethi. “This grant helps breathe new life into the building while supporting the growth and revitalization of the neighborhood. Earthen Jar will be a place where tradition, flavor, and community come together, offering a unique dining experience and contributing to the area's renewal." 

"The addition of Earthen Jar to our downtown business community has been eagerly anticipated and is warmly welcomed,” said Elize Jekabson, executive director of the Ypsilanti DDA. “We are excited to collaborate with Sim and support his bold vision for transforming this long-vacant storefront in the heart of Ypsilanti. This revitalization will undoubtedly bring lasting benefits to our community for years to come.”   

“This $200,000 grant from the Build MI Community fund will be put to good use to help revive life in downtown Ypsilanti,” said state Rep. Jimmie Wilson, Jr. (D-Ypsilanti). “The new restaurant will be a place for community making and a symbol of rebirth for the vacant lot. It signifies a new beginning for this section of the downtown corridor, and I look forward to seeing the project come to life.”

The Ypsilanti Downtown Development Authority (DDA) hosted their annual HoliFest celebration on the first three Saturdays of December: the 7th, 14th, and 21st! This year’s event  brought festive cheer to downtown with roaming carolers, Santa visits to storefronts, gift-wrapping stations, and holiday music filling the streets.

Growing Hope

Film Screening: Food Chains
Join us on Tuesday, January 16, for the next installment of Growing Hope's Teen Leadership Program Food Sovereignty Film Series! We’ll be screening Food Chains, a powerful documentary revealing the injustices faced by farmworkers in America and their fight for fair wages and treatment. The event begins at 5:00 PM at the Ypsilanti Farmers MarketPlace (16 S. Washington) and is free and open to all. This is a chance to reflect on the critical connections between food, labor, and justice. Let’s come together to learn and discuss how we can build a more equitable food system.

Home Vegetable Garden Program: Applications are now open for the Home Vegetable Garden Program! This program supports working-class Ypsilanti residents by providing the resources and knowledge needed to start and maintain a thriving home garden. Participants receive garden beds, compost, seeds, seedlings, and supplies, along with a mid-season staff visit and optional mentoring from experienced gardeners. Beyond gardening, this initiative promotes health, reduces grocery costs, and strengthens family connections while addressing systemic injustices. Apply by January 24, 2025, to join this year’s program. For questions, contact farmandgarden@growinghope.net.

Growing Hope is seeking Garden Buddies to mentor participants in the Home Vegetable Garden Program, supporting new gardeners in achieving their goals through one-on-one coaching and resource sharing. Garden Buddies will check in with their mentees twice a month during the growing season, either in person or virtually, and help them set and reach goals such as improving diets, spending time with family, or reconnecting with cultural traditions. Mentors do not need to be experts—just enthusiastic gardeners willing to share their knowledge and experience. Former program participants and BIPOC gardeners are strongly encouraged to apply. A $100 stipend is available for those who participate throughout the season. Apply here!

Stay Warm!

Neighborhood Theatre Group

Auditions

Neighborhood Theatre Group is holding auditions for The Hotel Del Gado: An Anthology Play by A.M. Dean, Maegan Murphy, Greg Pizzino, and Aeron C. Wade – Directed by Marisa Dluge

On January 11th from 2 PM to 4 PM and January 14th from 7 PM to 8:30 PM at The Back Office Studio (13 N. Washington Ypsilanti, MI)

 Sign up for an audition slot: https://bit.ly/HotelDelGadoAuditions 

Artists Mixer

Neighborhood Theatre Group's next Artists Mixer will be Thursday, January 23 from 6-8pm at The Back Office Studio. The theme is 2025 Artistic Goals.

Register Here: https://forms.gle/UtRqUjWGJgGzzER49 

Whether you’re a photographer, painter, actor, designer, dancer, writer, musician, or a little bit of everything, we hope you’ll join us for our next Artists Mixer! 

Join BOS and SPARK East for Ypsi 9th Hour, an after-work social scene of networking and camaraderie!
 Thursday, January 30, 2025 · 5 pm - 6:30 pm

at The Back Office Studio (13 N Washington St)

Register Here: https://bit.ly/4gbUchP  

Help your small business have a successful 2025!

In partnership with Washtenaw County, the Internal Revenue Service is hosting a workshop to help your business plan for 2025. The workshop will include guidance and several resources regarding tax strategies for a successful 2025. Topics include:

• Changes for the 2025 Federal Tax year including IRS.gov navigation
• IRS online accounts
• Taxpayer assistance centers
• Tax return preparation: free file and free fillable forms
• Maximizing refundable tax credits
• And much more!

The workshop will take place on Thursday, January 9th, 2025 from 12pm – 2pm VIRTUALLY via Microsoft Teams

Please register at bit.ly/3VLk79 for meeting information

Questions? Please email Cheranissa Williams at williamsch@washtenaw.org