The Review Magazine : May-June 2022

The MML Foundation strives to support the places that League members call home. We do this work through strategic partnerships, investments in leadership, and place-based initiatives that work to ensure that everyone in our communities gets a fair shot at wellbeing. In partnership with the Michigan Municipal League, we ask you to consider becoming a donor in support of the Bridge Builders microgrant program. Please contact us at mmlfoundation@mml.org. We look forward to continuing our work with you to support strong, creative, and resilient local communities!

Experience that defines capability • The Charles Drew Horticulture Program’s mission is for all students to have access to materials and programs to learn, develop, and participate in obtaining the skills of horticulture through planting, management, consumption and sale of vegetables and flowers. With their Neighborhood grant, they were able to purchase necessary supplies to ensure the strictest growing procedures are maintained. Currently, they are on track to donate 15,000 food servings to the people of Detroit this year. This type of collaborative work is not only contagious, but imperative. Operating in silos just doesn’t work. From arts and culture to community development, and environment to health and human services, individuals, institutions, organizations, and municipalities from a spectrum of fields are feeling the pull of cross-sector collaboration. This important collaboration happens when information, resources, activities, and capabilities are linked or shared by organizations in different sectors to achieve an outcome together that could not be achieved separately. Creativity may well be the driving force of community revitalization in the 21st century. With this revitalization there is potential for increased opportunity. Efforts to support and develop a more dynamic, thoughtful, and creative community will play out in place, in the municipalities where we live, work, and play.

Helen D. Johnson is the president of the MML Foundation. You may contact her at 734.669.6336 or hjohnson@mml.org.

Pillars of Community Wealth Building We define community wealth building as strategies that build community and individual assets, creating resilient and adaptable systems to address social and economic needs. Our community wealth building pillars are tied together by two things: trust and belonging. An essential part of any community, trust and belonging represents inclusive, supporting communities where every member feels proud of where they live. The League

will work with our partners to provide thought leadership, training, advocacy, resources, and best practices to build community wealth.

At ShifmanFournier,weprovideourclientswith law practice experience that truly understands the needs of municipal organizations. This includes theprocessof resolutionofgovernment challenges and policy implementation. Our capabilities specifically for labor and employment law provide our clients with well- grounded advice and in-depth knowledge of the elements that go into quality representation. An unparalleled and unique firm that represent the interests of local governments.

31600 Telegraph Road, Suite 100 • Bingham Farms, MI 48025 (248) 594-8700 • shifmanfournier.com

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MAY / JUNE 2022

THE REVIEW