Dearborn Community Fund

Dearborn Community Fund http://www.dearborncommunityfund.org Featuring student art exhibit, instrumental and vocal music and dance performances.

Dearborn Community Fund - A 501c3 non-profit organization that supports arts, cultural and recreational programs that enhance quality of life and contribute to the vibrancy of the city of Dearborn, Michigan. The Dearborn Community Fund is a non-profit organization that contributes to the vibrancy of the city of Dearborn, Michigan, by supporting arts, recreational and cultural projects and activities across the city and at the Ford Community & Performing Arts Center (The Center). The Fund provides financial and volunteer resources to support initiatives that enhance the quality of life for those who live, play and work in Dearborn while maintaining Dearborn as a creative and dynamic city. In partnership with the City of Dearborn and other community organizations including Dearborn Public Schools, the Fund takes a leadership role in presenting programs and opportunities such as:

* Dearborn's Art In Public Places Project - sponsoring outdoor sculptures on display across Dearborn and elementary student workshops in partnership with the East Dearborn Downtown Development Authority (EDDDA) and West Dearborn Downtown Development Authority.

* Youth Arts Dearborn Festival with the Dearborn Public Schools in April at the Ford Community & Performing Arts Center. Free admission.

* Pockets of Perception (POP) student design team - Public art project in which students representing all high schools in Dearborn work with instructors, artists and business people to design and install a permanent public art project. Past projects are a mosaic in the John D. Dingell Transit Center and sculptures in two public parks. The DCF is a 501c3 non-profit organization. Donations to the Fund are tax deductible to the full extent permitted by law. For more information or to make a donation, please contact Executive Director EmmaJean Woodyard at 313.943.5478. Also please visit www.dearborncommunityfund.org.

The History of Tomorrow 🚗🐕🌹🖼️ Yesterday, the POP Design Team unveiled their latest mural, “The History of Tomorrow” at t...
08/27/2026

The History of Tomorrow 🚗🐕🌹

🖼️ Yesterday, the POP Design Team unveiled their latest mural, “The History of Tomorrow” at the Dearborn Historical Museum offices.

🧑‍🎨 2026 POP Design Team Members include Lilian Kaafarani, Adam Hachem, Amanie Alfatlawy, Kaitlyn Catris, Fatima Alhilfi, Affrica Cassidy, and Kole Catris who worked alongside Director Sunshine Durant, Assistant Eliana Pettigrew, and Guest Artist Anthony Midwest.

💰 Funding for the mural was supplied by Ford Philanthropy, William Bailkowski, The Exchange Club of Dearborn, Steven and Faye Adelson, Ken and Jamie Paris, Johanna Seidel, Jim, and EmmaJean Woodyard.

👏 Project support provided by City of Dearborn - Mayor Abdullah H. Hammoud, Dearborn Historical Museum, Dearborn Parks & Recreation, and Blick Art Materials.

Thank you to everyone who came out yesterday for the dedication of our new POP Design Team mural at the Dearborn Histori...
08/27/2026

Thank you to everyone who came out yesterday for the dedication of our new POP Design Team mural at the Dearborn Historical Museum! It was an incredible day celebrating creativity, community, and the power of public art.

Special thanks to Mayor Abdullah Hammoud for his continued support, to the Museum team for hosting us, and to Parks & Rec staff and our volunteers for all their hard work behind the scenes.

The mural is a gift to city recreation and a project of the Dearborn Community Fund’s 2026 Pockets of Perception (POP) Team. These amazing young artists—Lilian Kaafarani, Adam Hachem, Amanie Alfatlawy, Kaitlyn Catris, Fatima Alhilfi, Affrica Cassidy, and Kole Catris—worked alongside Director Sunshine Durant, Assistant Eliana Pettigrew, and guest artist Anthony Midwest to bring this vision to life.

“The History of Tomorrow” honors Dearborn’s past and celebrates our community’s constant innovation. Every detail, from Lizzie the corgi driving a red Model-T to pottery and intricate lace textures, tells a story about progress, tradition, and the vibrant future ahead.

POP 2026 Funding provided by:
Ford Motor Company
William Bailkowski
The Exchange Club of Dearborn, Steven and Faye Adelson
Ken and Jamie Paris, Johanna Seidel, Jim and EmmaJean Woodyard.

Thank you all for supporting youth-driven art and for investing in the creative spirit of Dearborn!

Honoring Our Fallen Heroes: Dearborn Community Fund Joins Memorial Statue Initiative!We are proud to announce that the D...
08/20/2026

Honoring Our Fallen Heroes: Dearborn Community Fund Joins Memorial Statue Initiative!

We are proud to announce that the Dearborn Community Fund has officially joined as a Bronze Sponsor to support a deeply meaningful project for our city. In a powerful collaborative effort, the Dearborn Fire Department has partnered with One Dearborn (a 501(c)(3) non-profit) to raise $120,000 for a permanent bronze memorial statue. This monument will stand proudly in front of Dearborn Fire Station 2, ensuring that the brave firefighters who made the ultimate sacrifice in service to our community are never forgotten.

Every dollar raised goes directly toward the design, sculpting, and installation of this memorial, which will honorably bear the names of our fallen heroes:

FF Walter Blankertz (1918) FF Ulrich Davidson (1926) FF Charles Srull (1929) Lieutenant Cheslaw Dowgiallo (1967) Fire Marshal Edward Mosko (1983) Captain Jeremy Watkins (2025)

Together, we ensure their legacy of courage and sacrifice lives on forever.

(Pictured: Dearborn Community Fund Board Members Jay Makled and Maria Willett, Board President Johanna Seidel, Acting Director Sasha Corder, alongside Fire Chief Joseph Murray and Patrick D’Ambrosio of One Dearborn)

07/11/2026

A new mural is almost complete at the Dearborn Historical Museum offices 👀 POP Design Team

07/11/2026
Thank you to the Community Foundation For Southeastern Michigan for being an amazing resource for our areas non-profit s...
06/24/2026

Thank you to the Community Foundation For Southeastern Michigan for being an amazing resource for our areas non-profit sector. Today’s panel discussion was truly inspiring and reaffirmed that even though the work is tough, it is meaningful, and together we really CAN make significant impacts in our communities!

Dearborn Community Fund was represented by our Director, Sasha Corder and our amazing summer intern, Eliana Pettigrew.

We are so excited for this years POP Design Team location! Check it out as this year’s team does some on-site research t...
06/19/2026

We are so excited for this years POP Design Team location! Check it out as this year’s team does some on-site research to help out in the creative design process with Dearborn’s amazing historians! Dearborn Historical Museum

06/19/2026
We are filled with gratitude following the 2026 Mayor’s Arts Awards! Thank you to all our incredible guests, generous sp...
05/22/2026

We are filled with gratitude following the 2026 Mayor’s Arts Awards! Thank you to all our incredible guests, generous sponsors, and dedicated partners for making this celebration of Dearborn’s vibrant creative community such a success. Your support uplifts our city’s artists and ensures the arts remain a vital force in Dearborn.

A huge congratulations to this year’s outstanding honorees:
🏆 Patron Award: Rotary Club of Dearborn
👏 Volunteer Award: Brenda Lemecha
🎨 Art Educator Award: Mohamad Bazzi
🌟 Artist/Performer Award: Isabela Sierzputowski
🧶 Arts Organization Award: Michigan Rugg Artistes
🌟 Special Recognition Award: Berni Herm
🎼 Mayor’s Award: Dearborn Youth Symphony (DYS)

Each of you inspires us and enriches our community through your passion, creativity, and commitment to the arts. We’re proud to honor your achievements!

Special thanks to our 2026 sponsors: William Bialkowski, Glass Academy/Chris Nordin Studios, our anonymous donor, and Qahwah House for providing delicious coffee and refreshments. Your generosity helps keep the arts alive in Dearborn.

A heartfelt thank you to Mike Mosley as well to our amazing performers: Dearborn Youth Voices, directed by Vanessa El-Zein Lai, for their wonderful renditions of “Hawaiian Roller Coaster Ride” and “This Little Light of Mine,” and to Sydney Assalley Williams, accompanied by Yanjie Zhu, for her moving performance of “I Miss the Mountains” from the Players Guild of Dearborn’s recent production of “Next to Normal.”

Here’s to the future of the Mayor’s Arts Awards and to everyone who makes Dearborn a shining beacon of culture and creativity!

It’s time to shine a spotlight on the stars of our creative community! The 2026 Mayor’s Arts Awards are officially appro...
02/14/2026

It’s time to shine a spotlight on the stars of our creative community! The 2026 Mayor’s Arts Awards are officially approaching, and we need YOUR help to celebrate those who make our city vibrant!

📍 Where: Studio A, Ford Community & Performing Arts Center

🗓️ When: Monday, May 20, 2026 @ 7:00 PM

We are looking for nominations in five categories:

🌟 Artist Performer Award – For impactful local artists.
🏢 Organization Award – For groups advancing the arts.
🤝 Patron Award – For the generous supporters of our creative scene.
🍎 Arts Educator Award – For teachers inspiring the next generation.
🧡 Volunteer Award – For those giving their time to keep the arts alive.

⚠️ DEADLINE: Nomination forms are due by MARCH 20, 2026.

Don't let a local hero go unrecognized! Get more details or submit your nomination through the City of Dearborn’s official website.



Click Here to Print Nomination Form The 2026 Mayor’s Arts Awards will be presented 7pm on Monday, May 20 2026 in Studio A at the Ford Community & Performing Arts Center. The following awards wi…

Address

21000 West Ten Mile Rd
Southfield, MI
48075

Telephone

3139435478

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Dearborn Community Fund posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Shortcuts

Share