Appropriations Requests for : SAY Detroit

1. Cosponsoring legislators:

No Cosponsors

Recipient Information

2. Intended legislatively directed spending item recipient:

SAY Detroit

3. Physical address of legislatively directed spending item recipient and the intended location of the project or activity:

Recipient address: 29836 Telegraph Road, Southfield, MI 48034 Project address: 6327 Burlingame Street, Detroit, MI 48204

4. The recipient's employer identification number:

204786626

Funding Details

5. Requested amount of the legislatively directed spending item:

$2,000,000.00

6. What is the purpose and how does the legislatively directed spending item provide a public benefit that is an appropriate use of taxpayer money?

SAY Detroit is launching a transformative investment in Detroit’s future: the acquisition and redevelopment of the historic St. Cecilia campus into a state-of-the-art youth development, academic enrichment, leadership, and recreation center serving the city’s West Side. This bold project, funded by a $10 million campaign, along with funding from the LDSI request, will restore one of Detroit’s most iconic cultural spaces and convert it into a modern, high impact resource for thousands of young people and families. This project is urgent, ambitious, and rooted in both legacy and innovation. St. Cecilia is widely known as “The Saint”—a near-sacred space where basketball legends including Magic Johnson, George Gervin, Jalen Rose, Derrick Coleman, and Chris Webber sharpened their skills. But the building’s importance extends far beyond sports. It has long been a gathering place, an anchor for its neighborhood, and a symbol of hope and community pride. Recently, however, like many landmarks in the city of Detroit, it has fallen in disrepair and decay. It sits empty and idle most of the time. Meanwhile, with demand for SAY Detroit’s programs significantly outpacing the capacity of the existing East Side SAY Play Center, a second location is essential. St. Cecilia is the ideal next step. It is centrally located, historically significant, structurally viable, and surrounded by community partners such as Focus: HOPE, Life Remodeled, Detroit Public Schools, and neighborhood block clubs. The new SAY Detroit St. Cecilia Center will double the organization’s reach while offering new programming aligned with Detroit’s evolving workforce, educational, and community needs. WHY THIS MATTERS NOW Detroit’s young people are talented and resilient—but they face enormous systemic barriers. Too many lack access to consistent academic support, safe recreation, college and career exposure, strong mentors, and structured leadership development. In the SAY Play Center at Lipke Park, SAY Detroit has built a proven model addressing these needs through year-round programming, holistic support, and community engagement. Our success is unparalleled. But demand far exceeds capacity. SAY Detroit’s existing site serves hundreds of students every week but routinely has waitlists of families seeking tutoring, mentoring, recreation, and afterschool enrichment. Meanwhile, the West Side of Detroit has long lacked significant youth infrastructure. Reinvesting in St. Cecilia is not only symbolic—it is strategic. The project provides: • Geographic expansion of services into high-need neighborhoods • Increased capacity for tutoring, STEM, workforce, and arts programming • Safe community space in a historically underserved area • Modern facilities to meet diverse youth and family needs • A long-term, permanent asset for Detroit’s westside families The timing is right. The need is undeniable. And SAY Detroit has leadership, brand credibility, and operational strength to deliver.

7. Has the legislatively directed spending item previously received or been awarded any of the following types of funding in the past 5 years?

No previous funding received

8. Estimated time frame for completion of the legislatively directed spending item project:

1 year

Additional Information For Nonprofit Corporations

9. Is the recipient a nonprofit corporation?

Yes

4. Officers and active members on the board of directors:

Charles Rothstein, Chair Robert Orley, Mitch Albom, Al Papa, Carmen Harlan, Arn Tellum, Cythia Ford, Lomas Brown, Ben Carter, Chad Audi, Michael Land

Certification By Sponsoring Legislator

• "I certify that my immediate family members, legislative staff members, and I have no direct or indirect pecuniary interest in the requested legislatively directed spending item."
• "I certify that the intended recipient of this legislatively directed spending item is not a for-profit entity."
• "I certify that the information in this form is true to the best of my knowledge."

Senator Mallory McMorrow