I just heard the founder of Life Remodeled, Chris Lambert, interviewed on Detroit AM radio station, WJR.  He’s a man who was born in California, was raised in Indiana and, in his words, was called to Detroit.
[vimeo https://vimeo.com/53132004]
His organization has been working in the Southeast Michigan area for several years now, concentrating on improving the life of one family, and one neighborhood, at a time.  The family gets a new home, financial counseling, family counseling, and religious counseling if the family desires it.  The neighborhood gets a facelift.  Since 2011 they have built five brand new houses (each in 6 days) in Farmington Hills, Hazel Park, Pontiac, Redford, and Westland, Michigan.  These are all in the Metro Detroit area.
The 2013 Build in is Detroit.  Their goal, to accomplish in just 6 days:

• – Build a brand new house for a deserving family
• – Remodel 24 existing homes
• – Beautify 48 blocks in the surrounding area
• – Board up 250 vacant houses
• – Serve thousands of meals
• – Provide safety & security
• – Host a huge celebration the 7th day!

This will all happen July 29 – August 4, 2013, funding from various sources, and volunteers from all over Michigan.
WHO IS INVOLVED

Expecting at least 5,000 volunteers to complete this one-week project, LIFE REMODELED is partnering with:
BUSINESSES (volunteers from Quicken Loans, General Motors and Ford, builders from Barton Malow, and materials from Allied Building Products and Carrier) +
ORGANIZATIONS (Central Detroit Christian, Arise Detroit, Handyman Ministries, EACH, World Vision) +
CHURCHES (NorthRidge, Oak Pointe, Woodside, Ward, Detroit World Outreach) + MANY MORE!

FROM THEIR PRESS RELEASE

Inspired by the TV show “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition,” Life Remodeled takes the concept even further with a more comprehensive approach —providing the families they serve not only with a new house, but with essential life skills for a period of three years after the build. Those include services such as professional family counseling and financial training, as well as spiritual and personal support.
Life Remodeled also helps integrate the family into their new community.

I see that they have a television pilot available on the media page at their website, so perhaps it is their plan to market the pilot as a way to fund their various projects, as well as gain wider knowledge of what they are doing.
If you are interested in learning more about this organization, their website is Life Remodeled

A lot of good people still live in the city of Detroit.  If it were not for the many non-profit organizations in Michigan who do so much for the city and people of Detroit, the city would be in even worse shape than it is, and that is pretty bad.  Corporations are donating ambulances and police cars, buying and renovating property, clearing abandoned properties, and non-profits like this one, Salvation Army, Detroit Rescue Mission, and many others are on the streets helping people every day of every year.
I am proud of the people of Michigan, who are trying to make a difference in a place that others have given up for dead.