REPORTS FROM MEETINGS
What a Joke, the Sad Part is I am not Laughing!!
By Sheila Crowell
Mark Schrupp
I was at the meeting on March 22nd, when Robert Bobb was brought to the public as a pawn, he had to be playing along with this game. After all, Robert Bobb is not going to do anything without it helping only Robert Bobb.. I have been asking R.B and Mark Schrupp for some time to meet with our neighborhood. Not just me but the people, families, parents, youth, of our 48210 Claytown Neighborhood, but nothing have I heard except a few emails from Mark Schrupp with promises to let me know what is going on, sad to say I am still waiting.
Maybe R.B. feels we’re not worth talking to, after all the Skillman Foundation did put a label on the people of our Claytown families. “Low income,” they even went as far as to use the words we are below “property value level, adding we have the highest teenage births. Even if this is true, it doesn’t mean we are worthless. Some have jumped on the band wagon of ‘let me get a grant, grant, grant.’ I am not saying it’s wrong to ask for help, but you must be able to do for yourselves. Think of it like this, what would you do if Skillman ran dry, or they just don’t like it because you want to take the help you received, and try your best with others in your neighborhood to make it on your own, wouldn’t they be proud that their help, had instilled the desire to better our community for all involved?
Robert Bobb sighting
Elvis Presley sighting
The other night’s meeting was a plan: if the word was put out that Robert Bobb was going to be at the meeting just watch and see how many people show up. Give them what you said would be in the flier, Robert Bobb. He will answer a few questions that had been written out ahead of time, with no surprises. A white board was held up for all to see, after he gave his answers and spoke for a few minutes, then Robert Bobb became Elvis, leaving the building with his merry men following by his side, what a joke.
Then a woman and a man came to the mike, played out a scene about a bus trip, and how much it would cost to go to Washington DC, for equal rights never saying a dollar amount. As I sit down in the front on the floor, I I saw youth with signs and the ministers standing next to or behind the youth. All at once I saw Marie Salines of NCDI was holding a gold pot up in the air, they were asking for money, donations. Where was Skillman?
tudents and parents protest closing of O.W. Holmes, first proposed in 2007
We were told at a parents’ meeting at OW Homes, the meeting was going to be about closing OW Homes and Logan, and being involved in the designs of the new school that is to be built. A parent had gone to a meeting where RB was, this was the information she brought back. Nothing was said about OW Homes or Logan. A woman who was with the group on the stage did make statements her group wanted to be involved in the designs for Munger. If the 48210 Claytown Neighborhood, is left out of anything for our neighborhood, I promise all I will get an attorney. Enough is Enough…
That alone is a joke, the designs have already been made…I wonder why she didn’t ask Robert Bobb about the designs after all he was there, and she was a part of this team, unless it really was planned?
PS There were people in the front of the building [ed.—By Any Means Necessary, BAMN students) not for Robert Bobb holding up signs. They made them leave from the entrance of the church.
The only thing that is left for me to say is I felt dirty when I left….I feel sorry for the parents that will have to deal with people who are only interested in using them to gain power.
Sheila Crowell
John Van Camp, CEO Southwest Solutions
Editor: Here are comments on the same meeting from wealthy John Van Kamp, who runs the allegedly non-profit Southwest Solutions, but profits from numerous poorly-kept apartment buildings its affiliates have turned into for-profit enterprises using government funds.
I need to tell you about the inspiring rally that took place Tuesday night, called “Coming Together for a Better Detroit”!!
About 900 people filled the pews of a spacious church in southwest Detroit. Their faces represented the wonderful diversity that characterizes our community. And their call for change filled the sanctuary like a chorus.
Grayling Elementary rotting after DPS closure
We all listened intently as parents and youth spoke from the podium and described issues in our community that need to be addressed, like improving our schools, making our neighborhoods safer, and protecting the rights of immigrants and minorities. The speakers directed specific requests to the key policymakers in attendance, including Robert Bobb and leaders in the City and local law enforcement.
The policymakers agreed to each request in principle, and with each commitment the audience reacted enthusiastically. All of us felt that we accomplished something important at this event, and it was time well spent.
The rally was the result of two years of hard work by our Community Partnerships program and the dedicated team of young organizers at the Harriet Tubman Center. Together, they have been mobilizing parents, youth, educators, faith leaders, community organizations, and others into a powerful, grass-roots movement determined to help create a more civil and just society.
On the same day that the census was released, revealing the disheartening news of Detroit’s historic decline, the rally represented palpable hope. Undoubtedly, if we are to change our city, this inclusive and growing movement is necessary to help make it happen.
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“A Deliberate Web of Lies and Deception”
My name is Sheila Crowell, I am a resident, homeowner, community leader,
& advocate, I am about to pass to each of you information of how Skillman
Foundation came into our lives, at that very same moment in time SF was
planting their seeds of how to take over of each of the 6 GNI neighborhoods,
by using their power & money, adding the people whom fell for their lines of
promises to help the grass roots people with small grants, because some of
you wanted to help make a difference for your youth, because after all SF
words were “Kids Matter”. Then there were those whom just liked getting big
checks, making people ask what will they have to for SF to get these big checks?
Maybe help to build a “web of lies & deceptions”.
Sorry to say, to anyone whom was trying to make a true difference for their
youth & families of these neighborhoods, would at one time or another would
be caught up in this almighty web. Everyone hopes for a night in shinning armor,
you just have to watch what you are hoping for~
I knew nothing about Skillman Foundation, until the day SF walked into Our
Lady of Angles, making statements they would be in the neighborhoods for
10 years, with promises of giving small grants by filling out applications and
begin approved by a committee of “their chose”, they didn’t state it like that,
but this is just how it went, then you might get lucky & a project you & others
had worked hard for, might get picked.
For 2 years I was on this committee, until I was taken out to lunch & was
told I was needed else where (never begin told where that else where was),
then adding my 2 years were up. First of all the plan to get me to lunch was a
4 way joke of a plan put together by LL, ST of Prevention Network & EI, SJ
of SF, it took these four people maybe more to remove little old me from their
small grant committee, you must be asking why would it take a group of people
to remove such a person like me, “I watched, listened and learned” from these
small grant committee meetings, I was able to see and read that other GNI neighborhoods had received more grant money than the others did. In fact if
you will look it up you will see the area which SF calls the “Chadsey” area this
is the lowest of the 6 GNI neighborhoods to receive grant money. The Condon
area has received more grant money than the so called Chadsey area has &
we have been put together by SF as the Chadsey Condon neighborhood. Also
a group has been formed by SF’s seed & was named the Chadsey Condon
Community Organization (CCCO), BM the treasure of the CCCO Board is
married JM whom is on the small grant review committee, she has been
approved by the grant committee to receive grant money, leaving many
asking is this a conflict of interest for both to be connected with SF in a
manner which makes both involved with SF? Last, there were “NO”
limitations for the years a committee person was to stay on the small grant
committee. I spoke up, & Skillman didn’t like this one little bit, so I had to
go.. This is what takes places when you fill you have a right to speck up for
your neighborhood.
As I said, the (CCCO) was form and is owned and ruled by SF. In fact SF has
given this organization grant money of $160,000.00 & $210,000.00 dollars
to help our 48210 & 48208 neighborhoods. In all, by SF and a few others a
total over $384,000.00 dollars had been given to the CCCO which is a
complete mess, not forgetting the “money SF paid to start the CCCO”. This
is a web of non-profits, churchs, & etc whom from the start, some did not fill
out forms to be elected, so therefore they were not elected by the residents
to be on the CCCO, but was placed on the CCCO Board. With our community
needs of help, we have walked right into their line of fire.
I have seen people going from one group to another, then coming back to the
group they left. Willing to trade themselves off to another, at the same time
never leaving one another side.
Bridging Communities Inc, located at 6900 McGraw and Southwest Solutions
also located on McGraw only two buildings away from each other has joined
SF alone with other groups to take over the two neighborhoods known as
48210 Claytown and 48208 Condon, because we just happen to be one of the
SF’s 6 GNI neighborhoods.
Skillman Foundation came to our Claytown neighborhood in 2006, you can
bet they were giving one heck of a pitch, which would draw the people into
their mighty web by telling them they were here for 10 years & would be
giving out grant money to help the grass roots people. many of these “non
-profits & organizations, Churchs”, would later be involved in the plans to
take over our residents and neighborhoods. Both areas are asking where
were these church’s before the CCCO came along?
If anyone believes Skillman Foundation did not have these plans you are
kidding yourselves and others. They had the money, power, and the people
whom were willing to sell out for apart of their “money.” What more could
they want? I fill by voicing what had to be said & standing up our 48210
Claytown neighborhood we were kicked to the curb by SF, just like our
Chadsey High students were kicked “completely” out of our Claytown
neighborhood by the hands of Robert Bobb, whom I have been told SF
helped to pay his salary. ( If I am wrong, prove it).
Some of the people whom are on the CCCO Board and whom are making
decisions for our lives and neighborhoods are : Chair- Mr. Sherwyn Davis
of Zion Church, Vice Chair- Phyilis Edwards of Bridging Communities,
Susan Hooks-Brown of Southwest Solutions, Bernadine Martin of Building
Better Adults, Aswan Almaktary of ACCESS, Gerald Lyon of Boys & Girls
Club. A total of 17 members with “3 paid staff persons” Tracy Lewis,
Mahalieka Robinson, Charity Dean begin paid $1o8,286 dollars out of the
grant money received to help our neighborhoods. By the way AFG has
been paid $8,000.00 & 10,500.00 ($18,500.00 dollars) for begin the
CCCO’s fiduciary. Think of the needs that could be meet with that kind
of money, how did that sit with your stomach?
Out of 17 CCCO board members “8 members will be leaving on January
31, 2012. Why? In 2011, Adisa Chaney of NCDI along with another Chair
by the name of C Cline gave her resignation leaving the CCCO, a question
was asked by a CCCO board member what happened to the paperwork
Cline had as Chair, it was said Cline took the paperwork with her when she
left. Cline had of all information about funding, where is the paperwork?
Others have also left the CCCO Board, “WHY?”. January 30, 2010 I was the
first to walk out and gave my resignation. From 2006, I had watched,
listened, and learned from the start of what games SF had in the works for
our families and Claytown neighborhood. SF is the same as a EFM, look at
what Robert Bobb did to many of our neighborhoods. SF is all about owning,
ruling, ordering, any and all matters that will take place in each of these 6
GNI neighborhoods. Money talks, people have rights as long as they can get
paid for begin on Skillman’s side.
“Please Don’t stop reading”, this is going to get even more interesting. In
2011 one of the Chadsey Condon Community Organization members by the
name of Erica Wright, came up with an wonderful idea to help the youth with
some of their college education, at least some of the money would be spent on
our youth. For the first time the CCCO Board had listened to what Erica had
to say. A $1,000.00 scholarship was going to be awarded to the students that
applied and passed their applications, the other begin a criminal background
check, (this was one of the requirements for the scholarship asked by Erica).
People of the CCCO turned in their applications.
Erica had turned in two applications, the board meet and these two applications
were passed by the committee. Erica mean while had written to Mr. Davis-
Chair of the CCCO a letter of how she was not happy with what had “not taken
place in the two years” she had been on the CCCO Board. Mr. Davis read it
wrong and this caused a reaction that left a bitter taste for Erica and her 35
years of hard volunteer work, which she had given to her youth of the 48208
Condon neighborhood. 35 years and to be pushed to the side, was as bad as it
was when our youth from Chadsey High were kicked to the curb with their
education by taring down Chadsey High. Both had to do with the youth..
Back to her two applications, Erica found out that the two young ladies did not
pass their applications. One because she did not turn in her paperwork in on
time, which is still up in the air. Do you remember, I said they had to have CBC,
well the other young lady was told to her by email she did not pass her CBC.
Another reaction was sit off and away Erica went fighting for her youth which
she had fought for many years, helping the youth of all ages & their battles.
After emails, 3 way phone calls, questions that had to be asked, yet made
you sick well doing it, Erica was able to find out the CCCO Board used the
“wrong name & wrong birth date”causing this young lady to be left out, also
making false statements about her life, defaming her name”, causing her to
have questions in her mind of why would anyone say something like this
about her?. Erica has told me of how this young girl worked so hard to get
herself into her first year of college, then for Skillman Foundation’s own
people whom they fund & sit up to have made a mess up as this, leaving
everyone that will hear about this asking, how could the CCCO be in charge
of our lives and help at the same to cause such a “BIG MISTAKE” adding a
night mare for this one young lady or has there been more?
You would think this problem would have been taken care of by now, “NO
it has NOT,” the young lady is still waiting & so is Erica because this is her
name that is on the scholarship, it was named after Erica & she has requested
that her name be removed from all materials, has this been taken care of,
“NO it has NOT”. All Erica has left is her name and the fight she has for her
youth, you see the both of us have fought one way or another to help our
youth in both of our Claytown & Condon neighborhoods.
I would like for you to do something, turn and look at your youth whom has
given everything they have to better their next day. Many of our youth have
a hard road and are trying their best, sometimes that is even hard for them,
then to be faced with another battle because, no one is taking care of business
except for Erica & this young lady whom wants her name cleared. What would
you do if this had happen to your child?
Also the residents of 48210 Claytown and 48208 Condon were not given this information to be passed out to the youth of our neighborhoods, I have to ask
was this only for the CCCO Board members only?
From Sheila Crowell
Advocate For All Ages~
313-729-7899
sheilacrowell@att.net