Featured Image: Bryant Community Center Outdoor Classroom
Hello Friends,

April was (a bit surprisingly!) filled with sunny afternoons which meant we got to spend tons of time with our after school program kiddos outside. As seen in the photo above, our outdoor classroom at Bryant Community Center - funded by Sustaining Ann Arbor, designed by CAN's Art & Design team, and built by our amazing volunteers - has been getting a lot of use and has been a wonderful addition to our community center. As we finish out the school year we are very much preparing for summer camp starting in June 2021. You may know that CAN hosts a 6-week summer camp free of charge to all CAN students K-5th grade. This year, we plan to host a hybrid in-person & virtual camp at six locations serving hundreds of students. We look forward to sharing more about our summer activities with you all!

Thank you,
Your Friends at CAN
What Is Happening at CAN?
CAN is hiring!
Summer Program Facilitators:

  • 8-week commitment
  • June 14-August 6
  • Position made possible by AmeriCorps Summer Associate Program
  • Must be 18 years of age (per AmeriCorps rules)
  • Mostly in-person, outdoor with masks
Pre-COVID photos*
Year Long VISTAs:

  • Ongoing enrollment with a variety of start dates
  • Year-long commitment focused on capacity building
  • Position(s) made possible by AmeriCorps
  • Must be 18 years of age (per AmeriCorps rules)
For more information please visit: https://www.canwashtenaw.org/jobs
Arrowwood Hills Community Center Bike Giveaway!
Arrowwood Hills Community Center was connected with Free Bikes 4 Kids through The Moving Village this month! With a generous donation of about 50 bikes, Arrowwood had a free bike giveaway for community kiddos. Since the giveaway, the kids of Arrowwood have been riding around the area on their new bikes and enjoying the sunny days. Thank you, Free Bikes 4 Kids!
Above: Arrowwood students receiving their bikes
Celebrating National Volunteer Week
April 18-24 was National Volunteer Week and we can't pass up an opportunity to recognize just a few of the many volunteers who make our work possible. 

Bob (below) has been volunteering at Bryant for 8 years as a way to give back to the community after retiring. He volunteers at the food program every Wednesday and Thursday and we are so grateful for his hard work!
Gwen (below) volunteered at CAN’s Summer Camp for 10 years before volunteering at our Byrant Market. She has made a strong effort to get to know our community members and she has greatly impacted the lives of many!

Of course, we’d be remiss if we didn’t give a special shout-out to Paige our Director of Volunteers! If you are interested in volunteering with CAN, you can email her at [email protected].
Above: Bob at Bryant Community Center, Gwen at a food distribution event, and Paige at a CAN event
Outdoor After School Program
Thanks to the beautiful weather we have been having, CAN has been able to resume our After School Programs in person, outdoors! By hosting our programs outdoors and following COVID guidelines, we have been able to make the transition from online to in-person After School Programs.

At Hikone, Colette introduced the kids to shrink dinks and they had fun designing everything from animals to mini hearts and even turned their creations into magnets and keychains. At Green Baxter Court, Harrison welcomed the kids back with an Easter egg hunt where they got to color eggs, complete some spring coloring pages, and received goodie bags filled with yummy treats. We are so happy to have our kiddos back at our sites!
Above: CAN students doing outdoor activities
CAN Art & Design Collab: WCC Fine Arts & First Fridays Ypsilanti
"Our Layers of Identity" is a collaboration between Washtenaw Community College and First Fridays Ypsilanti to increase community engagement with the arts in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. CAN is a proud participant of this project and this Friday, May 7th some of our Brick Elementary students' art projects will be featured at the event. See the flyer below for a safe and fun reception.

Details: May 7th, 6-8pm at N. Washington St. Downtown Ypsilanti
Looking for Ways to Get Involved?
Sign Up to Make A Monthly Donation
If you are interested in supporting CAN one of the best ways you can do that is by signing up to be a monthly donor. Monthly donations allow us to continue doing our work despite unpredictable funding. Many of our clients rely on CAN services for their basic needs and we hope you will consider signing up so we can confidently offer these services without interruption. Thank you!
As always, please consult your tax advisers or the IRS to determine if a contribution is tax-deductible.
Community Action Network
PO Box 130076, Ann Arbor, MI 48113
Community Action Network partners with children, youth, and families from under-resourced Washtenaw County neighborhoods to create better futures for themselves and improve the communities in which they live.
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