Brilliant Detroit Ongoing/Flexible Volunteer Opportunities

Brilliant Cities is a neighborhood-powered model ensuring children 0-8 are school-ready, healthy, and supported. We do this by transforming houses into family-focused, community hubs and partner with organizations to coordinate research-based programs for children and families. These programs focus on education, health, and family support, giving young children and families what they need for a bright future. In addition to programming, our Brilliant hubs offer a variety of community events and resources, including community dinners, free clothing closets, libraries, holiday celebrations, and more!

To date, Brilliant Cities has reached more than 24,000 children and caregivers, raising reading levels by an average of three grade levels per child. Since 2016, the model has expanded to 24 neighborhoods in Detroit, launched a hub in Pontiac, and is currently expanding to Philadelphia.

We’re inviting volunteers to join us in turning our mission into action. Whether reading one-on-one or with a group, painting a room, organizing our book library, or sorting in-kind donations, our hubs have meaningful volunteer opportunities that arise throughout the year, and we would love to welcome you!

Current volunteer opportunities

Brilliant Clothing Closet Organization

Each Brilliant hub offers free clothing to families in need, helping build confidence and a sense of belonging by ensuring they have appropriate attire, which can be especially important for school success and positive social interactions. Clothing Closet volunteers impact our communities by helping to create an organized and welcoming space that supports smoother operations and makes clothing easily accessible for Brilliant participants. With support from hub staff, volunteers will review donated items for quality, condition, and seasonal fit, categorize them by type and size, and help create a department store style shopping experience for our community. This role involves standing, bending, reaching and moving around for most of the shift. Multiple locations and flexible scheduling available, please inquire.

Brilliant Osborn Organization & Redesign

Friday, March 27th, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Our Osborn hub is preparing for a spring cleaning day to organize the free community clothing closet in the basement and sort and rearrange items stored in the garage. This effort will help ensure the hub’s spaces are accessible for regular programming, that our Brilliant families can easily navigate the clothing closet, and that everything is ready for our upcoming summer day camp. We're currently looking for a group of about 6-10 volunteers to join us, with half working in the garage and half in the basement. This project will involve moderate to heavy lifting.

Brilliant Dexter-Linwood Basement Organization Project

Help create a welcoming and efficient space for our Brilliant participants! We're looking for volunteers to assist with organizing the basement of our Dexter-Linwood hub which is home to our free community clothing closet. Volunteers will assist with assembling shelving units, sorting totes, and organizing clothing by size. Your efforts will help us maintain a welcoming, clutter-free environment, making it easier for community members to access the resources they need. Flexible scheduling available; please inquire.

Brilliant Cody Rouge Basement and Garage Organization

We're looking for volunteers to assist with organizing the garage and basement rooms, assembling shelving units, and storing totes—some heavy lifting required. Your volunteer efforts will support smoother operations and ensure resources are accessible in a clutter-free environment. Flexible scheduling available; please inquire to schedule a spring volunteer date. (Volunteer groups welcome!)

Brilliant Brightmoor Organization & Redesign

Our Brightmoor location is currently looking for volunteers to help organize basement rooms, assemble shelving units, and properly store totes to declutter and sort items. Volunteers will assist in creating storage solutions and ensuring our programming areas remain clean and functional. Tasks may include lifting and moving boxes, sorting supplies, and organizing materials. Volunteers are needed weekdays between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m.