The Diabetes Prevention Program is an evidence-based, nationally recognized program for those at risk for type 2 diabetes. If you are ready to make small lifestyle changes to lower your risk for type 2 diabetes, then this program is for you.

This yearlong program begins with 16 weekly sessions, followed by monthly maintenance sessions to provide ongoing support to:

• Be more active
• Eat healthy
• Lose a small amount of weight
• Manage stress
• Receive group support
• Stay motivated

Who’s Eligible?

Non-pregnant adults, with a BMI equal to or greater than 25 (23 or over if Asian decent), who do not have a diagnosis of type 1 or type 2 diabetes and meet one of the following:

• A blood test within the past year showing: Hemoglobin A1C: 5.7 to 6.4% or fasting plasma glucose:100–125 mg/dL

— OR —

• Have a diagnosis of pre-diabetes or a history of gestational diabetes

— OR —

• Score 5 or higher on the CDC Prediabetes Risk Test at https://www.cdc.gov/prediabetes/risktest/index.html

When and Where?

The in-person course will be held on Tuesdays beginning March 10 from 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm

A distance learning (virtual) course will be held on Wednesdays beginning April 11 from 6:15 pm – 7:15 pm

How to Enroll?

For more information or to enroll call 734-655-8942.

An information session will be held March 3, 2026 at 1:00 pm for the in-person course.

An information session will be held April 4, 2026 at 6:15pm for the distance learning (virtual) course.

Click here to download a flyer.

By the end of the day, our volunteers had served 227 meals and assisted over 200 guests.

The first step? Facing facts: 1 in 10 people in the U.S. have been diagnosed with the disease, but more alarmingly, 1 in 5 people are not aware they have it. Education and prevention are key to reducing those statistics — and health care costs, which are estimated at $327 billion dollars nationally for diagnosed individuals.

Alexis Harvey, SAY Detroit Family Health Clinic’s community health worker who leads the monthly sessions explained a vital screening step to the group: “It’s important to communicate with your health care provider about your family history so they can determine what screenings are necessary. We all should encourage the people we care about to also be screened.”

Harvey was joined by SAY Clinic’s on-staff health coach Janine Greene and Debby Miller, community health worker at Trinity Health, who provided key information about diabetes prevention classes that provide targeted guidance on how to implement lifestyle changes that fight Type 2 Diabetes. A new class is starting at the SAY Clinic in March — please call 734-655-8942 to register for an information session on March 3 to learn more about the class.

Even if you’re not at risk of developing diabetes, it’s never too late to develop healthy living habits — Green recommends at least 150 minutes of physical activity each week along with health eating. Past events have helped participants learn about nutrition labels and patients at the clinic regularly receive “prescriptions” for fresh vegetables through a partnership with local urban garden.

In a special treat, a mini book club session also introduced participants to Harvey’s new and well-received self-published memoir, Reclaiming My Time. In a safe space where members regularly share their personal stories, it was a special opportunity to celebrate the support group leader’s raw and moving story.

The conference room was transformed into a “zen” paradise for staff and patients, boasting massages, meditation, aromatherapy, tea, and sensory relaxation. “My goal is to bring a safe and calm space to businesses and organizations, where they can take a minute to relax and decompress,” explained Takyra Fulton, who founded CALM more than seven years ago to create safe, restorative spaces for Black women to prioritize self-care, mental health, and community connection without barriers.

After the success of working with CALM during First Year’s BabyQ luncheon last November, Harvey —  who directs all outreach programs for SAY Clinic — saw the opportunity and importance to “show appreciation for all the hard work our staff does, and for our dedicated patients.”

A welcome mental health resource, CALM is in talks with SAY to work on programs at SAY Play, as well as return to the clinic in the spring.

“I’m so pleased to be able to coordinate this,” Harvey explains. The patients, staff and those served by the SAY community are just as pleased to enjoy the benefits!

The SAY Detroit Play Center at St. Cecilia

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 multimillion-dollar campaign, 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.

The announcement was made during today’s SAY Detroit Radiothon, where SAY Detroit invited Mayor Michael Duggan, former Mayor Dave Bing, former Chief of the Detroit Police Department and Deputy Mayor Isaiah McKinnon, and Judith (Pickop) Cureton and Sari Cureton, widow and daughter (respectively) of Earl Cureton to join in the festivities. Mayor-Elect Mary Sheffield called in from her honeymoon.

SAY Detroit is committed to honoring this historic campus while bringing it back to life as a vibrant community hub focused on academic growth, workforce readiness, healthy youth development, and long-term neighborhood stability.

For a decade, the SAY Detroit Play Center at Lipke Park has shown what’s possible for our city’s young people. Our proven model tackles the barriers families face every day—like limited academic support, lack of safe recreation, and too few opportunities for college and career exploration. Through year-round programming, engaged mentors, and community partnerships, SAY Play has become a place where students thrive.

• Our senior Class of 2025 earned a 100% graduation rate, with 4 students heading to four-year colleges
• We are creating readers: 100% of youth enrolled in literary cohort improved reading proficiency during the school year
• It’s six-week 2025 Summer Discovery program boasts a 92% retention rate of youth participants
• More than 70% of students who participated in our afterschool program were provided transportation from school and to their homes each day — this service is essential for consistent attendance
• Enrollment and programming serves youth from more than 50 schools

At Lipke Park, every student completes academic support sessions before stepping into arts and athletics—ensuring school success always comes first. Teachers and coaches serve as mentors, guiding students on and off the court.

Now, we’re ready to bring that same success to Detroit’s west side.

St. Cecilia Parish was founded in 1921 and the parish school opened in the mid-1920s; the high school addition (which included the gym) opened around 1930. The building that contains the famous gym —  a near-sacred space where basketball legends including Magic Johnson, George Gervin, Jalen Rose, Derrick Coleman, Isiah Thomas, Earl Cureton, and Chris Webber sharpened their skills —  started life as part of the parish/school complex. It converted in the 1960s into a rec center, driven by urgent community need for a safe gathering space, under the leadership of Fr. Ray Ellis and Sam Washington Sr.

The redeveloped St. Cecilia campus will carry on this tradition of nurturing talent and building SAY Detroit’s mission to provide pathways to success for those in need. The ambitious vision for the project — 25 classrooms, over 25,000 square feet of learning space on a combined 8 acres (approximate) of space includes multiple purpose-built spaces to support academic growth, workforce readiness, healthy youth development, and community stability:

1. Academic Success Wing

2. STEM & Digital Innovation Labs

3. Arts, Music, and Cultural Development

4. Athletics & Health

5. Workforce, Leadership, and Life Skills

6. Family Empowerment Hub

7. Community & Multi-Use Spaces

We can’t wait to welcome youth into the SAY Detroit Play Center at St. Cecilia, where they’ll learn, grow, and take their place on the beloved hardwoods of “The Saint.”

If you are interested in lending your early support to this ambitious capital project, please contact Executive Director Richard Kelley at rick@saydetroit.org.

Gratitude can decrease depression, anxiety, difficulties with chronic pain and risk of disease. And the real-time healing was on full display as attendees enjoyed games and meaningful conversations, using the time to pause and appreciate the blessings in their lives. Participants shared what they were most thankful for, like an early breast cancer diagnosis that allowed for timely treatment and hope for recovery. Another participant who shared her gratitude for life after surviving a serious car accident that totaled her vehicle. “This year was the hardest year of my life,” said Alexis Harvey, SAY Detroit Family Health Clinic community health worker who runs these monthly support group meetings that help Detroit women connect and grow. “I lost my mom in June, but I still remain thankful for the love and support that I have from family, friends, and my SAY Detroit family.”

It was a beautiful reminder of resilience, community, and the power of gratitude.

Wellness Wednesdays resumes January 21, 2026.

The SAY Play Center had not been open for even a year when the Michigan Masons stepped up in the fall of 2016 and entered in a 10-year partnership ($5 million over 10 years) with SAY Detroit to support the program and its services. SAY Detroit’s partnership with the Michigan Masons is a rarity in the nonprofit world where many funders are reluctant to enter into multi-year funding agreements. The children hold an annual event each fall to celebrate the Masons, which presented its 10th $500,000 check on Wednesday, November 19.

The Michigan Masons were also presented with a Certificate of Recognition from the City of Detroit at the ceremony.

Some brought their children. Others came alone or brought a friend or their family for support.

All were welcomed Saturday (Nov. 15) at the SAY Detroit Family Health Clinic, where its First Year program held a barbeque luncheon — playfully called a BabyQ — for members which included nearly two dozen moms and expectant mothers.

“I heard about First Year from my best friend, Brianna,’’ said Erika (last name withheld to protect privacy). “Alexis who runs it is the best. The help, the resources, the kindness. She’s like an auntie I never had.”

Erika is referring to Alexis Harvey, who has served as First Year program coordinator for the last several years, providing support and education for pregnant moms and mothers with children in their first year. For the event, Harvey brought onboard several community and resource organizations to make the afternoon special for the attendees, including two rooms for relaxation and massages.

“I have a 14-year-old and a 3-month-old, and life has been tough for me,’’ Erika said. “Today was beautiful – and needed. I got a hand massage and a back massage!’’

First Year is not a one-time visit for assistance, Harvey said. Moms must attend regular meetings and receive education and training on everything from learning how to install a car seat to instruction on providing safe sleep for baby and family.

“I’ve been working with Alexis for about a year,’’ said Afi A-Alkebu-Lan of Royalty Birthing Services. “As a community-based doula, she takes a load off of me; it’s been a great partnership.’’

Harvey said of the event: “It was such an impactful event for our community! I had the opportunity to connect with many moms who expressed how appreciative they were for a day dedicated to wellness and the chance to build connections with other moms. In these challenging times, being able to come together and support our community is more important than ever.

She added: “A huge thank you to Breakroom Circle, CALM Agency, and Royalty Birthing for being an integral part of making this day so special. Their presence and contributions helped create an atmosphere of support, education, and joy that will leave a lasting impression on the moms.’’

You can support SAY Detroit’s health care initiatives like First Year here.

The Greening of Detroit is a non-profit organization focused on enhancing the quality of life for Detroiters by planting trees, providing job training and involving our youth in the education of the natural environment. They involve Detroiters in the process through community engagement, green spaces, education and jobs. Since 1989, they have planted over 166,000 trees in the City of Detroit, Hamtramck and Highland Park. They continue to plant along city and residential streets and within parks and playgrounds.

These efforts help to provide cleaner air, better storm weather management, temperature control, and beautiful green spaces, making a long-lasting difference for Detroit residents for years to come!