Brilliant Detroit

Our Mission Brilliant Detroit is a neighborhood-powered model ensuring children 0-8 are school-ready, healthy, and supported. We do this by transforming houses into community hubs where children and families have what they need to thrive. Our proven model is community-first, transferable, and scalable. Our Vision To cultivate “Kid Success Cities” full of opportunity for young children and families to have what they need for a bright future. This looks like: ● 80% of children served in neighborhoods with Brilliant Cities hubs reading at grade level by third grade with measurable well-being; ● A proven and sustainable model that can be deployed to interested cities. Origin Story Brilliant Detroit was founded in 2016 to provide a radically new approach to early childhood education. Drawing from the experience of co-founders Cindy Eggleton and Carolyn and Jim Bellinson, this model was created by asking “what if?” What if all children in Detroit entered kindergarten ready to learn? What if existing programs and resources were aligned and working in concert for the benefit of kids and families? What if communities, led by neighbors, had all they needed for kids to be successful? What emerged was a model for Kid Success with three components: engaged families, supportive social networks, and coordinated and high-quality programs for the whole family. In eight years, this model expanded to 24 Detroit neighborhoods, serving tens of thousands of children and caregivers, in pursuit of citywide impact. Along the way, we met others outside of Detroit who wanted the same outcomes for their families and neighborhoods. From this growing interest, we created Brilliant Cities to bring this model to all those neighborhoods in search of a way to bring people and organizations together in service of Kid Success.

Our model works with families to create generational change, one child at a time. We partner with neighborhoods to transform vacant properties into bustling, family-focused community hubs where families gather to help young kids learn, grow, and thrive. We share this model around the world so that everyone, everywhere, can benefit. Our proven model is community-first, transferable and scalable: 1. LISTEN: We take the time and care to elevate community voices because local wisdom is essential. We are invited into neighborhoods by leaders, families, and associations – and we continue to listen to them. 2. PARTNER: We connect, curate, and coordinate
existing family-centered programs and
services – everything from literacy tutoring,
mental health support groups, physical
fitness, parenting classes, and more. When
working with partners, we take the approach
of a “Radical Yes” believing everyone can play a part. 3. BUILD: Together, we infuse a space in the heart of a neighborhood with the resources needed to transform it into a Brilliant Hub – a space for connection and growth. 4. SCALE: We continuously strive to improve our model, building on insights and evidence from each community, so that more neighborhoods can thrive.