A $100,000 Honda Foundation grant is turning the Charles Drew Transition Center into a first-of-its-kind vocational horticulture program — and supplying Detroit restaurants along the way.
From Classroom to Commercial Kitchen
At the corner of West Chicago and Wyoming, something extraordinary is happening. Students with autism and cognitive impairments — young adults aged 18 to 26 — are growing leafy green produce, harvesting it by hand, and delivering it directly to three five-star Detroit restaurants.
This is the Charles Drew Transition Center, a center-based DPSCD program built around one powerful idea: life skills change lives. Not textbooks. Not standardized tests. Real, hands-on vocational training that prepares young people for real jobs in their community.
“Our focus is only life skills, not academics,” says Michael Craig, the program’s special education teacher and horticulture director. “Our goal is to increase independence as much as possible — to get kids ready to go out in the community and participate in real jobs.”
In the last program cycle alone, Drew’s horticulture students supplied their restaurant clients with just over 15,000 pounds of leafy green produce. Three five-star clients. Produce that sells. And as Craig notes — there’s no other program in America doing this at this level.
Honda Foundation Said Yes. Detroit Students Win.
The DPSCD Foundation identified a competitive grant opportunity from the Honda Foundation and knew immediately it was the right fit for Drew. The Foundation connected with the teacher, met with school leadership, and submitted a winning application.
The result: a $100,000 investment that completely elevated the program’s capacity. Those funds went directly toward new hydroponic systems and specialized lighting — upgrading the grow environment so that every crop produced is, in Craig’s words, “spectacular.”
“Pathways to Careers is one of the strategic priorities for the district,” the Foundation noted. “How do we ensure our students are future ready?” For Drew’s students, this program is the answer.
“The DPSCD Foundation is incredible. I truly appreciate what they did. Thank you for looking out for Drew. Again — you helped students. You changed their lives. And that’s powerful.” — Michael Craig, Special Education Teacher & Horticulture Director, Charles Drew Transition Center
About the DPSCD Foundation
The DPSCD Foundation is the independent 501(c)(3) philanthropic arm of the Detroit Public Schools Community District — Detroit’s #1 children’s charity. The Foundation creates and enhances educational opportunities for 50,000+ students across 106 schools, with investments in Literacy, STEAM, Career Pathways, and Experiences Beyond the Classroom.
Detroit’s students are rising. The DPSCD Foundation is making sure nothing stands in their way.
#WhenStudentsRiseWeAllRise
