2018 Charity of the Year: The Lawn Academy

The LAWN Academy is a nonprofit organization started by Eric Miller in 2015. The organization's mission is to provide leadership and mentoring to Detroit youth through a college immersion program and community service projects. The youth help the local elderly, veterans, disabled, and handicapped population with lawn care services at no charge. The organization has been recognized for its initiative with the 2016 Spirit of Detroit Award by the Detroit City Council, 2016 Board of Police Commissioners Resolution, 2016 Detroit Police Department Certificate of Recognition, and Michigan Governor's Service Award. 
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Charities of Years Past

2017: Cass Community Social Services

Cass Community Social Services (CCSS) was established as a nonprofit 501 (c) (3) in 2002.  Prior to that many of its programs started as a part of Cass Community United Methodist Church. The Detroit-based agency works across the city in areas of concentrated poverty providing programs for food, health, housing and jobs.
  • CCSS prepares and serves 1 million meals annually.
  • 325 homeless men, women and children currently stay in one of CCSS’ shelters, transitional housing or permanent supportive housing programs.
  • CCSS operates a weekly free medical clinic and a day program for 100 adults with developmental disabilities.
  • 70 adults are currently employed in the agency’s Green Industries which marry jobs with sustainability.
Cass Community Social Services is accredited by CARF.

Resources provided by Aesculapians assisted in multiple projects including this one:

 
2016: Back Alley Bikes

Back Alley Bikes is a 501(c)3 non-profit community bike shop, which has been operating in the Cass Corridor for 15 years. Our mission is to provide cycling education and services with a focus on youth development, sustainable practices and community access.
We work to achieve this mission by offering a variety of educational programs, volunteer training & opportunities, as well as rides and other types of support related to cycling education, materials, and resources.
Back Alley Bikes is funded in many ways, but our main fundraiser is our retail shop The Hub of Detroit. The Hub refurbishes and sells a portion of our used bike donations, and 100% of the proceeds from those sales and used part sales benefit Back Alley Bikes, and are used to fund our programs.

2015: Sit On It Detroit 

Sit On It is an effort to fill the void by creating benches out of reclaimed wood from abandoned houses and businesses within the city. The network of benches will act as a free library.
Detroit lacks seating at bus stops. More than half of the bus stops in the city are without benches. Sit On It is an effort to fill this void by creating benches out of reclaimed wood from abandoned houses and businesses within the city. This will be cost-effective and will improve conditions in the city by repurposing previously discarded materials. Handcrafted by local artisans, the benches will be more aesthetically pleasing than standard city-issued benches. Each bench will have a built-in bookshelf with a plexiglass covering. An initial donation of books will stock the shelves. Citizens are encouraged to read, borrow, and donate books. The network of benches will act as a free library.
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2014: Franklin Wright  

Franklin-Wright Settlements, Inc. is a leading Detroit neighborhood human service organization, existing to assist individuals, families, groups and the community with basic life, family and social needs. Embracing the settlement house philosophy, a multi-service holistic approach in cooperation with the community, FWS focuses on the prevention, treatment, and amelioration of social problems, through advocacy, programs, projects, activities, services and facilities. The enduring strength of FWS lies in flexible, responsive programs that recognize ongoing basic needs, despite changing societal priorities and funding.
At the end of the 2014 Lampoon, Aesculapians donated $10,000 to Franklin Wright