Tired of the number of children in her community dying from violence, Angela Reyes started the Detroit Hispanic Development Corporation in her living room in 1997. Under Reyes’ leadership, the human services agency has grown into a southwest Detroit Latino institution that annually serves over 5,000 low-income people.
DHDC’s first initiative was the Gang Retirement and Continuing Education and Employment program (GRACE), which encourages gang members to leave their violent lives behind in return for jobs at local Hispanic-owned manufacturing companies. Currently, the agency also provides bilingual services focusing on adult and youth education, child care support, community organizing, and more. DHDC collaborates with business, academic, government, and community partners to effect policy-level change in the southwest Detroit community.
In November 2014, IFF provided a $574,000 loan to help Detroit Hispanic Development Corporation refinance existing debt. The agency was able to pay off loans that provided the funds to buy the building at 1211 Trumbull—its home since 2001. IFF’s financial support will save the agency $3,500 a month and preserve 18 full-time jobs.