Cody Rouge Helps Build Intergenerational Relationships to Improve Mental Health in Detroit

Lindsay Knake

| 3 min read

Lindsay Knake is a brand journalist for Blue Cross B...

Bringing different generations together is a key part of the work the Cody Rouge Community Action Alliance does in Detroit.
Cody Rouge is a community-based development organization that focuses on neighborhood stabilization, youth development and community engagement, particularly for young people, families and older adults. The organization is located on the far west side of Detroit and serves nearly 3,000 residents.
Cody Rouge started as a youth development program with summer employment, a youth council group and service projects, said Kenyetta Campbell, founder and chief executive officer.
For community engagement, Cody Rouge offers ways for residents to connect, such as block clubs, an annual family fun day and back-to-school rally. Community health is a key part of this, through efforts to reduce high blood pressure and provide basic needs such as holiday food drives. Cody Rouge works with older adults to provide home repair and utility assistance.
While Cody Rouge isn’t a direct mental health service provider, the organization was often the first to know when a community member needed help. Therefore, the organization applied for funding to help their members access mental health care and developed an intergenerational approach.
Cody Rogue received a grant through a pilot program funded by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, the BCBSM Foundation and seven philanthropic partners to expand access to mental health care in Detroit.
As part of their work, Cody Rouge staff host community meetings to learn what the residents need. Health, particularly mental health and chronic conditions, are important topics for the neighborhood.
“Mental health came to the forefront with youth even before COVID,” Campbell said. “They expressed concerns around not having people to talk to.”
At the time, a youth-led coalition of young people developed a calm center at Cody Rouge, which is a wellness room designated for teens for activities such as yoga, hanging out with peers, talking to a therapist and generally feeling safe. Seniors in the community also noted mental health was a concern.
“We were initially doing things separately. We decided to bridge the gap,” Campbell said.
Cody Rouge organized the Get Healthy, Get Wealthy Fair at Henry Ford Community College, which brought the young people and older adults together through meals and events. Since then, the groups have continued to develop relationships.
“We like to let the relationships and partnerships naturally occur,” Campbell said.
One example is an older adult who has a great garden, she said, and young people in the neighborhood volunteered to help her out.
“I’ve noticed that a lot of the kids are now doing things together,” she said. “It’s getting people out of the house, socializing with others and creating trust with us as an agency.
“Seniors can be afraid to let us know if they are struggling, and people are more open to letting Cody Rouge know what they are going through and help them. I’m excited to see how both groups are planning. They are really leading.”
Related:
MI Blue Daily is sponsored by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, a nonprofit, independent licensee of the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association