Welcome to our new website and the Foundation’s first-ever blog, A Rose for Detroit.

The Skillman Foundation celebrated its 50^th anniversary earlier this year (officially, we turned 50 in December 2010), and as homage to our founder, Rose Skillman, we have added bright red roses to all our logos and imagery.

This blog, A Rose for Detroit, gets its name from a Robert Frost poem, The Rose Family – “The rose is a rose, And was always a rose. …” – which we believe captures the essence of Mrs. Skillman, who was always a rose for Detroit.

The new website is full of interactive features about the Foundation, our grantees and partners, and the children we serve. The stories, photos and multimedia found on these pages reflect the commitment of our leadership, staff, and members of our community to improve the lives of the most vulnerable among us.

New features include a sophisticated new grants mapping tool that is the result of a partnership with the New York City-based Foundation Center; extensive photo galleries and video libraries; an array of improved tools for grantees and grant-seekers; and more ways to connect with us and follow us online.

We welcome your input. Tell us what you think about the new site and this blog. We must change the odds for every child in Detroit. That is our goal and our mission. So use this forum to give us your thoughts and to get involved in this most urgent of tasks.

At the Skillman Foundation we are proud of what we’ve accomplished over the past 50 years. But 50 years is not enough. In fighting for a better future for Detroit’s children, the most important year is this year. The most relevant day is today. And the most vital moment is now.

Join our movement for Detroit kids. Rose Skillman was always a rose for Detroit. You can be too.

Watch 50^th anniversary video here