M.E.S.S. (Many Eco Survival Support)

We have some great news! Our building inspector determined that M.E.S.S. House is salvageable. While construction plans are in the works, we want to make the most of this growing season with the quarter-acre lot of fertile soil(tested). Please consider donating time, money, or other resources to help us check off the list below.

We are fundraising for these major items:

A tool shed
Fencing to deter deer and groundhogs
Irrigation for a passive water catchment system
Hoop house/Greenhouse

Current Garden Projects:

1. Breeding localized and drought-resilient food crops (garlic, flour corn, dry beans).

2. Designing a tool shed made from local non-petroleum based materials.

3. Raising 1 acre of squash, corn and tomatoes using regenerative farming techniques.

About Us:

In addition to budget cuts being made to F.E.M.A. yearly, we witnessed 27 major climate-related events in the U.S. in 2024 alone. Through these tragedies, neighbors united as first responders, and inescapable questions emerged nationally: how do we begin to mitigate the impact of something similar in our areas. Are there ways to start preparing the resources needed to respond to these emergencies?

In June '24, we began meeting every Saturday at Waterworks Park to discuss the inevitable climate collapse in southeast Michigan. Tapping into the hive mind, we discerned ways to prepare our local environment to respond to drastic shifts in weather. One outcome of these conversations is the M.E.S.S. (Many Eco Survival Support) house, made possible by being gifted an abandoned property on S. Adams St., which sits on a quarter-acre lot. Through this, we've created a third space for people to contribute at leisure in building a framework for responding to catastrophic events.

Anyone can join our weekly meetings and find ways to get involved! Every month, we have a work brigade where we volunteer to help local projects.

Past project: Rehabilitating a blueberry patch for a disabled farmer in Milan.

Current project: Collaborating with a local church/food pantry to develop a 3,000sqft community garden with the goal to reach food sovereignty.

M.E.S.S. Space

Help us build an Eco Survival Hub