General Donation

The Steen Foundation is a youth-led engine for opportunity, creativity, and community transformation in Detroit. Founded from a small Jane Goodall Roots & Shoots fellowship and grown into a nationally recognized model, we place resources directly into the hands of young people and trust them to lead. Our work spans literacy, workforce development, the arts, civic engagement, and youth-led philanthropy,  proving what’s possible when the next generation is treated as partners, not passengers.

This year alone, youth helped us save Pages Bookshop and rebuild it as Detroit’s first youth-owned literary hub; launched a mobile book fair powered by 404+ boxes of donated Jane Goodall books; connected 1,600 young people to clean-economy career pathways; grew NextGen Detroit to 800+ emerging leaders; and expanded our arts workforce programs through mural challenges, stipends, and community showcases. We also launched the Susan & Pip Scholarship Fund to uplift young writers, artists, and creators shaping Detroit’s future.

You should donate because when you invest in Detroit youth, the impact multiplies. Your support creates jobs, expands literacy, funds scholarships, fuels creative expression, and strengthens the leadership pipeline for generations to come. Every dollar goes directly toward building a Detroit where young people have the tools, training, and power to transform their communities — and the world.

Join us. Fuel the next generation.