30+ Years of Showing Up for Detroit’s Youth
At Healthy Kidz Inc., we believe every young person has something powerful inside them and our job is to help it come out.
For 30+ years, we've been a safe, energizing space where Detroit's youth discover their strengths, build real skills, and step into leadership roles they never imagined for themselves. Through our Junior Counselor and Counselor-in-Training programs, teens aged 13–15 don't just attend camp. They run it. They mentor younger kids, lead activities, and learn what it means to show up for their community.
The results speak for themselves: 20 alumni have gone on to careers in education and counting.
We're not just building better summers. We're building the next generation of Detroit's educators, leaders, and changemakers.
Meet the Healthy Kidz Founder & CEO
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![Three smiling individuals standing together in a yellow hallway, wearing shirts with 'Healthy Kidz Inc.' logo.]()
Maria Lawton-Adams
CEO & FOUNDER
Maria Adams-Lawton is a Detroit native, educator, and community builder with one unwavering belief: every child deserves a safe place to grow.After more than two decades teaching math in Detroit Public Schools, Maria launched Healthy Kidz Inc. to fill the void left by disappearing sports programs and closing rec centers. She transformed the Tindal Activity Center from a flood-damaged, deteriorating building into a thriving hub for youth programming, recreation, and community connection. A breast cancer diagnosis in 2008 didn't slow her down. Neither did a global pandemic, which she met by converting the gymnasium into a remote learning space for students across Detroit.
For 30+ years, Maria has simply kept showing up. And because of that, thousands of Detroit kids have had a safe, empowering place to grow.
Meet the Healthy Kidz Team
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![A woman with long braided hair smiling, wearing a black shirt, in an indoor setting with a framed colorful abstract artwork on the wall behind her.]()
Catherine Moss
ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT
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![Close-up of a woman with braided hair wearing a red hoodie and glasses hanging around her neck, sitting indoors with a metal grate and a large black circular sign hanging outside a window in the background.]()
Bettie Clark
FACILITY MANAGER
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![A young man in a black suit standing on a balcony at night with a city skyline illuminated in the background.]()
Chandler Turner
DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS
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![A man with dreadlocks and a black shirt holding a baby in a black and white outfit, sitting in front of a gray and black background decorated with white beads.]()
Malik Sims
SUMMER CAMP DIRECTOR
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![A woman wearing glasses and a black hoodie sitting on a bus, with a bright yellow safety vest hanging on the seat next to her.]()
Cynthia Perry
BUS DRIVER/FRONT DESK ASSISTANT
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![Logo of Healthy Kidz Inc. featuring a purple and yellow abstract human figures jumping or dancing.]()
Lenear Cain
UNITED WAY CASE MANAGER
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![A young woman with straight black hair and a nose piercing taking a selfie inside a car. Snow is visible outside the window.]()
Courtnie Thomas
UNITED WAY CASE MANAGER
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![A young man in a light gray suit with a dark shirt, green tie, and a black Kente cloth stole with colorful stripes and gold embroidery that reads 'Black Michigan State University Grads Matter' and includes a traditional Kente design.]()
Nathan Gifford
PROGRAM DIRECTOR
Meet the Childcare Team
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![A woman with long curly brown hair, light skin, and wearing a black shirt, smiling against a dark gray background.]()
Kimberly Hubbard
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![A woman with short curly red hair and glasses smiling at the camera, wearing hoop earrings and a light-colored hoodie, sitting on a dark surface.]()
Brenda Williams
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![A smiling woman with short, blonde hair, glasses, and hoop earrings, wearing a pink and white striped shirt with a white lace collar.]()
Thea Sims
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![An elderly woman with gray hair, glasses, and earrings, wearing a black shirt with rhinestone writing, and a dark coat, seated indoors against a yellow wall with a window and pink furniture in the background.]()
Shelia Stanton
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![A woman with black braided hair wearing a black zip-up top, sitting indoors with a white wall and part of a green plant visible in the background.]()
Shereese Miles
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![Close-up of a woman with curly hair smiling in a well-lit indoor space with large windows and staircase in the background.]()
Lavender Calhoun
Contact us
Interested in working together? Fill out some info and we will be in touch shortly. We can’t wait to hear from you!
We are located at: Tindal Activity Center 10301 W. Seven Mile Detroit, MI 48221
Tel: 313-307-8869
Fax: 313-307-8879
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