In Detroit, Every Hard Hat Tells a Story

A construction CEO. A GM automotive design modeler. A disability advocate. They come from different worlds, but this October, they are coming together around a cause they believe in, building Detroit’s future, one hard hat at a time.

Hard Hats for Detroit 2026, presented by Sachse Construction, opens its annual charity art auction October 22 at hardhatsfordetroit.com during Careers in Construction Month. Three hard hats. Three Detroit stories. One hundred percent of proceeds to Detroit nonprofits.

Sachse Construction is built on the belief that we have a responsibility to the communities where we work. Hard Hats for Detroit is one of the ways we live that, bringing together partners to invest in the people building Detroit’s future. Every dollar raised goes directly to that mission.” Todd Sachse, CEO, Sachse Construction 

DETROIT DEFIES | Making Employment Accessible: Abstract Artist Melissa DiVietri for Trove Market

BID ON THIS HARD HAT

Artist and Disability Advocate Melissa DiVietri painted every inch of her hard hat in vibrant abstract color: as bold and unstoppable as the artist herself. Born with sacral agenesis and told what she couldn’t do, DiVietri has spent her career proving otherwise, exhibiting worldwide and building platforms for uniquely abled creators. Her hard hat benefits Trove Market, the nation’s first marketplace for entrepreneurs with disabilities, founded by Dave Meador for his daughter Belle and the millions of people like her across the country. Launching during National Disability Employment Awareness Month and sponsored by DTE Foundation, this pairing is a reminder that the most extraordinary things are built by those the world underestimated.

“When I approach a canvas, or a hard hat, I am not thinking about my disability. I am thinking about the story I want to tell. This piece is for every person who was told they couldn’t. It is proof that they can and that their work deserves to be seen, celebrated, and bid on.” Melissa DiVietri, Artist and Disability Advocate

“Supporting Hard Hats for Detroit and Trove Market reflects our commitment to inclusive economic opportunity, investing in the creative potential of Detroiters with disabilities and ensuring their work reaches the audiences it deserves.” Rodney Cole, President, DTE Energy Foundation

“Melissa’s work embodies everything Trove Market stands for: creativity, determination, and the belief that disability is not a limitation but a different and powerful kind of strength. We are deeply grateful to Sachse Construction and DTE Foundation for making this story possible.” Jayme Powell, CEO, Trove Market

Follow the collaborators on Instagram: @missydi_artist, @dte_foundation @dte_energy_official, @trovemarket_place

DETROIT CREATES | Where Sneaker Culture Meets Caribbean Soul, Tyrone Jack for MARTK’D Art

BID ON THIS HARD HAT

GM automotive design modeler and oil painter Tyrone Jack transforms a hard hat into a soaring sculpture of leather, teal and crimson panels, gold hardware, and sneaker stitching that pulses with Caribbean Carnival energy. His design bridges two worlds: the precision of automotive craft and the vibrant spirit of Caribbean cultural expression. Proceeds fund Art Belonging Labs, a new program co-created by Martk’d and the Caribbean Community Service Center to mentor young, emerging Detroit Caribbean artists and prepare them for careers in the creative economy, sponsored by Foot Locker.

“This hard hat is a collision of everything that inspires me: automotive design, the soul of Carnival, and the language of sneaker culture. I wanted to create something alive, something you couldn’t look away from and something that means something for the young people who will benefit from Art Belonging Labs.” Tyrone Jack, GM Automotive Design Modeler / Oil Painter

“Foot Locker has always been at the intersection of sport, culture, and community. Detroit’s Caribbean community has played an important role in shaping the city’s culture for generations, and we’re proud to help shine a brighter spotlight on the artists carrying that legacy forward.”  Donald Dudley, Senior Director of Community Strategy and Brand Integration, Foot Locker 

“Art Belonging Labs builds a real program around the belief that the creative economy is a powerful career pathway: mentorship, industry access, and a showcase that puts Detroit and Caribbean creative talent on a stage it deserves. This hard hat tells that story.” Dion Walcott, Founder, Martk’d

Follow the collaborators on Instagram: @tybecreative, @footlocker, @_martkd @caribbeancommunitysc

DETROIT BUILDS | The Hands That Build The Saint, Todd Sachse for SAY Detroit

BID ON THIS HARD HAT

Sachse Construction CEO, Todd Sachse, hand-built and kiln-fired a ceramic hard hat glazed in sage, crimson, and midnight blue, earth tones that flow across the surface like a city in motion. Sachse Construction is the general contractor rebuilding “The Saint,” a $20 million conversion of the historic St. Cecilia’s gym and school into the SAY Detroit Play Center at St. Cecilia, a youth academic, enrichment, and recreation space. The same hands building that future are funding it through this hard hat. Proceeds benefit SAY Detroit, founded in 2006 by Mitch Albom. Sponsored by Sherwin-Williams.

“This ceramic hard hat is one of the most personal things I have ever built. It represents everything Hard Hats for Detroit stands for: craft, community, and the belief that what we build with our hands can change lives.” Todd Sachse, CEO, Sachse Construction

“Building a better community takes more than materials, it takes investment in the people who will live in the spaces we create. Supporting Hard Hats for Detroit and SAY Detroit is how Sherwin-Williams lives that belief.” Jason Lyons, Regional Account Executive, Sherwin-Williams

“To have Sachse Construction, the company rebuilding The Saint, create a hard hat to benefit it through this auction is a full circle moment that only Detroit could produce.” Richard Kelley, Executive Director, SAY Detroit

Follow the collaborators on Instagram: @sachse_construction, @sherwinwilliams, @saydetroit @sayplaydetroit

2026 Artist Celebration: Meet the Artists and Sponsors

The community is invited to join Sachse Construction and its partners to celebrate the spirit of creativity, collaboration, and community impact at a special Hard Hats for Detroit Artist Reception on Tuesday, October 27, from 5–7 PM at Robyn Detroit (441 W. Canfield St. Detroit, MI 48201). Guests will have the opportunity to meet the artists, view the whole collection in person, and bid on the final pieces before the auction closes.

Past Highlights: Building on Four Years of Impact

Since 2023, Hard Hats for Detroit has united Detroit artists with sponsors to benefit organizations including Focus: HOPE, EcoWorks Detroit, Empowerment Plan, DBG Detroit, and Junior Achievement of Southeastern Michigan and more. Each year, the construction hard hat, a symbol of work and protection becomes a catalyst for opportunity.

About Sachse Construction

Sachse Construction is a Detroit-based commercial construction company founded in 1991 with a 30-year legacy of building with purpose. Learn more at sachseconstruction.com