Meet Dr. Sarah & Chet M. Pitts Sr.:The Power Couple Transforming Detroit Through MET PLUS and Community Innovation

In the heart of Detroit, a dynamic husband-and-wife duo is reshaping what community leadership looks like. Dr. Sarah Pitts and Chet M. Pitts Sr. are the co-founders behind Michigan Employment Training Plus (MET PLUS) - a nonprofit organization rooted in faith, fueled by purpose, and built to spark generational change. With a shared vision for empowering Detroit's youth, seniors, and underserved families, this powerhouse couple brings together a rare blend of strategy, heart, and innovation.

Chet, a visionary inventor and community advocate, leads with bold ideas and solutions like his groundbreaking invention, The Bias Detector. Dr. Sarah, a highly accomplished leadership expert and nurturer at heart, ensures the organization runs with compassion, structure, and high performance. Together, they've created a holistic model that addresses systemic issues at their core, fosters self-sufficiency, and promotes community healing.

In this exclusive Vocal Media feature, the Pitts duo opens up about their journey, the challenges of nonprofit leadership as a couple, and why building a legacy of service in Detroit is more than a mission - it's their ministry.

How do your individual strengths complement each other in leading MET PLUS?

Chet: I'm the visionary and the builder.

Sarah: And I'm the strategist and nurturer.

Together, we balance passion with process - purpose with planning.

What's the origin story of MET PLUS?

We both had skills that could first change the workforce, then the community but we began focusing on the youth because we see many of them suffering and being abandoned by their loved ones. I started with one building, one vision, and one yes.We launched our community and service based services to the community first. Also, a property was donated unexpectedly, and it became the seed for something greater. We knew then that this wasn't just an idea - it was a calling.

How do you stay motivated as a team while facing the challenges of nonprofit leadership?

We stay grounded in faith, keep open communication, and celebrate small wins. We remind each other why we started - and who we're doing it for.

What makes the MET PLUS model unique?

We serve multiple generations under one umbrella. It's not just about a handout - it's about building people up to lead, thrive, and transform

How do you approach systemic issues innovatively?

We think long-term. We create programs that are proactive, not just reactive. And we let the community co-design the solutions - because they know what works best.

How do you hope MET PLUS will transform Detroit in 5–10 years?

We envision thriving senior communities, empowered youth, and families who feel safe, supported, and seen. We want MET PLUS to be a blueprint for national replication.

How important is it to create leadership opportunities for future generations?

It's critical. We're not building for ourselves - we're building so our children and their peers can lead with confidence, character, and capacity.

What advice would you give to couples or families starting a nonprofit together?

Respect each other's strengths. Communicate often. Align your mission before you build the vision. And never lose sight of why you started - love and service. Always involve your children and let God be the anchor to your family.

About Dr. Sarah Pitts

Dr. Sarah Pitts is a founder and Board Member of Michigan Employment Training Plus (MET PLUS). Dr. Pitts is a Detroit Native she was raised in the city of Detroit while she attended DPSCD schools from Elementary Isaac Newton, Albert Winship Middle School to High School graduating from Thomas M. Cooley High school.

She is passionate about helping people but she is close to the elderly population and teenagers. In her role, she provides management oversight to all program operations, while driving performance measures, including ensuring operations are efficient, effective, accessible, and delivered with high satisfaction of both consumers and staff.

Dr. Pitts upholds an M.B.A specializing in Human Resources Management in which she graduated from American InterContinental University (AIU), and shortly after to graduate with her Doctorate of Leadership Management from Colorado Technical University. Dr. Pitts has the knowledge and skill set of Finance, Customer Service, & Mental Health.

Dr. Pitts is a woman that wears many hats so a side of being a wife, mother and entrepreneur she does a lot of services in the Community such as a girl scout Troop leader in the city of Detroit where she mentor girls that discover new skills and make life long friends while they change the world , she also a member of Top Ladies of Distinction (TLOD), where she seats on thw thrust of the Senior Citizen Community, and seevice the project of Sickle Cell Committee. Dr. Pitts is passionate about helping to rebuild and stabilize the residents of Detroit in which this is near and dear to her heart for she is a native that still resides in the city of Detroit. Dr. Pitts has witnessed others who overlooked issues that can be solved by innovative and approach with community advocacy mindset.

About Chet M. Pitts Sr.

Chet M. Pitts Sr., a Detroit native and visionary and as part of the driving force behind MET PLUS, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering the Metro Detroit community. With a deep-rooted passion for social change and as a co-founder he has built MET PLUS on the principle of addressing the root causes of societal challenges, rather than offering temporary solutions.

His motto is "Nothing great comes easy and growth will always be uncomfortable and if you're too comfortable then you're not growing, which motivates him to follow through with his commitment to push for sustainable change."

As a lifelong advocate for community empowerment, Chet believes in equipping individuals with the knowledge and tools necessary for self-sufficiency. Under his leadership, MET PLUS fosters an environment where community members can thrive and achieve lasting fulfillment.

A graduate of Detroit Cooley High School and Masters Degree graduate of American Intercontinental University, Chet's education and entrepreneurial spirit have fueled his ability to drive impactful initiatives. His innovative approach, combined with a deep understanding of the community he serves, has led to the development of his groundbreaking patent pending invention, such as "The Bias Detector", an evolutionary tool designed to prevent harmful ill intent bias individuals from obtaining positions of power and or influencing leadership positions.

Chet M. Pitts Sr. is more than just a nonprofit leader; he is a catalyst for change, inspiring others to envision and work towards a brighter future for all.

Learn more by visiting https://www.metplus.org/