Shelby Charter Township, Michigan

The Charter Township of Shelby, usually referred to as Shelby Township, is a charter township of Macomb County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the township had a total population of 65,159. The 2009 census estimate places the population at 71,592.

History
Shelby Township was set off by an act of the Michigan Territorial Legislature on April 12, 1827 and a civil government was organized the following May. It originally included the area that is now Sterling Heights, which was set off March 17, 1835, as the township of Jefferson, renamed to Sterling on March 6, 1838. Utica, located on the southern edge of the township, originally incorporated as a village on March 9, 1838, although that corporation was dissolved soon afterwards. The village incorporated a second time on May 10, 1877.

The hamlet of Disco was platted in 1849, located at what is now the junction of 24 Mile Road and Van Dyke Road (aka Earl Memorial Highway). The community never incorporated, although the local high school, the "Disco Academy" gained some recognition and a post office named Disco operated from 1854 until 1906.

Preston Corners was a settlement located at the corner of 25 Mile Road and Schoenherr Road at 42.69944°N, -82.99583°W. Ira and Deborah Preston bought 400 acre of land from the United States government in 1826 and settled on it the following year, later building a sawmill and a picket fence factory.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 35.2 square miles (91.2 km²), of which, 34.7 square miles (89.8 km²) of it is land and 0.5 square miles (1.4 km²) of it (1.53%) is water.

Shelby Township is bordered:
 * To the west by the cities of Rochester Hills and Rochester
 * To the north by Washington Township
 * To the east by Macomb Township
 * To the south by the cities of Sterling Heights and Utica

Demographics
The U.S. Census Bureau has also defined Shelby Township as a census-designated place (CDP) in the 2000 Census so that the community would appear on the list of places (like cities and villages) as well on the list of county subdivisions (like other townships). The final statistics for the township and the CDP are identical.

As of the census of 2000, there were 65,159 people, 24,486 households, and 17,923 families residing in the township. The population density was 1,878.7 per square mile (725.4/km²). There were 25,265 housing units at an average density of 728.5 per square mile (281.3/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 94.95% White, 0.85% African American, 0.24% Native American, 2.11% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.45% from other races, and 1.38% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.71% of the population.

There were 24,486 households out of which 33.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.6% were married couples living together, 7.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.8% were non-families. 21.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.65 and the average family size was 3.13.

In the township the population dispersal was 24.9% under the age of 18, 8.5% from 18 to 24, 31.0% from 25 to 44, 25.1% from 45 to 64, and 10.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 99.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.7 males.

The median income for a household in the township was $65,291, and the median income for a family was $76,312. Males had a median income of $59,380 versus $33,844 for females. The per capita income for the township was $30,131. About 2.7% of families and 3.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.1% of those under age 18 and 5.1% of those age 65 or over.

Shelby Community Foundation
The Shelby Community Foundation (SCF) was founded in 1996. It is a tax-exempt non-profit 501(c)(3) community corporation created by and for the people of Shelby Township, Michigan.

The purpose of the Shelby Community Foundation is to serve as an instrument to channel donations from local businesses and individuals to the needs of the community.

The Foundation is guided by its mission statement: to enhance and enrich the quality of life and community livability for citizens of the Charter Township of Shelby by providing resources to support initiatives not normally funded through governmental sources.

There has been given over $400,000 in grants. Some recent ones include: 53 College Scholarships, Police Department Shred Day, Shelby Township DARE Program, Annual Art Fair Award, Vision HOPE Summer Camp Program, Shadbush 18th Century Cabin, Destination Imagination, Utica/Shelby Kiwanis Bike Rodeo, Community CPR Program, Macomb Family Services, CARE Student Assist Program, Shelby Township Library Concert Series, MCCSA Senior Chore Program, Food for the Needy, St. Joseph Hospital Extension, Hope Chapel Improvements, Talking Tobacco School Prevention Program, MIPPS – Macomb Intermediate Preschool Program for Special Needs Children

Notable people from Shelby Township

 * Joe Cada, Professional poker player
 * John DiGiorgio, linebacker for the Buffalo Bills
 * Christopher Howe, film and theater actor
 * Karl Iagnemma, robotics researcher and fiction writer
 * Joe Louis, Heavyweight boxing champion. (Was not from Shelby Township, but donated his land to build Riverbends Park and the Shadbush nature center.)
 * John Mazza, 8-time titleist on the Professional Bowlers Association (PBA) Tour