Partnerships for Parks - $3,000 for Community Groups Dedicated to Parks

 

New York Community League runs a STEM project for Chinese immigrant families at Freshkills Park  CAPACITY FUND SHOWCASE: REACHING CHINESE IMMIGRANTS ON STATEN ISLAND New York Community League (NYCL) put their Capacity Fund grant to good use, reaching out to Chinese immigrant families living on Staten Island.  With funding, NYCL created a program called “STEM through Freshkills Park.” Working with Freshkills Park Alliance, NYCL’s project is designed to destigmatize the park - which is built on top of a former landfill, to raise awareness about STEM jobs in urban green spaces, and to build a sense of belonging and local identity. Have a creative idea for your local park? We give out grants of up to $3000 to community groups dedicated to their local parks, gardens, and green spaces. Join us at our Capacity Fund Grant Info Session Webinar and learn everything you need to know to apply. Registration for this session is required and will close the day before the event. You will receive information on how to join the webinar once you register.  Wednesday, December 15th from 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm. REGISTER PfP HIGHLIGHTED IN CITY COUNCIL HEARING Ted Enoch, director of the Catalyst intensive outreach program, testified recently at a New York City Council hearing of the Committee on Parks and Recreation to highlight the importance of community involvement in parks in response to the new capital funding the Mayor allocated this month to the Community Parks Initiative (CPI), which seeks to reimagine, redesign, and rebuild parks in historically neglected neighborhoods. As Ted explained, parks are critical community resources whose value became even more clear during the pandemic. The highly successful CPI program, which intentionally engages community stakeholders in the re-design process and long-term care of parks, was modeled on Partnerships for Parks' Catalyst strategy of "Build, Connect, Sustain" and the need to pair physical improvements with programming and community participation. This helps ensure that renovated parks are responsive to local needs and continue to be used and maintained by neighborhoods for years to come. Check out the video here! Get in touch with us to find out more about Catalyst. LEARN MORE COMMUNITY PARTNER IN THE NEWS: LOVING THE BRONX Our long-time community partner and Loving the Bronx founder, Nilka Martell, created a campaign to address environmental racism in the borough called #CaptheCrossBronx, which seeks to cover the toxic Cross Bronx Expressway to create green space, mitigate pollution, and reconnect the community. With the passage of President Biden's new infrastructure plan, and the support of Congressman Ritchie Torres, Assembly Member Karines Reyes, and Senator Chuck Schumer, it looks like Nilka’s vision may finally become a reality. Check out this newsclip! Interested in joining a local community group involved with parks or starting your own? We’ll connect you to an outreach coordinator who can help. LEARN MORE