Go Newark. Live Green. Love Pink.

"He who knows his WHY in life can live through any HOW" - Victor Frankl

Wednesday, August 12, 2009

A Working Green Summer Update


What a summer. I know I haven't blogged in quite some time, but the good news is, I've been busy! It has been my distinct honor and pleasure to work with the WORKING GREEN Youth Employment program, a collaborative initiative between the City of Newark, Building Green Solutions, LLC, Jewish Vocational Services, and the Essex County Environmental Center. Funded by a grant award from the City of Newark, Department of Workforce Development, this collaborative worked with 15 Newark youth (ages 18-24), giving them practical work experience in a Green job and training in vocational areas.

As Project Director for Building Green Solutions, LLC, Department of Media & Community Relations, I had the interesting task of owning the logistical side of the field days - the days not at JVS. Of the five-day work week, three days fell under my jurisdiction. Dubbed "BGS days," our workload consisted of a beautification project, trips to a Green-job site (I'll expand on this on a future post), and workshops at the Essex County Environmental Center.

The beautification project for the WORKING GREEN pilot, was implemented in-part with the City of Newark's Adopt-a-Lot Program. Where the WORKING GREEN staff spent the second half of the six-week program cultivating a garden at 288 Hunterdon Street in Newark, NJ. Formerly an abandoned lot, upon completion this space will be known as The Hunterdon Street Community Garden, under directional support from the Greater Newark Conservancy.

Although many may think they are aces with a Green thumb, everyone needs directional support and training. For the Hunterdon Street Community Garden, that hands-on training came from Marie Pasquariello, Site Director for Parks for People, a program of the Trust for Public Land. For the first half of the program, staff worked along side Parks for People staff at Jesse Allen and Mildred Helms parks in Newark, learning the intricacies of landscape design.

The WORKING GREEN pilot ends Friday, August 21st, 2009. I look forward to sharing student experiences and further updates.

from the hand of...

LadyPink

1 comment:

Antonio said...

Really great to hear about your work this summer! Newark is blessed to have you and this really great group of young people beautifying the City.