Causes: Community Improvement & Capacity Building, Environment, Environmental Beautification

Mission: We work to strengthen the economic, social, and environmental health of transitional communities by building capacity through collaborative greenspace projects. We mobilize residents, policy-makers, and like-minded organizations to ensure communities have the resources, knowledge, tools, and partners to make change happen in the places they live, work, and play. We envision a region of thriving communities with engaged, motivated, and equipped individuals working together to sustain positive change. We believe lasting change happens when people have the tools to take steps toward creating safe, green, resilient and livable spaces on the ground and are weighing in on the systems that affect them.

Results: - Helped reclaim over 247,500 square feet of blighted land for community benefit, in collaboration with over 40 communities. - Launched 10 Ambassador programs and with over 100 Ambassadors in the network- Activated dozens of lots with projects including playspaces, community gardens, parklets, game stops, gateway gardens, hop farms and more. - Annually host hundreds of volunteers

Target demographics: improve the economic, social and environmental health of distressed communities by building capacity through land use projects.

Direct beneficiaries per year: 500+

Geographic areas served: Southwest PA

Programs: -ReClaim Ambassadors: Empowering neighborhood leaders to use vacant land as a platform for ground-up revitalization in their communities-Green Playces: Taking action against blight, connecting young people to fun, open green spaces and using those spaces as a platform for environmental education. -Lots to Love: Providing the tools to help guide community organizations and residents who are interested in transforming vacant lots into well-loved spaces-inclusive design and planning: ensuring everyone has a voice and understand the nuances of development and design