Van Cortlandt Park Alliance Inc

VCPA'S GARDEN AND COMPOST SITE RENOVATION

THIS GRANT PROVIDES FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO THE FRIENDS OF VAN CORTLANDT PARK TO CONDUCT A WETLAND STEWARDSHIP PROJECT TO EDUCATE SCHOOL GROUPS, HIGH SCHOOL INTERNS, COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND OTHER MEMBERS ON VAN CORTLANDT WETLANDS AND OTHER AQUATIC ECOSYSTEMS. THE RECIPIENT WILL WORK WITH THESE GROUPS TO IDENTIFY SOURCES OF WATER QUALITY IMPAIRMENTS, COMPLETE WETLAND RESTORATION PROJECTS AND COLLECT DATA THAT CAN BE USED FOR THE CREATION OF A GREEN INFRSTRUCTURE PLAN FOR WETLAND RESTORATION.

DESCRIPTION:THIS PROJECT PROVIDES FUNDING TO VAN CORTLANDT PARK ALLIANCE TO IMPLEMENT ITS PROJECT, WHICH WILL DESIGN, DEMONSTRATE, AND DISSEMINATE ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION PRACTICES, METHODS, AND TECHNIQUES, THAT WILL SERVE TO INCREASE ENVIRONMENTAL LITERACY AND ENCOURAGE BEHAVIOR THAT WILL BENEFIT THE ENVIRONMENT IN THE BRONX, NEW YORK. THE GRANTEE WILL DO THIS BY EDUCATING UNDERSERVED STUDENTS' ON HOW AIR QUALITY, WATER QUALITY AND CLIMATE CHANGE IS AFFECTING THEIR COMMUNITY. VAN CORTLANDT PARK ALLIANCE WILL USE A COMBINATION OF CLASSROOM COURSE, HAND-ON ACTIVITIES, AND FIELD TRIPS TO TEACH STUDENT HOW TO MONITOR WATER QUALITY, REDUCE THE GREENHOUSE GASES AND MANAGE FOOD WASTE THROUGH COMPOSTING. THIS PROJECT WILL RAISE THE ENVIRONMENTAL KNOWLEDGE OF PROJECT PARTICIPANTS AND EMPOWER THEM TO THINK CRITICALLY AND DEVELOP CONSERVATION-BASED CAREER EXPERIENCE RELATED TO WATER QUALITY AND AIR QUALITY AS WELL AS INCREASE ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP WITHIN THE AFFECTED UNDERSERVED COMMUNITY. ACTIVITIES:THIS PROJECT WILL INCREASE PUBLIC AWARENESS AND KNOWLEDGE ABOUT ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES IN THE BRONX, NEW YORK AND PROVIDE UNDERSERVED STUDENTS THE SKILLS NECESSARY TO MAKE INFORMED DECISIONS AND TO TAKE RESPONSIBLE ACTIONS. ACTIVITIES TO BE PERFORMED DURING THIS PROJECT PERIOD INCLUDE WATER MONITORING ALONG THE BRONX RIVER, TIBBETTS BROOK AND VAN CORTLANDT'S MILL POND, EXPLORE AND IMPLEMENT PROJECTS TO REDUCE GREENHOUSE GASES AND TEACHING PROJECT PARTICIPANTS THE BENEFITS OF FOOD WASTE MANAGEMENT THROUGH COMPOSTING. SUBRECIPIENT:VAN CORTLANDT PARK ALLIANCE WILL ISSUE SUBAWARDS AS REQUIRED UNDER THE NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION ACT. THE SUB AWARDEES WILL PROVIDE COORDINATION OF THE PROJECT, PREPARING EDUCATION MATERIALS FIELD TRIPS AND HANDS-ON ACTIVITIES. SUBAWARDS ARE INCLUDED IN THIS ASSISTANCE AGREEMENT. OUTCOMES:IT IS ANTICIPATED THAT THIS PROJECT WILL RESULT IN THE FOLLOWING DELIVERABLES AND EXPECTED OUTCOMES: 20 WILL BE EMPOWERED TO THINK CRITICALLY AND DEVELOP AND IMPLEMENT PROJECTS TO REDUCE GREENHOUSE GASES; RECRUIT 20 STUDENTS INCREASE THEIR KNOWLEDGE OF WATER QUALITY IN THEIR LOCAL COMMUNITY. 45 STUDENTS TO INCREASE THEIR KNOWLEDGE AND SKILL NECESSARY TO MAKE INFORMED DECISIONS ON ADDRESSING CLIMATE CHANGE, IMPROVING AIR QUALITY, ENSURING CLEAN AND SAFE WATER, AND INCREASING THEIR AWARENESS OF GREEN CAREERS AND INTEREST IN ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP. DIRECT BENEFICIARIES OF THIS PROGRAM INCLUDE STUDENTS LOCATED IN THE BRONX, NEW YORK.

DESCRIPTION:THE PURPOSE OF THIS ARP FUNDED GRANT IS TO EDUCATE UNDERSERVED TEENS LOCATED IN THE BRONX, NEW YORK ON HOW TO REDUCE SOLID WASTE THROUGH WASTE MANAGEMENT AND BROADENING THEIR UNDERSTANDING OF NATURAL RESOURCES. THROUGH HANDS-ON EXPERIENCE, VAN CORTLANDT PARK ALLIANCE, INC WILL EDUCATE PROJECT PARTICIPANTS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS ON SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT BY COLLECTING AND PROCESSING SCRAPS IN COMPOST BINS, DEMONSTRATE SUSTAINABLE GARDENING PRACTICES, AND HOSTING EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS ON COMPOSTING.ACTIVITIES:THE ACTIVITIES TO BE PERFORMED INCLUDES COMPOSTING AND REDUCING THE AMOUNT OF SOLID WASTE THROUGH PUBLIC EDUCATION AND DEMONSTRATION PROJECTS. ACTIVITIES WILL INCLUDE COLLECTING MARKET FOOD SCRAPS PROCESSING; AND HOSTING EDUCATIONAL AND TRAINING PROGRAMS ON COMPOSTING, TO INCREASE AWARENESS FOR THE SURROUNDING COMMUNITY. EDUCATING YOUTH INTERNS ON FOOD JUSTICE/SECURITY ISSUES, WHICH WILL POSITIVELY IMPACT THE COMMUNITY TO BE SELF-SUFFICIENT WHEN FOOD ACCESSIBILITY IS DISRUPTED DURING A PANDEMIC, AND GROWING PRODUCE TO DONATE TO THE LOCAL COMMUNITY. THE INTERNSHIP WILL INCLUDE PROJECTS RELATED TO THE CLEAN AIR ACT (CAA), SECTION 103(B)(3) BY PROVIDING EDUCATION ABOUT AND OPPORTUNITIES TO HELP ADDRESS FOOD JUSTICE/SECURITY ISSUES AND IMPROVING AIR QUALITY BY THEREFORE REDUCING MILES BETWEEN FOOD PRODUCTION AND FOOD CONSUMPTION.SUBRECIPIENT:NO SUBAWARDS ARE INCLUDED IN THIS ASSISTANCE AGREEMENT.OUTCOMES:EXPECTED OUTCOME AND OUTPUTS IS TO INCREASE THE COMMUNITY COMPOSTING AND GARDENING, PROVIDING HEALTHY FOOD OPTIONS TO COMMUNITY MEMBERS. THE INTERNSHIP PROGRAM WILL BE HIGHLY BENEFICIAL BOTH TO THE YOUNG PEOPLE RUNNING THE MARKET AND THE COMMUNITY SERVED BY IT. BY RUNNING THE MARKET, WHICH INCLUDES DECISION-MAKING RELATED TO SOURCING AND PURCHASING PRODUCE, INTERNS ARE INTRODUCED TO ISSUES OF FOOD JUSTICE, FOOD INSECURITY, AND NUTRITION. DIRECT BENEFICIARIES FOR THIS PROJECT ARE STUDENTS, RESIDENTS AND THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE OF THE VAN CORTLAND PARK AND SURROUNDING AREA IN NEW YORK.

THIS PROJECT WILL PROMOTE A GREATER PUBLIC AWARENESS OF THE IMPORTANCE OF HEALTHY WETLANDS TO MITIGATE THE IMPACTS OF FLOODING AND WATER POLLUTION FR