CATCHING UP
CatRock Youth Caring for Bronx Parks and Green Spaces
NYC Green and Relief & Recovery Fund awarded $30,000 to CatRock to strengthen programming that engages our students, alumni, and community members in environmental stewardship projects within communities designated as environmental justice areas. This is the second year CatRock was awarded a grant from the Fund which was created by a growing coalition of national, family, and community foundations supporting nonprofit organizations that care for New York City’s parks and open spaces.
“There are many types of environmental justice,” explains Craig Meisner, executive director and co-founder of CatRock Ventures. He continues, “Our programming encourages young people to become active participants through environmental stewardship projects which is one way they can have an immediate impact in the community.”
Stewardship activities have included weeding, removing invasive plants, planting native species (butterfly weed, Virginia rose, phlox, and yellow tail), litter clean up, mulching, bulb planting, and tree bed restoration. CatRock students and alumni leaders are very aware of the positive impact of the park space maintenance and beautification projects.
“It changes people’s behavior when the park is better,” according to CatRock alumni leader and part-time program associate Cristian. “It helps the neighborhood and the community. It helps people look on the bright side and decreases problems and conflicts. It’s similar to keeping the lights on when it’s dark: it decreases crime rates.”
Funding from the NYC Green and Relief & Recovery Fund will enable CatRock to build out its programming that empowers underserved youth to become environmental stewards while supporting community building efforts within the Kingsbridge Heights neighborhood.
“We look forward to continuing to strengthen our partnership with the NYC Parks Department, City Parks Foundation, Partnership for Parks, and local park groups,” says Meisner. “These partnerships are essential to providing opportunities for our students to learn about their local environment while also helping improve the community.”