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December 2009  |
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Please consider making a year-end donation to Groundwork Denver! Groundwork Denver Wins Voice Your Choice Award We'd also like to thank the following for recent grant awards that make our work possible: 
Tangier Barnes is our Community Planner who has been working on the Platte Farm Open Space project for the last year. Tangier has a Master's degree in Urban Planning and splits her time between GWD and the City of Loveland.  Miriam Colon specializes in outreach and education in the Spanish speaking community. Whether she has five minutes at the door or an hour at an in-home energy audit, Miriam is sure to leave with a happy customer ready to act to improve the environment and their community. AmeriCorps VISTA Helps Us
Grow and Improve HAPPY HOLIDAYS AND THANKS FOR A WONDERFUL 2009! |
Groundwork USA Youth Summit in New Orleans
A Little Bit of Country in the Heart of the City Climate Justice in Cole and Westwood Protecting Denver's Children from Lead Poisoning Calling All Volunteers! |
Community Action. Environmental Results. The mission of Groundwork Denver (GWD) is to bring about
the sustained improvement of the physical environment (c)2009 Groundwork Denver. www.groundworkdenver.org |
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From November 13th through November 15th, two youth from the Groundwork Denver Green Team were honored to meet with other youth from across the country at the Groundwork USA Youth Summit in New Orleans. The youth came together to learn about the particular environmental and social challenges as experienced by Groundwork New Orleans youth, and to share the challenges
and solutions in their own cities. As the youth toured and worked together in this incredibly unique and diverse city, they began to feel the connections to each other and the work
they all do in their own separate cities and towns. From New Jersey to West Virginia, Somerville to Richmond, and Dallas to Denver to DC, there is something intangible and special that unifies and connects the Groundwork network - passionate and caring individuals working as a team to protect and prepare our communities for healthy futures.
Over two years ago Groundwork Denver joined Globeville residents in their dream of creating an amenity in what is known as the Globeville Valley. This valley, located along Grant and Logan Streets, between 48th and 51st Avenues, is comprised of nearly 6 acres of vacant parcels and is home to hawks, foxes and horses alike. The valley has always been an open field, home to farms and gardens. However, currently the valley is a target for illegal dumping, drug dealing and other forms of undesirable behavior. Residents in Globeville have been working to change this. After several community meetings, lots of door knocking and many hours of input by the resident steering committee, the design has taken shape and will be completed by by DHM Design by the end of 2009 . The plans include a natural walking trail through a low maintenance, short grass prairie, a natural playground accessible to children with disabilities, picnic shelters and fitness stations. Next step for 2010: turn the designs into reality!
Climate change is predicted to have numerous negative public health impacts even in the U.S. In Denver, experts predict drought, heat waves, hail storms and increased smog. The health impacts of these changes are likely to fall disproportionately on elderly, low-income, and uninsured residents. To address this "climate justice" issue, Groundwork Denver has been working with low-income immigrants in the Cole and Westwood neighborhoods to address the potential future health impacts of climate change through activities such as energy conservation, household waste recycling and by providing emergency preparedness information. Our findings indicate a community that takes climate change seriously, many having seen its effects in their home country, and one that is ready to reduce energy use, recycle more and plant trees to combat these impacts.