Groundwork Bridgeport

History and Mission

The first Groundwork Trust was founded in 1982 in England to meet the need to revitalize abandoned industrial sites in northern England. Since then, the Groundwork UK organization has grown into a network of fifty-two locally based groups. This committed network became a highly successful public-private-community partnership that combined all resources necessary to take abandoned, run-down areas and reclaim them as open spaces with an emphasis on recreation, beautification and economic development. Groundwork Bridgeport is modeled after this thriving program.

Groundwork Bridgeport started in 1998 as a collaborative effort between the Environmental Protection Agency, the National Park Service, the national Groundwork USA, and the City of Bridgeport. We are part of a network of fourteen Groundwork groups in the United States. All are nonprofit 501 (c) (3) organizations and operate under Groundwork USA. The mission of all of the trusts is the same:

To bring about the sustained regeneration, improvement and management
of the physical environment, by empowering people, businesses and
organizations to promote environmental, economic and social well-being.

Groundwork Bridgeport is focused on urban revitalization and beautification through a variety of landscaping and recreational development initiatives. We engage hundreds of young people each year to accomplish our goals as they build and maintain city parks, playgrounds and community gardens.

With the launch of Groundwork Bridgeport we received an award from the U.S. Housing and Urban Development Enterprise Community Fund and the City of Bridgeport for urban revitalization of the lowest income areas of Bridgeport. Here crime, trash dumping and blight have created unsafe places for recreational use. Groundwork Bridgeport has partnered with residents in these communities to convert blighted, crime and graffiti-ridden areas into playgrounds, recreational facilities and functional green space. We are committed to working with residents in these endeavors, which encourages community members to become stakeholders in maintaining their neighborhoods. The importance of community pride and responsibiliy in creating safe, livable neighborhoods is evident with every project Groundwork Bridgeport undertakes, and it shows.

Projects are chosen on the basis of community involvement in the design, implementation, funding and ongoing maintenance of the plan. Groundwork Bridgeport supports the efforts of neighborhood-based community groups working to reclaim their neighborhoods by partnering with them to achieve their goals. We serve as the management staff for community projects and provide technical advice, tools and volunteers to assist the residents. Additionally, we organize neighborhood meetings, provide site-design drawings, access funding sources, address permit requirements and coordinate activities among agencies such as city government, residents and corporations. Each project is put through an objective selection process that assesses impact to the neighborhood, sustainability, funding resources, and community support. Developing partnerships with neighborhood groups, private corporations and city agencies, as well as alternate funding streams committed to sustainable environmental enhancement, makes the goals for improvement attainable.

Since 1998 Groundwork Bridgeport has partnered with over 3970 individuals, 36 groups, 21 businesses and 17 foundations to reclaim and create 54 recreational and green spaces. Revitalizing, beautifying and preserving public space is a challenge that requires community organizing and partnership development to assist residents in taking direct responsibility for their neighborhoods. The majority of Groundwork neighborhood requests come from the poorest sections of Bridgeport with the highest number of minority residents. To get communities involved requires consistent outreach, often conducted bilingually, in order to teach residents gardening, block watch tactics, safety and health strageties and how to access public resources to reclaim and restore neighborhoods. Recently, Groundwork Bridgeport's semi-annual Park City Sweep was awarded the USA Today Weekend Magazine Make a Difference Day Award. Make A Difference Day is the largest national volunteer day in the United States.



		*History and Mission* The first Groundwork Trust was founded in 1982 in England to meet the need to revitalize abandoned industrial sites in northern England. Since then, the Groundwork UK organization has grown into a network of fifty-two locally based groups. This committed network became a highly successful public-private-community partnership that combined all resources necessary to take abandoned, run-down areas and reclaim them as open spaces with an emphasis on recreation, beautification and economic development. Groundwork Bridgeport is modeled after this thriving program. Groundwork Bridgeport started in 1998 as a collaborative effort between the Environmental Protection Agency, the National Park Service, the national Groundwork USA, and the City of Bridgeport. We are part of a network of fourteen Groundwork groups in the United States. All are nonprofit 501 (c) (3) organizations and operate under Groundwork USA. The mission of all of the trusts is the same: *MISSION STATEMENT* To bring about the sustained regeneration, improvement and management of the physical environment, by empowering people, businesses and organizations to promote environmental, economic and social well-being. Groundwork Bridgeport is focused on urban revitalization and beautification through a variety of landscaping and recreational development initiatives. We engage hundreds of young people each year to accomplish our goals as they build and maintain city parks, playgrounds and community gardens. *Community Focus* With the launch of Groundwork Bridgeport we received an award from the U.S. Housing and Urban Development Enterprise Community Fund and the City of Bridgeport for urban revitalization of the lowest income areas of Bridgeport. Here crime, trash dumping and blight have created unsafe places for recreational use. Groundwork Bridgeport has partnered with residents in these communities to convert blighted, crime and graffiti-ridden areas into playgrounds, recreational facilities and functional green space. We are committed to working with residents in these endeavors, which encourages community members to become stakeholders in maintaining their neighborhoods. The importance of community pride and responsibiliy in creating safe, livable neighborhoods is evident with every project Groundwork Bridgeport undertakes, and it shows. Projects are chosen on the basis of community involvement in the design, implementation, funding and ongoing maintenance of the plan. Groundwork Bridgeport supports the efforts of neighborhood-based community groups working to reclaim their neighborhoods by partnering with them to achieve their goals. We serve as the management staff for community projects and provide technical advice, tools and volunteers to assist the residents. Additionally, we organize neighborhood meetings, provide site-design drawings, access funding sources, address permit requirements and coordinate activities among agencies such as city government, residents and corporations. Each project is put through an objective selection process that assesses impact to the neighborhood, sustainability, funding resources, and community support. Developing partnerships with neighborhood groups, private corporations and city agencies, as well as alternate funding streams committed to sustainable environmental enhancement, makes the goals for improvement attainable. *Accomplishments and Awards* Since 1998 Groundwork Bridgeport has partnered with over 3970 individuals, 36 groups, 21 businesses and 17 foundations to reclaim and create 54 recreational and green spaces. Revitalizing, beautifying and preserving public space is a challenge that requires community organizing and partnership development to assist residents in taking direct responsibility for their neighborhoods. The majority of Groundwork neighborhood requests come from the poorest sections of Bridgeport with the highest number of minority residents. To get communities involved requires consistent outreach, often conducted bilingually, in order to teach residents gardening, block watch tactics, safety and health strageties and how to access public resources to reclaim and restore neighborhoods. Recently, Groundwork Bridgeport's semi-annual Park City Sweep was awarded the USA Today Weekend Magazine Make a Difference Day Award. Make A Difference Day is the largest national volunteer day in the United States.

		510 Barnum Avenue, Suite 304, Bridgeport, Connecticut 06608 (203) 335-6126