Crowdfunding campaign launched for 'Green Jobs Corps' in New Haven
$15,000 crowdfunding goal to receive a matching grant from Sustainable CT's Community Match Fund
Willimantic, CT (07/17/2020) — Common Ground is working to connect New Haven young people to paid jobs stewarding natural resources and building community. The initiative's organizers are calling on the community to join this initiative by donating to a crowdfunding campaign or volunteering in the effort. All community donations will be doubled by Sustainable CT's Community Match Fund, which is an innovative funding resource for public, community-led sustainability projects.
If the campaign reaches its $15,000 goal by its fundraising deadline of Aug. 31, the project will receive a matching grant of $15,000 from Sustainable CT. For project details and to donate, please visit: www.Patronicity.com/CGGreenJobsCorps.
Green Jobs Corps members at Common Ground High School are New Haven's leaders. They take on paid work in sustainable agriculture and environmental justice. They plant street trees throughout the city, steward gardens at local public schools, grow fresh produce at Common Ground's site and more. Common Ground employed more than 75 young people last school year, and is ready to hire another cohort, but does not yet have all the resources to do so.
"Fortunately, we have already laid the groundwork for partnerships and environmental stewardship experiences, all modified to operate successfully and safely in a COVID-19 world." said Crystal Fernandez, program manager at Common Ground.
She continued, "Common Ground needs only $30,000 to fully fund the program for the coming year. Sustainable CT's match opportunity comes at a perfect time."
Sustainable CT is an initiative of the Institute for Sustainable Energy (ISE) at Eastern Connecticut State University that inspires, supports and recognizes sustainability action by towns and cities statewide. The Community Match Fund, supported by the Smart Seed Fund, Emily Hall Tremaine Foundation and the Connecticut Green Bank, provides a dollar-for-dollar match to donations raised from the community, doubling local investment in projects.
"Through the Community Match Fund, we aim to put residents at the forefront of creating positive, impactful change," said Abe Hilding-Salorio, community outreach manager for Sustainable CT. "Match Fund projects are community led and community funded, demonstrating the power of people working together to make change in their communities."
MEDIA CONTACTS
- Abe Hilding-Salorio, community outreach manager, Sustainable CT: hildingsalorioa@easternct.edu; 860-465-0256
- Crystal Fernandez, program manager, Common Ground/New Haven Ecology: Projectcrystal.fernandez@commongroundct.org; 860-913-1904
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Eastern Connecticut State University is the state of Connecticut's public liberal arts university, serving 5,000 students annually at its Willimantic campus and satellite locations. In addition to attracting students from 162 of Connecticut's 169 towns, Eastern also draws students from 34 other states and 19 countries. A residential campus offering 41 majors and 65 minors, Eastern offers students a strong liberal art foundation grounded in an array of applied learning opportunities. Ranked among the top 30 public universities in the North Region by U.S. News and World Report in its 2019 Best Colleges ratings, Eastern has also been awarded 'Green Campus' status by the Princeton Review 10 years in a row. For more information, visit www.easternct.edu.