Jersey City Parks Coalition Inc

OUR ORGANIZATION STARTED IN 2005 AS PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN THREE PARK GROUPS THAT HAS GROWN TO 24 MEMBER PARK GROUPS STRONG IN 2017. A MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING CODIFIED OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CITY OF JERSEY CITY IN 2013 AND WE CONTINUE TO IMPROVE AND BUILD ON THAT PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP. OUR SUCCESS WOULD NOT BE POSSIBLE WITHOUT THE CONSISTENT EFFORT AND DEDICATION OF OUR MANY VOLUNTEERS; THE THOUSANDS OF RESIDENTS WHO CONTINUE TO BEAUTIFY JERSEY CITY AS A RESULT OF THEIR INVOLVEMENT IN THE BIG DIG AND OTHER PLANTING EFFORTS; THE PARKS AND NEIGHBORHOOD GROUPS THAT ARE STEWARDS FOR THEIR LOCAL PARKS, AND OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS THAT KEEPS THE ORGANIZATION FOCUSED AND ON TRACK. BEHIND THE SCENES BUT NO LESS IMPORTANT TO ALL WE DO IS THE SUPPORT OF OUR DONORS & SPONSORS.

"LIBERTY STATE PARK - IN FEBRUARY THE JERSEY CITY PARKS COALITION (JCPC) AND 57 LOCAL, REGIONAL AND STATEWIDE ORGANIZATIONS WROTE THE GOVERNOR AND STATE LEGISLATORS TO URGE THEM TO SUPPORT LEGISLATION REVISING THE HACKENSACK MEADOWLANDS CONSOLIDATION ACT (P.L.2015, C. 19) TO REMOVE ANY AND ALL DECISION-MAKING AUTHORITY CONCERNING LIBERTY STATE PARK FROM NEWLY CREATED MEADOWLANDS REGIONAL COMMISSION AND RETURN IT TO THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION (DEP). WHILE THERE WAS SOME MEASURED SUCCESS WITH THIS EFFORT WE ENTER THE NEW YEAR WITH AN EVER PRESENT THREAT OF THE PRIVATIZATION OF LIBERTY STATE PARK. "PLAYS IN THE PARKS - THE JERSEY CITY CHILDREN'S THEATER (JCCT) PROUDLY PARTNERED WITH THE JERSEY CITY PARKS COALITION (JCPC) IN ITS SECOND ANNUAL PLAYS IN THE PARKS (PITP) SERIES FEATURING WORLD PLAY: A SENSORY ADVENTURE THROUGH SOME OF YOUR FAVORITE STORIES FEATURING JCCT'S COMPANY OF PROFESSIONAL ADULT ACTORS AND LIVE MUSIC. BECAUSE OF THE OVERWHELMING SUCCESS OF PITP 2014 JCCT EXPANDED PLAYS IN THE PARKS PROGRAMMING FROM 4 TO 12 JERSEY CITY PARKS WHICH WERE ALL FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC OUR THANKS GO OUT TO KATHY HENDRICKSON AND HER ENTIRE ENSEMBLE FOR A FABULOUS PRODUCTION AND BRINGING LIVE THEATER TO CHILDREN THROUGHOUT EVERY WARD OF JERSEY CITY. "DINNER IN THE PARK - FEED JC, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE JERSEY CITY PARKS COALITION, EXPANDED UPON WHAT IT MEANS TO "FEED JC" WITH THEIR DINNER IN THE PARK SERIES. A DINNER SERIES HIGHLIGHTING THE PRODUCE FROM EACH OF JERSEY CITY'S FARMERS MARKETS IN EACH OF ITS 6 WARDS. THE DINNERS WERE SERVED AND PREPARED BY STUDENTS GOING THROUGH A LEADERSHIP AND HOSPITALITY TRAINING PROGRAM, THAT OFFERS MENTORSHIP, HANDS ON JOB TRAINING AND JOB PLACEMENT FOR JERSEY CITY YOUTH RUN BY FEED JC FOUNDERS DAVID TROTTA AND ALEX SARTOGA . EACH DINNER HIGHLIGHTED A WARD FAMILY, THEIR FOOD AND THEIR STORY. EACH DINNER WAS UNIQUE AND SPECIAL IN ITS OWN WAY WITH THE SECRET INGREDIENT BEING THOSE PEOPLE THAT GRACED THE TABLES FOR THIS WORTHWHILE PROJECT. THE PROCEEDS OF EACH DINNER FED 100 OF JC'S LESS FORTUNATE. WE WERE TRULY HUMBLED BY THIS PROJECT AND THE GIFTS IT PROVIDED.

"PARK BEAUTIFICATIONS - OUR 12 YEAR RELATIONSHIP WITH GOLDMAN SACHS TEAMWORKS CONTINUED THIS YEAR IN THREE OF OUR PARKS SEEING DOZENS OF VOLUNTEERS COME OUT TO ASSIST IN THE ONGOING BEAUTIFICATION OF OUR MEMBER PARKS. WE WERE ALSO FORTUNATE TO PARTNER WITH JP MORGAN CHASE AND VERISK ANALYTICS, ENHANCING OUR VOLUNTEER EFFORTS AND INCREASING OUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS DURING OUR SPRING AND FALL CLEAN UPS. WE COULD NOT DO WHAT WE DO WITHOUT THE SUPPORT OF OUR LOCAL CORPORATIONS AND THEIR DEDICATED EMPLOYEES. "BUILDING A CULTURE OF HEALTH IN NEW JERSEY - COMMUNITIES MOVING TO ACTION - THE CITY OF JERSEY CITY IN PARTNERSHIP WITH NEW JERSEY CITY UNIVERSITY, THE JERSEY CITY HOUSING AUTHORITY, THE JERSEY CITY MEDICAL CENTER AND THE JERSEY CITY PARKS COALITION WAS GRANTED ONE OF 10 FOUR-YEAR GRANTS TO FUND MULTI-SECTOR, COMMUNITY-FOCUSED COALITIONS FROM ACROSS THE STATE. PROVIDED BY NEW JERSEY HEALTH INITIATIVES (NJHI), A STATEWIDE GRANT MAKING PROGRAM OF THE ROBERT WOOD JOHNSON FOUNDATION, THE NEW PROGRAM, BUILDING A CULTURE OF HEALTH IN NEW JERSEY - COMMUNITIES MOVING TO ACTION, WILL FUND LEADERSHIP TRAINING AND A COMMUNITY COACH FOR EXISTING COALITIONS ALREADY ADDRESSING HEALTH ISSUES IN THEIR COMMUNITIES AND PROVIDE RESOURCES AND TOOLS TO IMPROVE THEIR EFFECTIVENESS AND LONG-TERM SUCCESS. "ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCES AND ISSUES: INVESTIGATIONS OF ENVIRONMENTAL SOLUTIONS FOR JERSEY CITY AND BUILDING STUDIES: AN ARCHIVE OF JERSEY CITY ARCHITECTURE - TWO EXHIBITS OF RUTGERS STUDENT WORK ON JERSEY CITY INFRASTRUCTURE AND LANDMARKS WERE EXHIBITED AT THE CENTER FOR THE ARTS AT CASA COLOMBO FROM JUNE 11TH UNTIL AUGUST 27TH. THE STUDENT WORK WAS ORIGINALLY SHOWN FOR ONE EVENING AT A JERSEY CITY ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION MEETING. RUTGERS UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF ENVIRONMENTAL AND BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES, RUTGERS UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT OF LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE, RUTGERS CUES, SUSTAINABLE JERSEY CITY, EMBANKMENT PRESERVATION COALITION, HISTORIC JERSEY CITY & HARSIMUS CEMETERY, AND JERSEY CITY PARKS COALITION PARTNERED WITH RUTGERS TO BROADEN OPPORTUNITIES TO ENGAGE THE PUBLIC AND TO INSPIRE GREATER INPUT FROM CITIZENS TO CITY OFFICIALS ABOUT THE CHANGING LANDSCAPE OF JERSEY CITY. " STRESS FREE LIVING WORKSHOPS - IN COLLABORATION WITH JERSEY CITY'S DIVISION OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES WE HOSTED A SERIES OF STRESS FREE LIVING WORKSHOPS WITH LEAH GUY IN THREE OF OUR PARKS. EACH SESSION WAS WELL ATTENDED AND PROVIDED VALUABLE INFORMATION AND PRACTICES FOR OUR EVER HECTIC LIVES. "MOVIES IN THE PARK - THE SUMMER WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN COMPLETE WITHOUT MOVIES IN THE PARK. THIS PAST YEAR WE PARTNERED WITH JERSEY CITY'S DIVISION OF CULTURAL AFFAIRS IN HOSTING MOVIES IN 11 OF OUR PARKS PROVIDING FREE FAMILY FUN FOR THOUSANDS OF JERSEY CITY RESIDENTS. "BIGGER DIG 2020 - ON NATIONAL MAKE A DIFFERENCE DAY 2015 THE JERSEY CITY PARKS COALITION ANNOUNCED ITS 20|20 VISION FOR AN EVEN BIGGER DIG FOR 2016 AND BEYOND. IN LIGHT OF THE RECENT TREE CANOPY SURVEY IN JERSEY CITY AND BUILDING ON OUR PREVIOUS BIG DIG SUCCESSES WE HAVE A NEW AND INNOVATIVE IDEA. IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CITY OF JERSEY CITY, NEW JERSEY CITY UNIVERSITY, RUTGERS COOPERATIVE EXTENSION, NEW JERSEY TREE FOUNDATION AND THE MOST ESSENTIAL COMPONENT; AN ARMY OF PASSIONATE AND TRAINED RESIDENTS CALLED THE JERSEY CITY TREE LOVERS CREW (JCTLC); THE JERSEY CITY PARKS COALITION PLANS TO PLANT 2,020 TREES OVER THE NEXT FIVE YEARS LEADING UP TO THE YEAR 2020. WE ARE PROUD TO ANNOUNCE THAT WE HAVE ALREADY SECURED HALF OF OUR 2016 GOAL OF 60,000 AND WILL ANNOUNCE THE DETAILS OF A MAJOR SPONSORSHIP LATER THIS MONTH. "ALLEGORY OF LEAVES - IN A KICKOFF FOR OUR BIGGER DIG 2020 FUNDRAISING EFFORT FOR 2016 THE JERSEY CITY PARKS COALITION PARTNERED WITH NEW JERSEY CITY UNIVERSITY AND CELEBRATED THE LIVES OF TREES THROUGH ART, MUSIC, AND FOOD AT THE CLOSING RECEPTION OF THE ALLEGORY OF LEAVES EXHIBITION AT THE HAROLD B. LEMMERMAN GALLERY HEPBURN HALL ON DECEMBER 2ND. THIS BEAUTIFUL VENUE SET THE TONE FOR OUR INITIATIVE TO RAISE 600,000 TO PLANT 2,020 TREES IN JERSEY CITY OVER THE NEXT FIVE YEARS