Greenroots Inc

GREENROOTS WORKS TO ACHIEVE ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE AND GREATER QUALITY OF LIFE THROUGH COLLECTIVE ACTION, UNITY, EDUCATION AND YOUTH LEADERSHIP ACROSS NEIGHBORHOODS AND COMMUNITIES.

WATERFRONT INITIATIVE - GREENROOTS ENGAGED DOZENS OF RESIDENTS IN A GRASSROOTS EFFORT TO REVITALIZE THE CHELSEA CREEK WATERFRONT. THROUGH THIS WORK, WE MOBILIZED WIDESPREAD OPPOSITION TO AND LEGAL INTERVENTION IN THE PERMITTING OF AN UNNECESSARY AND DANGEROUS ELECTRICAL SUBSTATION PROPOSED FOR A DENSELY POPULATED NEIGHBORHOOD AND NEXT TO TWO PUBLIC PARKS IN EAST BOSTON; AND ENGAGED COMMUNITY MEMBERS IN THE REVITALIZATION, ACCESS AND REDESIGN OF KEY SITES ALONG THE CHELSEA CREEK; PARTICIPATED IN COMMENTING ON FEDERAL WATER QUALITY PERMITS; AND RAISED AWARENESS OF CLIMATE IMPACTS. IN ADDITION, GREENROOTS WORKED TO ACHIEVE GREATER PUBLIC ACCESS CONNECTIONS TO THE MILL CREEK AND CHELSEA CREEK ALONG SEVERAL KEY REDEVELOPMENT SITES ALONG THESE WATERBODIES AND ORGANIZED COMMUNITY EVENTS ALONG THE WATER'S EDGE. FOOD DISTRIBUTION HUB - THE SECOND SYSTEM WAS ESTABLISHED TO HELP SUPPORT THE CITY OF CHELSEA' EMERGENCY FOOD DISTRIBUTION HUB. THIS HUB WAS WHERE THE CITY RECEIVED, PACKAGED AND ASSEMBLED BOXES FOR THE DOZENS OF POP-UP FOOD PANTRIES HELD FROM LATE SPRING 2020, TO THE END OF JUNE 2021. AT THE CITY'S REQUEST, GREENROOTS ENTERED INTO A MEMORANDUM OF AGREEMENT TO PAY CONTRACTED WORKERS AND PURCHASE OTHER SUPPLIES AND EQUIPMENT NEEDED FOR THE HUB (E.G. BOXES, FOOD SUPPLIES, PORT-O-POTTIES, ETC.) WHICH WAS THEN REIMBURSED BY THE CITY.

COVID-19 ONE CHELSEA FUND - COVID-19 HIT THE COMMUNITIES OF CHELSEA AND EAST BOSTON, MA PARTICULARLY HARD WITH SOARING INFECTION RATES AND SEVERE ECONOMIC FALLOUT. THESE ARE TWO COMMUNITIES GREENROOTS FOCUSES ON AND SERVES IN ITS ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE, PUBLIC HEALTH AND QUALITY OF LIFE EFFORTS. AT THE START OF THE PANDEMIC, GREENROOTS PIVOTED TO ADDRESS THE CRISIS FACING THESE COMMUNITIES. GREENROOTS ESTABLISHED SYSTEMS THAT HELPED TO BRING MUCH NEEDED RESOURCES TO THE COMMUNITIES OF CHELSEA AND EAST BOSTON. TWO OF THESE SYSTEMS, WHICH ARE REFLECTED IN THESE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS INCLUDE: 1. CO-FOUNDING AND ADMINISTERING THE ONE CHELSEA FUND, A CASH ASSISTANCE PROGRAM FOR CHELSEA RESIDENTS AFFECTED BY THE PANDEMIC. THE FUND IN TOTAL, RAISED OVER 1,400,000, DISTRIBUTED IN 250 CHECKS BY THREE COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS, INCLUDING GREENROOTS, TO CHELSEA RESIDENTS. DONATIONS WERE MADE TO THE UNITED WAY, WHICH PROVIDED THE FUNDS TO THE ORGANIZATIONS FOR THEIR DISTRIBUTION DIRECTLY TO RESIDENTS. FOR THE YEAR ENDED JUNE 30, 2021, ONE CHELSEA FUND ACCOUNTS FOR 85,000 REVENUE AND 243,000 IN DIRECT PAYMENTS TO RESIDENTS. REMAINING FUNDS WERE TRANSFERRED TO ONE OF THE PARTNERING COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS, COMMUNITY ACTION PROGRAM INTER-CITY (CAPIC).