City of Burien on LinkedIn: #volunteer #environment #stormwater #youth (2024)

I normally am not one for personal posts on LinkedIn, however I have to give wider recognition to this work....This is my cousin Samuel Pressman. He lives in New York City and has dedicated his life to City Gardens. He has an Environmental Science degree and devotes time money and resources to building rooftop gardens, block gardens, school gardens and teaching kids, seniors and local communities in various urban areas how to garden. This is incredibly important work for a number of reasons....1. Teaching Self-sustainability to vulnerable demographics is incredible social work. There are many ways to outreach to lower income populations, but teaching resourcefulness, independence and empowerment while decreasing a health disparity by having fresh produce gardens is truly a noble accomplishment. 2. Bringing people together to focus on productive healthy communities and bettering neighborhoods creates happiness and attacks demographic disparities from a creative angle. Many are not fortunate enough to leave the cities, so bring the happiness and high quality foods to them.3. His work extends to teach young people and seniors in general, Self-sustainability and to lead healthier lifestyles by growing their own food fresh rather than buy mass-produced processed foods. 4. Indirect benefits like reducing suburbanization (I know there are many reasons for suburbanization) which therefore reduces more forest and farmlands from being developed unnecessarily. I'm not trying to start Suburbanization, Gentrification or Environmental debates. I honestly understand both sides to each one of those subjects. I'm just trying to give credit to a great guy who does great work and makes a difference 💖 #gardeninspiration #selfempowerment #environmentalsustainability https://lnkd.in/gkbPDxcN

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How do you uplift future generations by empowering local landowners today?By empowering communities to thrive in the global market, Commonlands helps families afford tuition to send their kids to school.As a result, they are more likely to pursue higher education and aspire for greater things beyond their immediate reality.Join us in building trust with land and helping underrepresented communities access opportunities, education, and prosperity.#LandSecurityForAll #OpportunityForChange #CommonlandsImpact

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Do you know how many volunteers it took to plant our 130 community gardens last year? (7,067) Or how many acres we protected for nature and future generations in 2022? (1,025) Or how many learners particpated in Fallingwater Institute and Education programs in 2022? (1,765) Find out all this and much more in our 2022 Annual Report online! bit.ly/47g5n5d #conservation #nature #WaterLandLife #AnnualReport

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I ended Wednesday at Whitfield County's Riverbend Park Complex with County Commissioners and senior staff. We assembled to break ground for a new playground facility adjacent to the Park's Crossen Community Center. Riverbend Park is a brand new state of the art facility with numerous outdoor fields for baseball, football, and soccer. Inside the Community Center are meeting rooms, kitchen facilities, basketball courts, and a walking/running track. We've received many compliments on our facilities catering to athletes of all ages and those using our complex for social activities. But it was noted we forgot one important constituency - young children who need a playground providing a safe place to work off energy and have fun.Whitfield County government prides itself on its proactive "can do" organizational culture. That led to Parks Director Brian Chastain and Public Information Officer Val Molina springing into action to address this shortcoming. Brian and Val formed a citizens committee to discuss the problem, consult with representatives of Safe Play Solutions, and choose a new playground from amongst ten proposals. Construction on the selected playground begins tomorrow. That's how effective and successful governments and communities operate.One final note. The most important person at the ceremony was the rather short individual wearing a hard hat in the center of the photo below. She's standing to the left of her father Matt Earley, who was a member of the citizens committee mentioned above. Matt's daughter has no money, no political influence, and can't even vote. Nevertheless, she literally represents Whitfield County's future. As such, we strive to and must meet her needs, wants, and dreams.#county #counties #localgovernment #whitfieldcounty #whitfieldcountycares #parks #parksandrecreation #playgrounds #communitycenter #proactiveapproach #organizationalculture #effectiveleadership #effectivemanagement #communityoutreach #youngpeople #children #childrenarethefuture

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There are numerous benefits in transforming traditional concrete school playgrounds into green spaces. -->Children in cities now spend much of their time in man-made spaces devoid of anything green or living (apart from some humans)- some children today think tomatoes grow underground! -->In the UK, Organic Chickens get better provision of outdoor space than nursery school children.-->One report showed 75% of children in the UK are getting less time outside than prison inmates. -->The average American child spends about 4 to 7 minutes a day playing outside and over 7 hours a day in front of a screen.All children should have regular daily access to Nature as part of their school day.Links to sources in my blog: https://lnkd.in/e6ZQEwA2#climatecrisis https://lnkd.in/dcAJqcxj

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We know that Parks and Recreation provide essential services to our communities, ranging from safety and health benefits to economic and ecological benefits. We need to continue to emphasize the importance of parks and recreation by advocating for dedicated funding and policy support, and working with our communities to ensure equitable access to these essential services and facilities. We believe that parks and recreation can act as catalysts to improve quality of life, foster social and environ #community #collaboration #quality #environment #funding mental justice, and create a healthier, more vibrant environment for all in our communities. To emphasize the essential services that parks and recreation provide, ACCO will continue to advocate for dedicated funding and policy support from local, state, and federal sources, as well as increased collaboration and communication with stakeholders including local and state government, community organizations, and school districts.

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Register now for FORVIS’ webinar to gain an understanding of the Community Reinvestment Act final rule update as well as where it can be applied. See the agenda for more.

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Did you know that the current National Planning Policy Framework contains more mentions of bats and lorry parks than it does of children? No wonder so much of our public space is unfriendly, unsuitable or even downright dangerous for children to navigate and spend time in. If the people designing our public spaces aren't even aware that they need to consider children's needs, they will continue to design and build environments that aren't 'healthy, happy and liveable places'! The second session of the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities Inquiry into Children, Young People and the Built Environment takes place from 4-6pm today. Watch it live at the link below for expert evidence from Tim Gill, Dinah Bornat, Jo McCafferty, Jonny Anstead and Sarah Scannell MRTPI. This is a really important opportunity to start changing things for the better - for children, and for everyone else too.https://lnkd.in/e3_Dvrx8

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Wednesday afternoon Whitfield County Commissioners and senior staff assembled at the County's Riverbend Park Complex. They were there to break ground for a new playground facility adjacent to the Park's Crossen Community Center. Riverbend Park is a brand new state of the art facility with numerous outdoor fields for baseball, football, and soccer. Inside the Community Center are meeting rooms, kitchen facilities, basketball courts, and a walking/running track. We've received many compliments on our facilities catering to athletes of all ages and those using our complex for social activities. But it was noted we forgot one important constituency - young children who need a playground providing a safe place to work off energy and have fun.Whitfield County government prides itself on its proactive "can do" organizational culture. That led to Parks Director Brian Chastain and Public Information Officer Val Molina springing into action to address this shortcoming. Brian and Val formed a citizens committee to discuss the problem, consult with representatives of Safe Play Solutions, and choose a new playground from amongst ten proposals. Construction of the selected playground begins tomorrow. That's how effective and successful governments and communities operate.One final note. The most important person at the ceremony was the rather short individual wearing a hard hat at the center of the photo below. She's standing to the left of her father Matt Earley, who was a member of the citizens committee mentioned above. Matt's daughter has no money, no political influence, and can't even vote. Nevertheless, she literally represents Whitfield County's future. As such, we strive to and must meet her needs, wants, and dreams.#county #counties #localgovernment #whitfieldcounty #whitfieldcountycares #parks #parksandrecreation #playgrounds #communitycenter #proactiveapproach #organizationalculture #effectiveleadership #effectivemanagement #communityoutreach #youngpeople #children #childrenarethefuture

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In the 1960s, Oregonians were increasingly troubled by the loss of farmland and forests across the state. Unbridled growth meant that urban development was sprawling across Oregon at a rapid pace. With broad public input from residents across the state, Oregon established nineteen state and regional planning goals. The very first goal, Goal 1: Citizen Involvement, established broad rights for public participation in land use decisions. This requirement for community engagement sets Oregon apart from other states - and means we get to determine how our landscapes and cities look and feel.Much of LandWatch’s work relies on the collective action of informed and engaged Central Oregonians. We’ve seen the tangible impact Goal 1 has had in our region and communities – from. It’s why we see a clear line with the cities of Bend and Redmond end, and farmland begins. It’s why access to a local trail or two is always close by. It’s the reason why Oregon is protecting farmland better than surrounding states. It all adds up to an abundance of opportunity to grow, play, and thrive here in Central Oregon. #AbundantOregonhttps://lnkd.in/gka3_P_D

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