Dear GCF Community,
Happy NYC Climate Week 2023!
Thanks to all of you GCF environmental advocates – from Corps Members, alumni and NYCHA residents to staff, board, partners and our dedicated supporters – GCF is helping to drive critical climate action in NYC with our young adults leading the way forward.
We are excited to celebrate Climate Week this year and keep the momentum going year-round!
Did you see the headline? The Biden Administration just announced the “American Climate Corps Initiative”! Read our partner, The Corps Network’s, press release here featuring a quote from our Executive Director, Tonya, about the promise of building on Civilian Climate Corps models like our own!
WELCOMING COHORT 26
We couldn’t be more thrilled to welcome Cohort 26 on their journeys with GCF and see them shine as leaders in the climate justice movement. Orientation kicked off last week for our newest Corps Members who are getting ready to start Service Corps bootcamp in preparation for the upcoming months of service, training and career opportunity exploration across fields of green construction, energy efficiency, urban agriculture, green infrastructure, zero waste and community health.
RECENT EVENTS
This year, GCF has been involved in a number of exciting events with our partners and local advocates leading up to and during Climate Week:
- Con Ed Clean Energy Hub groundbreaking
- Forest for All coalition Rally for Trees celebrating the passage of NYC legislation protecting and expanding our city’s urban forest
- “Making it Real: Successfully Implementing New York’s Climate Act through Entrepreneurship & Workforce Development” panel featuring our Executive Director, Tonya Gayle, co-hosted by the Alliance for Clean Energy New York, New Yorkers for Clean Power, NRDC, and E2 at the Center for Fiction
- NY City Council Climate Week Celebration
- WE ACT for Environmental Justice’s Manhattan Clean Energy Hub Launch Partner Reception
- Queens Climate Expo hosted by Queens Borough President Donovan Richards
- And every Earth Week and Climate Week NYCHA partners come out to GCF Eco-Hubs to support and we’re happy to have them back again this year!
Photo credit: NY for Clean Power
GCF ALUMNAGANZA
On Friday 9/22 from 3:30-6pm, GCF is hosting a gathering for alumni to come together and revisit their journeys “from the days of service, to post-graduation, to where we are now, and where we aspire to be”. We are excited to network with alumni and host workshops that inspire and support everyone in their next steps! For attending alumni, we kindly request you bring along a photo that you would like to include in a time capsule to be buried at our new upcoming Eco-Hub. We will compose a message to your future self that will resonate with you in the coming 5 years. GCF Alumni please RSVP here!
GCF TOUR DE FARMS and POST-BIKE RIDE PARTY UPDATE
Unfortunately, for safety reasons due to inclement weather, we are postponing our Tour De Farms bike ride and post-ride party in Williamsburg this Saturday 9/23 and will confirm a rain date in November soon. Stay tuned for the new date!
Together, we’re all climate champions. It’s the power of individuals like you working collectively that’s creating a greener, healthier, resilient and more equitable NYC!
This Climate Week, any dollar you can give supports our young leaders’ pathways to sustainable careers building their futures and our #futuregreencity. With a one-time gift of $50 or monthly donation of $20 (or any amount), you can invest in the tools, training and resources empowering GCF Corps Members and Alumni!
We are a movement, we are the force!
In service and solidarity,
Green City Force