Groundwork USA is excited to announce the newest member of the Groundwork USA network: Groundwork Ohio River Valley (Groundwork ORV). The nonprofit is part of the only national enterprise with the mission of transforming the natural and built environment of urban communities. Working at the intersection of environment, equity, and civic engagement, Groundwork ORV will build programs on a regional scale, while being based in Cincinnati. The new Groundwork Trust will focus its efforts on expanding environmental education opportunities for youth from kindergarten to college. Additionally, it will expand the Green Team and Green Corps—workforce development programs for high school youth and young adults to improve degraded land and waterways.
Groundwork ORV believes the frontlines of conservation are in cities, and the environmental movement must adapt to keep up with an increasingly diverse populus. It will develop the next generation of sustainability leaders from all backgrounds, to improve the natural world in which they live and take ownership of our public spaces. The goal is to start a chain reaction, by intentionally involving the untapped knowledge found within youth. They will become leaders in their communities, equipped to drive structural and environmental improvements. Groundwork ORV’s Co-Executive Director, Tanner Yess, sees opportunities for collaborative work that results in dynamic change:
“We address multiple needs for both humans and the environment with programs that layer income-generation, natural habitat enhancement, and equitable access to green amenities. Our program metrics don’t just track trees planted—they count diplomas earned, jobs created, and green infrastructure projects installed by students. We attack environmental problems by connecting people to their natural world through a value proposition that highlights the need for both to coexist.”
Visit the Groundwork ORV website (groundworkorv.org), and stay up to date with Groundwork ORV programs on Instagram (@groundworkorv) and on Facebook (facebook.com/GroundworkORV.
—Sophie Revis is the Program Manager for Groundwork Ohio River Valley
