Organization Details:

Friends of Brook Park is a leading environmental organization based in the South Bronx. Since 1999 we've been growing the Friends of Brook Park spectrum of activities and events.

From community gardening to canoe paddling, bike tours and indigenous culture ritual opportunities, we have offered meaningful opportunities for deep connections with the environment and with each other.

Description and/or History:
Dear Friends:

As 2009 kicks off to a fresh start, I want to take this opportunity to highlight a few of Friends of Brook Park’s most recent successes.

This year we have served hundreds of youth in our garden oasis, introducing them to organic gardening and Nature, in the middle of the South, South Bronx.

On the water, advocating for access to the rivers, and clean waterways, we were honored to outfit internationally renowned Puerto Rican environmental justice activist Tito Kayak to ply the Harlem and East Rivers and the Bronx Kill.

I'm proud of what we've achieved. But none of it would have been possible without the support we get from you.

One of our volunteers, Robert, writes:

“I've helped put up tipis with students at nearby public schools, showed them how to chop wood safely, seen a young girl, 4 years old, who moved from West Africa to the South Bronx with her family, keenly examine the many ladybugs on her hand being released as natural pest control against aphids. That young girl, and the many other children and adults who have had the pleasure of digging in the soil to harvest radishes and carrots, or clipped fresh mint from around the base of the willow tree, or walked the labyrinth of peace and contemplation, have enriched me and my life as much as the garden has enriched theirs.”

Your commitment is especially important in these tough economic times. Like other organizations, we are tightening our belts. But because so many people depend on us to continue to provide real green peaceful resources, we have the responsibility to continue-and, in some places, intensify-our work.

We cannot do that without your support. So please, during this season, please sign up to volunteer and/or send a tax-deductible donation to Friends of Brook Park. You can do so by simply clicking here: http://www.friendsofbrookpark.org/donations

Thanks!
FoBP

Our Environmental Education programs have provided hands-on physical activities access for hundreds of students from local schools such as PS 179, MS 220 and 222 and PS 30.

Our Green Team mentoring program with Community School for Social Justice continues in it's fifth semester of focused attention for teens.
We are confident that the interest and momentum we've helped to create over the years has effected a holistic change in many peoples' lives that benefits us all. See this article in the New York Times:
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/07/nyregion/thecity/07kaya.html

We urge you to get involved.

Contact person: Volunteer Coordinator, Volunteer Manager, (email)

Address:

Brook Park, East 141st Street And Brook Avenue Bronx, NY 10454 (See a map)

Directions:

Nearest Metro/Subway Stop: 6 4 5,   Walk distance (in minutes): 5   Nearest Bus Stop: 15, 0 minute walk